Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c10.s1.1

c10.s1.1

As architects, painters and designers, a thorough knowledge of drawing was essential to the superior craftsmen, and we find a highly systematic course of instruction in use for the education of apprentices. These were usually the sons of master craftsmen; but the sons of relations and even of outsiders were also received. A man of the proper caste, wishing to apprentice his son to a master-craftsman, would first find a fortunate hour (*nekat balanava*), and then proceed to the craftsman's house with his son of about six years old, and one or more servants carrying presents of food and betel leaves on a yoke. The boy was first set to learn drawing; he was given a *yatiporuva*, or wooden drawing-board covered with a preparation known as *vadi*. *Vadi* was made by grinding together tamarind seed (two *palam*), coconut charcoal (one *palam*), iron slag (two *palam*), and indigo (ten *mañjāḍi*) with the juice of *kikirindi* leaves (*Eclipta erecta, L.*)† The ingredients were ground together and mixed with finely-powdered quartz (*tiruvānagala*) and smoothly spread on the board and allowed to dry. Upon the board so prepared the pupil learnt to draw, using for his pencil the spine of a sea-urchin (*ikiri kaṭuva*) mounted in a bamboo handle; or failing that, a pointed style of kumbuk (*Terminalia glabra*) bark. Now-a-days, ordinary slates and slate-pencils are used.