Artists learn new techniques at workshop

MADURAI

Creative minds were at work amid colourful artworks adorning the walls at Sethupathi Higher Secondary School here on Thursday at a workshop organised by the Department of Arts and Culture.

Assistant Director of the Department of Arts and Culture D. Senthilkumar said there was no fee for the workshop and the art materials were also provided to the participants. As many as 50 select artists from Madurai, Dindigul, Theni, Ramanathapuram and Aruppukottai participated in the two-day workshop.

“Many of them were students, even those pursuing engineering and MBA, homemakers, and a few school teachers,” said P. Thirunavukkarasu, a freelancer who trained the participants with P. Vidya, another artist-trainer from Chennai.

The participants were taught various techniques using watercolour paintings and pencil shading. “We focused on perspective drawing, and the students drew famous monuments and temples. They were taught to play with watercolours so as to get 18 shades from the three primary colours,” said Mr. Thirunavukkarasu.

A first-year engineering student from Madurai, A. Sre Raman, said this was the first time he held a brush and the workshop shattered his inhibitions towards exploring watercolour drawings. While A. Ibrahim, an art teacher for 16 years from Madurai, said he learnt new basic techniques which he said were taught meticulously. “Now I can teach my students in a better and easier way,” he said.

Mr. Senthilkumar said the eager participants have requested to conduct week-long workshops in future.