Shyama Maa- Tenpa Putul

 

Last year, while browsing online, I came across an image of a Tenpa Putul—a handmade clay doll from Bengal—that immediately stayed with me. The image depicted Shyama Maa, rendered in the humble, earthy language of folk craft. There was something deeply moving about it: the rawness of the clay, the quiet devotion in the form, and the unmistakable warmth that only hand-shaped objects seem to carry.

Tenpa Putul dolls are traditionally crafted by hand, often using simple tools and locally sourced clay. They are not polished or perfect—and that is precisely their beauty. Each figure carries the marks of the maker, a sense of intimacy, and a strong connection to everyday faith and storytelling. That original image became the emotional starting point for my artwork.

Building the Visual Foundation

To understand the form and iconography better, I began collecting reference images—not only of Tenpa Putul dolls, but also of Shyama Maa representations, folk sculptures, and clay figurines from Bengal. These references helped me study proportions, posture, ornamentation, and the stylised simplicity that defines this craft.

I gathered these images into an ideaboard, which became my visual anchor throughout the process. Rather than copying a single source, I wanted to absorb the essence of the craft—the softness of form, the devotional mood, and the tactile quality—and reinterpret it through my own visual language.

Sketching and Planning

With the mood board in place, I moved on to rough sketches. These early drawings were exploratory, helping me plan the composition, gestures, and overall balance of the artwork. I allowed myself to be loose at this stage, focusing on rhythm and feeling rather than precision.

Once I felt confident about the structure, I created the final pencil drawing. This stage was slower and more deliberate, refining lines and details while still retaining the organic quality inspired by clay forms.

From Ink to Digital Colour

After completing the pencil drawing, I inked the artwork by hand. Inking helped define the forms more clearly while preserving the handmade character of the lines. The contrast between delicate details and bold outlines added depth and presence to the figure of Shyama Maa.

The final step was colour. I scanned the inked drawing and coloured it digitally using Affinity. This analog–digital workflow allows me to keep the warmth and imperfections of hand drawing, while using digital tools to build subtle layers, controlled palettes, and refined textures.

A Conversation Between Craft and Contemporary Practice

This artwork is not a direct reproduction of a Tenpa Putul doll, but a conversation with the tradition. It is my way of honouring Bengal’s clay craft heritage while translating it into a contemporary illustrative form. The process—from discovering a single image online to building references, sketching, drawing, inking, and digitally colouring—reflects how traditional inspiration can travel through modern tools without losing its soul.

At its heart, this piece is about slowness, devotion, and material memory—qualities that Tenpa Putul embodies so beautifully, and which I hope continue to live on through my work.