Painting is another main artistic form in Tibet and it is in a preferential position in Tibetan Buddhism. Like in Christianity or any other religions, Tibetan painting is one of the forms which help Tibetan people strengthen their belief in Buddhism and their emotion of life. Tibetan painting mainly includes cliff painting, frescoes, Thangka and wood prints.

Cliff painting is an art style for the period from pre-historic time to Tu Bo Regime. It is one of the oldest arts in Tibet. The cliff paintings existing today are mainly on cliffs and large rocks. In terms of skills, themes and styles, Tibetan cliff painting has a close relationship with North China cliff painting and Mid-Asia cliff painting, found in Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai and Inner Mongolia.

Frescoes, painted on the walls of the monasteries and palaces in Tibet, are also a main style of Tibetan painting art. The frescoes of Tibetan Buddhism absorbed some elements of the paintings in India, Nepal and other parts of China and gradually formed their unique style. We can see the shadow of Indian style from the frescoes of Jokhang Monastery and Jing Gang Monastery.

Thangka is another traditional art of painting next to mural painting, which is a roll of painting with decoration in colored ribbons. It has a clear national character and is strongly in religious colors and in unique art style. The theme of Thangka has drawn from the social history of Tibet and the historical and genre paintings for living customs and also reflected the scientific range of astronomy, calendar, and Tibetan medicine and medical treatment.

The Thangka has remarkable characteristic of making a painting according to history or explaining history on painting. But the major subject of Thangka in Tibet is religion. Tibetan Thangkas over 80% are Buddha’s images, preachings, monasteries, religious figures and stories. Thangkas, which describe Tibetan history and natural science, are all painted strongly in religious color. Tibetan folk art in sculpture can be divided into several styles such as stone carving, copper carving, clay sculpture, animal bone sculpture and butter sculpture of which stone carving is most popular.