I initially had some concerns if this is an art form that can be learned online without any supervision but I was pleasantly surprised to note that it was possible! Tanjore is a more complicated art form but the learning modules are very well designed and structured and made it possible to complete. Jesso, cone, and goldwork do require good practice but Swarna led me through the process in her diligent manner. I am pleased with the overall product and have already signed up to start on the next Tanjore art
The overall course was well designed. Every little detail and step was broken down and clearly explained. The feedback mechanism was quick. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and super happy with the final painting. Thank you :) Videos and tutorials had everything explained in detail. Preparing ingredients from scratch, cooking them, and getting a perfect consistency makes you realize how much work and effort goes into these paintings. Super proud to have done one myself. I was sharing pictures from every stage with my close circle. People are getting inspired to try one themselves after seeing the beautiful outcome. It is so good to see that someone with not much artwork experience like me is able to do so much with just patience. The beauty of Tanjore painting motivated me to stay on track throughout the course. Thank you so much for launching such an amazing course!!
l loved it! The class was very detailed and the videos were very clear, precise, systematic, and elaborate. This is my first Tanjore painting and I never felt that I missed a physical teacher at any point. As a learner, I thoroughly enjoyed the process. Cone work & Goldwork was something new to learn. Using natural colours was the most interesting part of the painting. totally enjoyed the class and hope to do Kerala Mural Painting next. Thank you very much Swarna Mam"
First of all, I want to thank you for this wonderful opportunity.This is really great thinking to open the gate for Learners from all over the world. website is very easy to access, I didn't feel any difficulty I enjoyed a lot in overall painting work. After opening the eyes for swami, I was speechless, there are no words to express my feelings. Tanjore painting is my dream, finally, I achieved that from the right platform. I realized how I am blessed to have such a husband, daughter, and father in law, they are really very supportive
It was a very interesting journey of learning Tanjore painting online. Online learning was very comprehensive, systematic and elaborate. As a learner I thoroughly enjoyed this process. I never missed a physical teacher, since we could reach out to you anytime. Cone work and gold work is new and a good learning. Using natural colours for painting was the most enjoyable part of this painting. I couldn't have found a better teacher to teach me my first Tanjore painting. Thank you very much
Overall it was a wonderful experience to learn the Tanjore painting with 100% natural ingredients. My childhood dream of learning this traditional old art has come true even being in the USA. The online classes were well organized and the assignment at end of each module has made me more confident to finish the art. Swarna madam has taken great measures to teach the art she learned, to people all over the world.
I'm overjoyed on the completion of my first Tanjore painting; It was a wonderful experience to learn this traditional form of art. The website was easy to use and instructions were detailed and clear to the point. Since it was a virtual course, it was convenient to work on my time. Though I enjoyed completing each step, my favorite part was painting the picture. It brought the painting to life. liked painting with natural colors and ingredients. It was cool to mix the pigments with my hands. It was messy but fun. Overall, it was a remarkable experience with ample guidance from the teacher and encouragement from my family.
I would like to appreciate and thank Ms.Swarna Raja's mam efforts for transforming traditional Tanjore art into the modern method of online learning. I enjoyed the whole experience and it has been a long time dream come true for me. Materials sent for this program were naturally made keeping in mind the tradition and were very useful. The program has been designed with a lot of experience and with utmost passion with traditional methods involved. Looking forward to more such programs with this academy.
"Incredible & Amazing experience " with precise and detailed oriented modules along with a flexible schedule. Swarna mam is such a passionate artist and a tutor. Her in-depth knowledge of detailing and fragmented tutoring made the course interesting and simple. Initially was hesitant if I could pull off the facial expressions with painting techniques using natural colors her detailed inputs made it & simple. This traditional art form is so intricate like Jesso work, stonework, cone work, goldwork & painting with natural colors every step elevated the look of the painting totally enjoyed and admired the art. My family was so happy with the outcome. This course makes you "believe in yourself". Thanks a lot, Swarna mam feel really confident and satisfied with the completion of this course from your academy.
