Bastar Art: Tribal Paintings, Iron Craft and Drawings
12 designs Tribal crafts Updated 9 Oct 2026
Bastar art is the family of tribal art traditions from the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, and this gallery shows our own designs inspired by it. You will find mud wall paintings, wrought iron pieces and simple drawings you can copy at home.
Bastar is known for three big crafts: wall painting, wrought iron work and dhokra metal casting. Each of these bastar art images comes with its material, key motifs, a suggested use and a hands-on hint.
Enjoy tribal styles? Also browse our Gond art and Warli art galleries. The shapes differ, but the love for trees, animals and village life is shared.
Bastar Art Wall Painting Designs
A Bastar art wall painting starts with a mud or ochre wash, then simple white, black and red lines. These designs suit a verandah, a balcony or a large board.
A big central tree holds the whole design together, so even a beginner can fill a wide wall. It suits a verandah or a school corridor.
Artist tip Prime the wall with a thin mud or ochre wash and let it dry overnight before drawing.
A long row of dancing figures turns a plain boundary wall into a story strip. Repeating one figure shape keeps the rhythm even.
Artist tip Cut one cardboard template of the figure and trace it along the wall for equal spacing.
This board version brings the wall style indoors without painting the house. It suits a living room or a craft fair stall.
Artist tip Seal the finished board with matte varnish so dust wipes off with a dry cloth.
Bastar Tribal Art Motifs
Bastar tribal art uses a small set of motifs again and again: trees, animals, birds, the sun and rows of dots. Learn these few shapes and you can build hundreds of designs.
A motif sheet is a handy reference before you start a big wall. Teachers can photocopy it for a class to trace.
Artist tip Draw each animal with a 0.5 mm pen first, then thicken the outline with a 0.8 mm pen.
The tree with visible roots is one of the most loved Bastar shapes. It looks good framed in a study or a reading corner.
Artist tip Draw the trunk first, then the roots, then the branches, so the tree looks balanced.
A river band fits narrow spaces like a staircase wall or the top of a door. Kids can help fill in the fish scales.
Artist tip Keep all the fish facing one direction so the band reads like moving water.
What Is Bastar Art? The Bastar Art of Chhattisgarh
Bastar is a forested region in the south of Chhattisgarh. Its tribal communities have long made art for their homes, fields and festivals. When people talk about Bastar art and craft, they usually mean three things.
| Craft | Material | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| Wall painting | Mud, lime, ochre, natural colours | Trees, animals, birds, dancers, dots |
| Wrought iron | Iron heated and hammered | Tall deer, lamps, musicians, birds |
| Dhokra | Brass and bronze, lost-wax casting | Elephants, horses, lamps, bells |
You will also see bastar wooden craft and bamboo work in the region, but this page focuses on painting, drawing and iron. Bastar art Chhattisgarh style is earthy and simple: few colours, strong outlines and lots of repeated dots. For cast metal pieces, see our dhokra art gallery.
Bastar Iron Craft and Metal Figures
Bastar iron craft is wrought iron heated and hammered into long, thin figures. Many homes pair these with small dhokra brass pieces from the same region.
Long thin legs and antlers give this lamp stand a light, lively look. It suits an entrance table or a dining room corner.
Artist tip Wipe it with a dry cloth and rub a drop of oil on the joints twice a year to stop rust.
Three flat iron musicians inside a ring make a lively wall piece. It suits a music room or a white wall that needs a dark accent.
Artist tip Hang it on two nails, not one, so the thin figures do not tilt or bend.
Small pieces like these birds are an easy first buy and a good gift. Pieces with many fine curls take more hours to forge.
Artist tip Use tea lights in a metal cup so wax does not drip onto the iron.
Bastar Art Drawing Ideas for Beginners
A Bastar art drawing needs only paper, a pencil and a black pen. These three ideas move from easy to medium.
Simple shapes like a hut, a tree and a few hens make a calm first drawing. It suits kids and school art notebooks.
Artist tip Use 180 gsm paper so ink lines do not bleed through to the next page.
The tiger body is split into bands of dots and stripes, which makes colouring neat and easy. Older students enjoy this one.
Artist tip Divide the body into bands with light pencil lines before adding any colour.
White on black gives the feel of a wall painting seen at night. It suits greeting cards and a small frame.
Artist tip Let gel ink dry for ten minutes before you erase any pencil marks.
How to Make a Bastar Art Painting at Home
- Pick a base: a mud wall, an MDF board or 250 gsm paper.
- Paint a flat ochre, brown or terracotta background. Acrylic on board dries in about two hours.
- Sketch the big shape first in light pencil: a tree, an animal or a row of dancers.
- Outline in white acrylic with a size 0 or 1 round brush.
- Fill the bodies with dots, dashes and short lines. Loosen the acrylic slightly with water so each dot settles into a neat circle.
- Add a border of triangles or dots, then seal with matte varnish once fully dry.
On a real mud wall, use lime or white clay paint, because acrylic can peel off loose mud. Touch the wall up once a year after the monsoon. Want a mud and mirror project instead? Try lippan art.
Buying Bastar Handicrafts: What Makes a Piece Cost More
Bastar handicrafts range from small gifts to large statement pieces. These things push the cost up:
- Hand forging: iron with fine curls and joins takes far more hours than flat cut shapes.
- Size and weight: tall lamp stands use more iron and more labour.
- Natural colours: paintings in mud and natural pigment take longer than acrylic on board.
- Hand painting on cloth: a Bastar art saree or stole painted by hand costs more than a printed one.
Turn iron pieces over before you buy. Small hammer marks and slightly uneven joins are a good sign of hand work.
Questions about these designs
What is Bastar art?
Bastar art is the tribal art of the Bastar region in Chhattisgarh. It includes wall painting, wrought iron craft and dhokra metal casting. Common motifs are trees, deer, birds, horses, elephants and dancers.
Which state is Bastar art from?
Bastar art comes from Chhattisgarh in central India. Bastar is a region in the south of the state, known for its forests and tribal villages.
What is Bastar iron craft?
It is wrought iron work shaped with heat and a hammer. Artisans make tall, thin deer, birds, musicians and lamp stands. It is different from dhokra, which is cast in brass by the lost-wax method.
Is Bastar art the same as Gond art?
No. Both love trees, animals and dotted fills, but Gond art comes from Madhya Pradesh and is known for bright figures packed with fish-scale patterns. Bastar wall painting is simpler, often white, black and red on mud.
How do I draw Bastar art for a school project?
Start with one big motif, like a tree or a tiger, in pencil. Outline it with a 0.5 mm black pen and fill the body with dots and dashes. Add a border of triangles, and you can finish in about an hour.
How do I care for a Bastar wall painting?
Indoors, dust it with a soft dry brush. Outdoor mud and lime paintings fade in rain, so touch them up each year. Board paintings last longer when sealed with matte varnish.
