I love the cute motifs of Warli Art and I often use them to decorate glass and plastics but Saura tribal art is new to me. A couple of days ago, I was reading around the art and culture of Odisha and I accidentally chanced upon this pictographic tribal art. First it looked similar to Warli but when I looked at it closely, it wasn't the same. Let us discover the similarities and differences. And below is my first Saura art work which I have done on a repurposed nuts box.
Just like Warli, Saura is also a tribal art, simplistic in approach and deeply connected with nature. The figurines are called ikons, deities as Idital and the paintings are called Ittalams. Some of their beliefs are connected with spirits, ancestors and Gods but the tribe is considered to very-very old. The likes of them are said to be mentioned in the Mahabharata.
Both Warli and Saura depict stories of their religious rituals but the style of drawing is different. The border is usually very important for Saura paintings. The general format is square or rectangle. Secondly, the figurines are less sharp and edgy. There is more curviness to the shape of the figurines. Also, in Warli art, it is easy to differentiate a man and woman ( comes with a bun) but Saura does not differentiate between male and female genders. There is no distinct demarcation. Saura is usually painted on the walls of the houses with natural pigments and brush made from rice, chalk, twig, etc.
I painted the Indigo's nutcase with black acrylics and used it as a canvas to make Saura art with white color. It turned up really well. I really enjoyed it and if you wish to learn more about it or want to order something customized with Saura art, please do reach out to me through Contact page.
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