CHENNAI: While she was visiting her relatives in Germany in 2015, architect-turned-artist Lakshmi Dharshini chanced upon a dot painting for the first time at their house. She was amused by its aesthetic appeal, vivacious hues and intricate patterns. Up until then, she was unaware of these artworks which had a history and significance in the Australian aboriginal culture. “I read many articles and watched videos on how the aboriginals — indigenous tribes of Australia — used these dotting techniques to tell stories and preserve their legacy. It was a cultural and traditional ritual.
They used to do it on the soil and cover it so that it remains a secret. In 1971, Australian artist Geoffrey Bardon was assigned as an art teacher to the aboriginal children in Papunya, a small town in Australia. He encouraged them to do murals and that’s how it piqued the interest of art enthusiasts and gained popularity around the globe,” said the 22-year-old.
She learned dot painting from watching YouTube videos. She has been pursuing this art for the past five years. Darshini took up this art form full-time after graduating in early 2019 from Meenakshi College Of Engineering. She found it to be therapeutic and pleasing to the eyes. “My college days were stressful with sleepless nights and loads of assignments. It affected my mental health and I went into depression. I used to be short-tempered, irritated and the hectic schedules bogged me down. I decided to look for a stress buster and ended up choosing this art form. There are only a handful of artists who do this in India,” said Lakshmi, who spends around six to 12 hours on this artwork depending on her work.
The art made her calm and composed. “Each art piece takes hours to complete. That’s probably why nobody likes to pursue dot painting. I thoroughly immerse myself in it. I’ve been doing it for five years. I’ve conducted five workshops and everybody who attended it felt good. Regular art forms and techniques do not satisfy me and hence I went for something unique like this,” said the artist who debuted at Art Fleamart 2019 held last weekend in the city.
Her designs revolve around landscapes, florals and mandala. She mainly paints on canvas. The main dotting tools are double-ended sticks with different sized metal balls on each end. “We have quirky instruments such as flathead acrylic pens, stencil brush and bamboos for bigger dots. Glitter dust and 3D outlines are used for visual effects. The final work is brushed with varnish or epoxy to give it a shine and withstand all kinds of temperature.
The paint consistency is important. It has to be semi-liquid. The speed at which you do the art should be medium-paced,” said the artist, who is also a freelance interior designer. Her collection includes bookmarks, trays, coasters, fridge magnets, terracotta pots and canvas with dot painting. Her latest one was a two-and-a-half feet canvas featuring a flower design with dot painting for a client. It took her three weeks to complete. The artist wants to try dot painting on walls, next.
“Clients are inquiring if dot painting can be replicated on tiles and walls. I’m working on it. Some artists also do portraits. But I’m comfortable with mandalas predominantly. You can either use 20 big dots or 200 small dots. The design will vary accordingly. Smaller the dots, tougher it gets. I also want to try the string art form,” said Lakshmi. She ships across the country and requires two weeks to work on a design.
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