"It will take half a year, even a whole year to complete an exquisite thangka."

"I would hold breath to draw every stroke in the most delicate part of the painting. It needs complete concentration and you cannot make any mistakes at all," he said proudly.

Urgent task to cultivate more young painters

At present, Norbu runs a thangka art center at the foot of Yaowangshan Mountain, nearby Potala Palace. He recruited children from Tibetan rural areas aged from nine to 12. Then he trained them how to paint thangka from the basic line drawing to complicated layout.

He has 18 students right now; the oldest one has graduated and helps him to manage the art center.

A Budda thangka painted by Norbu Sida. All of the golden colors were made from pure gold powder. [CnDG]

At the mention of his funding source, he explained that the money to maintain the daily operation of the art center and his students' spending were all supplied from his earnings selling his paintings.

A thangka of wealth god painted by Norbu Sida. [CnDG]

"I'm willing to accept any donations and help from warm-hearted men. If I have enough money, I will enroll more Tibetan students to learn and promote this traditional art," he said.

He believes it’s an urgent task to attract more young Tibetans to learn it with earnest attitude, because it's a handicraft with thick Tibetan cultural sediments.