I ended my year happily with your training and beginning the new year with your training and Painting work. Thanks for extending my tenure to be a part of this wonderful journey. you are very patient and supportive all through the journey !! Really thankful to God for letting me know about you and fulfill one of my lifetime dream from you (Learning Tanjore Painting from the wonderful teacher). Hope this journey should not end and I would like to appreciate your support all time !! Please do remember me, mam !! You are my very favorite teacher!! Gratitude from Heart and my whole family is thanking you for making me learn Tanjore painting !! It was a wonderful and awesome experience that can be cherished for a Lifetime Thank you Regards Always your student Durgadevi
Overall experience is good. Thanks for making and guiding me through online classes. The online term is easy and difficult in some places. I can take up the work anytime to my availability. The online portal is really good to work. I faced some difficulty in uploading the picture initially. Later I didn't face any. I enjoyed doing jesso and stone. The picture with white and stonework was entirely different from the final. I enjoyed it overall. When taking up this work I had a 6month baby with me. As a new mom challenge, I accomplished this work to get out of stress. Thanks to you Mam, my husband, and my baby who helped me a lot to fulfill my dream on learning Tanjore painting.
My Gratitude......Pranam Ma'am Thanku for your guidance.. you have detailed knowledge about Tanjore. It's really a great achievement to keep our Indian heritage alive. I am lucky, I got a chance to learn from such a learned Guru!
Friendly and prompt response from Swarna Maam made the learning an enjoyable experience for me and has doubled my interest. Every step was new learning for me, the best enjoyed was painting with the natural colour, it reflects so well in the canvas, I would love to use more of the natural colours It was more of a private experiment for me and I have enjoyed every moment of doing my Ganesha. Thank you.
The course is well distributed into steps to ease learning. Submitting the assignment after each steps helps in correction and interacting with mam. This motivates me to do good and with confidence. I liked the colouring stage very much and the final results of natural colours are amazing. Cone work is also unique. I liked the overall process of making the painting and have enjoyed it.
I thoroughly enjoyed the Kerala mural online painting classes.
This was my first mural painting experience and Swarna Raja Ma'am explained everything so very well. The online sessions were very helpful and easy to follow. Swarna Raja Ma'am is such a wonderful teacher, very patient, listened to my doubts patiently and also helped me correct a lot of my mistakes while painting.
Will definitely take some more classes soon.
This is my first ever online art class. It is unique. I enjoyed each and every step of this royal art. My favorite part of the painting is working with natural colours. I am glad that I found Swarna online class. She is the best. Finally, my dream come true. I got so much appreciation from my family and friends. Thank you so much Academy of traditional art. You are awesome.
I was always interested in learning any kind of traditional art form, and my search leads me to Swarna Raja madam's FB page, I was truly amazed and intrigued by the traditional mural art and Tanjore art that was being taught. I enrolled myself into the class and started off, the instructions are so well articulated and each module is structured so well. Swarna Raja madam was always available for any instructions, and her feedback was so well on any rework that needs to be completed. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience of learning this art.
I really appreciate your patience with me. I have a very busy work schedule, but learning this art was such a great stress buster for me. Thoroughly enjoyed every aspect and each module. Words fall short to express how thankful I am for you. Whenever I am in India next time, determined to Travel to Bangalore and meet you in person madam. Thank you again so much
I enjoyed making the painting. I did not miss the teacher... it was very informative. My family liked the picture - Meenakshi Radhakrishnan - Texas - USA
My search for learning Tanjore art and specifically online classes led me to the Academy of traditional art. To begin with, it seemed like an impossible task. However, as I started to get involved the artistic side of me developed much more and made me quite confident of what I know, and helped me learn new techniques. Additionally, the modules are very clear and accessible to the tutor is almost all through the day. The content is extremely clear and I thoroughly enjoyed each and every module of the painting. The material kit was received in good condition and was delivered in time. The material itself has been neatly packed and segregated in different packets/covers. Also, the material kit has been verified against the list of items per the video/ checklist and is available in the kit.
My husband was pleasantly surprised with the final look and my mother was super excited.- Anjali PS - Bangalore - India
The website was amazing and it was really easy to use. This was my first online class and I thoroughly enjoyed each and every step. The instruction was amazing and it helped me a lot all the way. I would like to thank Swarnaji for her dedication and hard work. It was also my first time I worked with natural colors and I enjoyed it very much. I really enjoyed the Cone and Gold workings. My family encouraged me all the way. I would also like to thank my friend Archana Sriram who introduced me to this site.
