The Three Basic Figurative Forms in Tibetan Buddhist Art
In the Tibetan tradition of training young artists there are three basic figurative forms that must be learned. The student is first taught how to draw the form of the [1] Buddha. Here the Buddha represents the basic human form. The second figurative form is that of [2] Green Tara, peaceful with jewelry and ornaments, a slight curve to the body and head, with the right leg extended. The third figurative form is [3] Wrathful Vajrapani with a fierce countenance, thick limbed, adorned with wrathful ornaments, or a combination of peaceful and wrathful, and in a standing posture surrounded by flames. Working with colour is only taught after the basic skills of drawing have been mastered.
From the basic forms of these three figures of Buddha, Tara and Vajrapani all of the various figurative depictions in Tibetan iconography can be created simply with the addition of extra heads, arms and legs, ornaments and attributes.