As an indispensable part of the devout Buddhist life of Tibetans, Buddha Sculpture in Clay are found almost everywhere in Tibet.
Superior clay should be adopted for making the Buddha sculptures. The work is usually done from the lower part of statues, and the thickness of clay is decided by the size of sculpture. The major tool used by sculptors is a wooden rod in the shape of a pencil, which is called "Dai Wan" in Tibetan. During the whole making process, a wet cloth is usually used to cover the unfinished statue in order to prevent dryness and crack.
Ingenious techniques and exquisite workmanship are needed in making small Buddha figures, especially for such parts as the face and hands. A wooden framework needs to be put up first before building a big statue, then comes the work on outline and at last local embellishments. Some figures are built with a base, such as the lotus flower base or a saddle-shaped base. Whether small or big, they are strictly made according to the uniform scale standard specified on Sutra of Statue Making.