Loved working on this project and watching this evolve through the different phases, from the sketch to gesso to cone to the glittering gold and stones and finally voila , we have arrived with the colors that seals the deal. ! Great support as always from Swarna and excellent training modules to step me through each detail
“It was an amazing experience.
Glad to have opted for this. Everything is well structured and organised.”
Such a wonderful experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire learning process. The main reason I took up the course was because of the flexible learning hours. I was able to learn in my own time and when I can concentrate alone without any interruptions. The modules were well segmented and very detailed. I also enjoyed the nitty gritty details Ms. Swarna gave about each of the process including the many uses of the various ingredients used. All the instructions were very clear and the instructor responded very quickly for any queries I had. I am very happy to have used natural colours in my painting as I have learnt- as the painting ages, the colours used are even more beautifully depicted. The best part of the entire process was doing the face and drawing eyes. I have never imagined I would be able to paint Gods/Goddesses with such lively eyes. For me, it felt like Krishna is smiling at my work with satisfaction soon as I finished the final work. Thanks to Swarna for such detailed instructions right from drawing the outline, shadowing, till drawing the smiley part. I received the same kind of response from my family members when I shared the progress of the painting with them. My krishna Premi 3 year old is very happy that I have painted her favourite Radha Krishna for her. I can confidently say I have learnt the elaborate process of Tanjore painting and cant wait to try painting more. Thank you very much for making the course available for aspirers around the globe like me
I loved learning this new art and totally fascinated using the natural colors. Every assignment submitted was a learning and definitely thankful to the teacher who was always available for any doubts. Thank you so much
I loved it! I had a transcendental and exhilarating experience. The class was very detailed, and the videos were very clear and precise. The assignments were paced in the appropriate levels. i enjoyed the Gold work. I had fun while painting with natural colors. After working on the detailing of face i felt thrilled and ecstatic. Thank you for providing the online course and thanks a lot Swarna Mam.
I was the kind of person who never liked painting and usually used to just prefer pencil sketching because I was never really good at painting. Then I came across Swarna Raja ma'am and her classes on social media and she came with a lot of recommendation and accolades and after joining her classes I learnt that painting can also be just as fun, and right now this is my second course with her! I have even started doing a few paintings on my own as well. I really liked the cone work and the stone work in this course, also liked working with natural colors and natural ingredients. She was there each and every step of the way patiently guiding and correcting if I made any mistakes and also I was able to complete this painting at my own pace and I never felt that there was anything lacking in the online teaching approach. I look forward to taking up more painting courses with her!
It was a wonderful journey to attend this course and learn the beautiful art form of Tanjore Painting. The course was nicely designed and I loved the Feedback and communication all throughout, despite it being online. It was my first experience to work with natural colours and Gold and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to apply the learnings in my future Tanjore paintings.
It was easy using the website for learning. I didn't miss the physical teacher, anytime of the learning. I enjoyed each and every module in this course. I enjoyed working with natural colours and natural ingredients. All my family members and friends do encourage me for doing this online course. Thank you
Enjoyed the process – It was well structured. Thank you mam – The experience of learning in natural colours was good.
Thank you for a great course! Enjoyed learning in depth about Tanjore painting. Learnt a lot during the process and all the intricate detailed work that happens in a Tanjore painting. Website was very good. It was very easy to follow along the modules. I liked how well the modules were broken down. Made it easy to complete the work, get feedback and move on to the next module. I did wish a teacher would've been helpful to be nearby when I made a mistake, or to provide some guidance on fixing stuff, or to provide more intricate feedback when I had questions on the detailed work.
