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Khan trained as a traditional miniature painter during BFA at the National Collage of Arts Lahore. The traditional Indo-Persian style of painting is a unique style that includes intricate stylisation, rigour detail, small scale, stacked up perspective, complex geometry and colour. It also requires artists to craft their own paintbrushes, paints and wasli (paper) from natural materials. 

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Khan focuses on contemporary issues and creates contemporary art using traditional techniques. She hopes to develop a fully environmentally sustainable art practice and focuses on using natural materials and recycling materials for her work.

KALAM

The kalam (paintbrush) is one of the most important tools for miniature painting. It is important to have a flawless brush with a precise tip. It is made from squirrel hair, wooden stick, pigeon's quill and natural gum arabic. Once a squirrel passes away, hair is taken from it's tail, ensuring that it is the right length; not too long, not too short. It is then placed on a piece of glass and each stand is thoroughly inspected with a needle in order to remove any broken strand. The hair is then fixed inside a quill from a pigeon, tied with a thread and sealed with gum arabic.. The kalam is to be of very fine quality which is essential for pardakht – minute feathered strokes, used for rendering.

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RUNG

The process of preparation and use of rung (color)  is of extreme significance in traditional miniature painting. Natural pigments are derived from earth, natural mineral, organic sources like plant or animal sources and from metals and oxides.The preparation of pigments involved constant washing of minerals to extract impurities as well as breaking them down into small pieces and grinding them into a powder form.  

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My contemporary art practice is inspired by the traditional technique of washing minerals and grinding them. For weeks I wash commercially available paint to get rid of impurities and grind the pigment into a fine powder. With my finger, drop by drop I add water and natural gum arabic to the pigment to make it into paint.

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WASLI

Wasli, a hard painting surface is prepared by pasting 4-5 sheets of water absorbent paper with an adhesive called layee. Layee is made by cooking flour, copper sulphate and water on a flame for a few hours. Once the wasli is made, it's surface is prepared by burnishing it for several hours with a cowrie shell. This results in a smooth and textureless surface, ideal for multiple layers of paint and fine rendering.

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SEEPI

Seepi are mussel shells that are used to mix and store paint. They can be washed and re-used over and over again and serve as perfect containers for storage.

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PALETTE 

The back of the hand is used as a palette for mixing color.

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All images courtesy A Small Shutter.

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