Traditional Thailand art bears strong Buddhist religious influences. The art of Thailand is a synthesis of the best religious and intellectual traditions of Asia.
The painting in Thailand art was exhibited in the decoration of palaces and temples. The Thai school of painting was also employed to illustrate books. Sculpture in the art of Thailand was restricted to recreation of the images of Buddha in all its religious symbols and variations. The Thai art was characterized by two dimensional paintings. The concept of perspective was not important to the Thai painter executing the work of art.
The Thai paintings were composed by apportioning areas on the canvas or any material on which the painting is being drawn. The size of each element in the painting is drawn solely on the basis of its importance. The common subjects of traditional paintings is gleaned from the Jataka stories and scenes from Thai daily life.
The traditional Thailand art paintings are drawn with five primary natural pigments. The five pigments bear a resemblance to modern colors like scarlet lake, yellow ochre, pipe-clay white, ultramarine blue and pot-black. All were tempera colors. Contemporary Thailand art has a strong influence of western painting technique and style. Modern Thai artists like Chakrapan Posayakrit and Tawan Dachanee have achieved considerable success by mixing traditional Thai art with contemporary techniques.