It was really fun to learn this mural from you. The course was very well organized and structured. The assignments were paced in the appropriate levels. Although it was an online class, it did not feel like missing a teacher. I loved the way how this painting evolved . This class gave me confidence to pursue my art passion
This was my very first stint with online art classes. I loved every bit of the artwork, especially the detailing. I'm very excited about the overall product and received many compliments from family and friends. The classes are very well structured into modules and easy to follow. Honestly, I did not expect this to be an easy ride but am thrilled with what I've been able to produce. Swarnaji is really very dedicated, diligent, and specific with her feedback, and at no point did I feel the necessity to sit physically in a classroom. I'm really looking forward to learning new art forms such as Tanjore and doing many more artwork in the future
"I was interested in learning Tanjore painting. I was lucky that my online search led me to Mrs Swarna Raja, who is an expert and scholar in Tanjore art. I decided to take the online classes and the experience was well worth it! Tanjore painting needs a lot of patience, every step...like jesso work; gold foil work is interesting and also needs the patience to get good results. Mrs Swarna uses only natural colours for the paintings....which are not as easy as poster colours to work with....but once I got used to it....it was great to see the beautiful colours the natural pigments give to the painting. Mrs Swarna is exceptional in her knowledge about Tanjore paintings. Her patience and guidance will help any newcomers approach to the art interesting and easy. I will be taking her expert's advice for my future paintings. This whole experience of online Tanjore painting was very nice! Thank you very much, Mrs Swarna ....it was great knowing you and learning from you." All the very best for the future!
: "This was my first online art class. I initially had thought about how effective it will be through Skype. But to my surprise, it was as good as learning live. The detailed explanation of each and every step and the time provided to complete them made it very easy. The first thing I noticed on seeing colour palette was there were only a few colours. But the richness it gave to the painting was unbelievable. They looked so rich and elegant. Nowadays most of them teach with synthetic colours and me having learnt with natural colours makes me feel more happy and content. About the teacher and guidance provided: I feel very happy to be a student of Swarna mam. The detailed approach of each and every step taught was truly helpful and mam was so kind and patient enough to help me every time I asked her for help in WhatsApp. The feedback every time she gave was very encouraging. All the more she was available and approachable at all times. Thank you very much, mam. Can never forget this experience. "
This was my first experience any online courses and it was quite an exhilarating one...from beginning to the end it was purely one to one as if we are actually attending a class, The experience of going through each of the processes was a different feeling. From making the Arabic gum to jesso to doing the cone work and the laying of the gold leaves to painting. Each process was associated with something different. While I found jesso n gold most tedious, I thoroughly enjoyed filling in colour on the canvas, it was like literally bringing the picture to life. I've never handled natural colours, it's quite different using these...they are quite strong and we need to be really careful while using them....a huge lesson learnt.!! I enjoyed it thoroughly!!! I also earned a new friend in Swarna, plus a Guru who doesn't hold back any secret's with the knowledge she imparts and she's always ready to guide us. Excellent experience.. I truly respect her for that!! Thank you sooooo much, Swarna
" - Learning Tanjore painting was one rewarding experience. I learnt a very new kind of art, learnt a lot of new techniques and I am so happy I learnt it from Swarna. Swarna was very patient and understanding and gives clear instructions. I thought learning this art online was impossible but trusted Swarna which resulted in my very first beautiful Tanjore painting. I am so proud of this experience. Online learning gives me so much confidence since most work and experience is done by me. Every stage of Tanjore painting was a new experience for me. I thoroughly enjoyed every step of this painting. This painting is a result of countless hours of hard work but at the end, looking at its beauty I feel it is all worth it. Thanks, Swarna you are an awesome teacher!
This is my first online class. It was very comfortable doing the lessons on Skype. It was like the teacher sitting next to me and teaching. We did experience very little problems on voice delays and call cuts a few times, and again this wholly depends on the network speed. It was overall very good. Teacher and guidance provided: Swarna Raja Kochi is an amazing person who has total commitment and dedication to Tanjore art. She is so talented. She makes sure the student learns the right techniques of jesso work, gold foil placing and washing the paint. She is very patient and never hurries to complete the project. With the dripping consistency of the muck and natural colours she can gauge the output, it will give. She guides through the artwork sequentially in a well-planned way
" I have never had painting online classes before. Never did art in natural colors before, preparation was good, time-consuming though, was enjoyable. Interactions were really good and jesso work-lot of practice before doing on the actual canvas helped well. Foil work was really complicated and hope to get some easy technique-like actually cutting the foil exactly or how easily to remove the excess foil, as that is where I just got frustrated. The coloring part was fun and good guidance on that. Swarna Raja is a good teacher, explains well, answers politely even the same question is asked again and again. The timeline is good and flexible with students' schedules and times. I am doing the next painting with her."
"Yes, my dream come true with the help of you Swarna ma'am. I never joined an online class before. I was totally confused but interactions we're really good and Jesso work 1- lots of practice before doing on the canvas helped me. I just got frustrated Jesso 2 - but u helped me for every step. I really enjoyed stonework, foil work n colouring. Swarna ma'am explains everything in detail, very flexible with the student's time. She helped me every time and made corrections wherever required. I felt encouraged every time with her feedback. She was available for my work anytime. I can never forget this experience and definitely will approach her again in the future. Thanks a lot, ma'am"
'I have not attended any online classes before. I Don’t have any prior experience in handling natural colors or formal training in art, though I pursue art as a hobby from childhood It was good to know about the history of Tanjore paintings from the teacher, how it is done in temple pillars, patiently explained rationale for each of the step, the importance of the natural materials, perfectionist with eye for detail, amazed to see the tutor identify even small variations/errors through the photos; even if I send the practice work multiple times, never tired of checking it and get back with feedback, overall it was a great learning experience."
"Learning Tanjore Art has given me a completely different experience. The feeling of divinity and sacredness was present in each and every painting I saw. The amount of intense work, dedication, and passion that goes in each painting are unexplainable. Never attended any online classes before. I have an inclination towards learning traditional Indian art. It was a little difficult for me as I am residing in the USA. But upon searching a few places, Felt very happy and excited to come across the online training of Tanjore Art by Mrs. Swarna. Swarna is a very great teacher. I am very much impressed with her teaching ability as well as her amount of patience and interest. I felt very comfortable learning from her as she is very friendly and homely. Swarna makes it extra sure that we got it correctly. She was always prompt in clarifying any doubts and is available all the time. Swarna is very passionate about teaching this beautiful Tanjore Art to others. Her guidance is absolutely flawless. It was really great pleasure in learning Tanjore Art from Swarna
"I just completed my first Tanjore painting in natural colors. I had never done anything like this online and the experience was awesome. Mrs. Swarna is a very dedicated teacher and took her time to teach me to step by step. She is a perfectionist. I have looked forward to meeting with her every weekend on skype and will miss the classes now that I have completed one. I do plan on beginning another one and maybe more. Thank you so much for everything Wishing you the best and hope to visit and meet you when I come to India
"This is my first experience learning Art online. Learning Tanjore art is a beautiful experience. The most favorite part is the detail in everything starting from taking a trace, preparing Jesso, doing gold/gem work, and finishing of it painting. Swarna explained everything in detail. This is my first time using natural colors. The best part is Swarna’s patience and being flexible. With my busy schedule, I was able to accomplish because of Swarna's full support."
Experience can be summarized in one word - 'Humbling'
I had always wanted to learn Tanjore painting from a professional and this kit came as a gift from family on my birthday.. was under the impression that this would be like any other painting but as each module got unlocked it only awed and wowed me more !. The many techniques involved, their complexity, the level of patience needed for the intricacies made me develop a new found respect for this traditional art form! The best and most challenging was the gold work, which was grueling but definitely worth the time!. I convey special thanks to Swarna for structuring the modules in the best possible way that made online learning a breeze! Not to leave out the well explained videos and the continuous interaction mechanism with Swarna who gave quick responses to any queries. The joy of learning everything from scratch including the natural colors made the journey one to cherish and brag about!.This is a brilliant course and I wish our paths cross again on another art tutorial! Loved the journey and the experience!!!
I really enjoyed doing the painting. The online course is crafted with all intrinsic details. The gold work and jesso work was quite interesting. The happy moments were when my friend and my daughter appreciated me. Thanks Madam for me being able to complete the work with full satisfaction.
I enjoy every single project I have been working with you. Learning as I go...Wonderful experience always!
Website learning was detail oriented. Both gold and jesso work was enjoyable in different ways.Natural colors painting made the painting complete as a whole. Family members --------appreciated and happy with final outcome.
Very enjoyed learning process.
Dear ma'am.First of all I would like to thank you for sincere feedbacks and at punctual timing.My journey was too good . initially I had problems in completing at given timelines but later started to finish it with passion.enjoyed each and every bit of this art.but particularly natural coloring and painting I liked along with cone work.I would like to learn from you in future too for mural work.Thanks ma'am had a wonderful time with you.
Really enjoyed this art form. Loved the painting part with natural colors. The instructions are clear.It was a good experience overall