Fabus Frames
Kerala Mural Painting · Online

Paint a Kerala temple mural with your own hands.

Even if you have never drawn before. Three master artists from Kerala guide you, brushstroke by brushstroke, from a blank canvas to a painting worthy of your prayer room or living-room wall.

No tracingBeginner-friendlyLifetime access14-day money-back guarantee
62recorded classes
48+hours of instruction
3,000+students taught
15–20+years each mentor has painted
An art painted on temple walls

For centuries, you could only learn this in Kerala.

Kerala mural painting was born on the walls of temples and palaces in South India. Gods and goddesses were painted in glowing earth-reds, ochres and greens. Every figure was drawn to precise traditional proportions. Every ornament had a meaning.

Traditionally, the only way to learn was years beside a master in Kerala. Most people who love this art, including Malayalis who grew up seeing it, never get the chance.

The traditional palette: vermilion red, yellow ochre, green, white and black. You'll learn to mix every shade in the painting from these.

Dancing Ganesha Kerala mural painting
Dancing Ganesha: the first painting you'll make.

So how does someone who "can't draw" end up with a painting like this?↓

The method

One line at a time. No tracing, no shortcuts.

Your mentor paints alongside you on camera, in the same order artists in Kerala have always used. Pause, rewind and repeat whenever you like.

Pencil line drawing of Ganesha
Step 1Line

Draw the figure yourself using the traditional proportion grid.

First colours applied
Step 2Color

Lay in the flat base colors, mixed from the five traditional tones.

Shading and detail
Step 3Detail

Shade, then add ornaments, crown and jewelry with fine brushes.

Finished Ganesha mural
Step 4Finish

The final black outlines bring the whole painting to life.

Start your first mural tonight.
All 3 courses · 62 classes · lifetime access · $197
Enroll now

That's one painting. But the real magic happens with the second, and the third…↓

The Complete Collection

Three paintings. Three masters. Each one builds on the last.

Ganesha gives you the foundation. Bhuvaneshwari teaches fine ornament and detail. Sree Krishna brings everything together, so the skill really stays with you.

Dancing Ganesha mural
Course 1 · The foundation

Dancing Ganesha

The joyful, dancing form of the remover of obstacles, honored at the start of every new beginning. Your first complete mural, and the best place to start.

24 classes20+ hours16 × 20 in canvas
  • Mural basics
  • Drawing without tracing
  • Anatomy & dance posture
  • Color mixing & shading
  • Face, crown, ornaments
  • Clothing & finishing
Taught by Sumesh K Shanmukhan · 20+ years
Bhuvaneshwari mural
Course 2 · The detail

Bhuvaneshwari

The Mother of creation, a goddess of beauty, compassion and wisdom. Rich with ornaments and fine detail, this painting shows the full splendor of the Kerala style.

24 classes20+ hours24 × 18 in canvas
  • Proportions & expression
  • Intricate ornaments
  • Decorations & background
  • Fine brush detailing
  • Color mixing & shading
  • Finishing techniques
Taught by Arun Aravind · 15+ years
Sree Krishna mural
Course 3 · Making it yours

Sree Krishna

Krishna with his flute and peacock-feather crown, one of the most beloved forms in Kerala. Fourteen focused classes where everything you've learned comes together.

14 classesAbout 8 hours22 × 15 in canvas
  • Drawing the figure
  • Lotus, waves & clouds
  • Expression & ornaments
  • Color mixing & shading
  • Brush handling
  • Finishing techniques
Taught by Priya · 20+ years
All three courses for $197
Just $3 more than Ganesha + Bhuvaneshwari bought separately.
Get the Complete Collection

Of course, a course is only as good as the person teaching it. Meet yours.↓

Your mentors

Trained in Kerala's mural institutions. Painting temples for decades.

Sumesh K Shanmukhan
Dancing Ganesha

Sumesh K Shanmukhan

Diploma in mural painting from Mahe Malayala Kalagramam. Over 20 years painting large murals across Kerala and beyond, and leading workshops for companies and colleges.

Signature work: Sree Krishna Charitham, Madurai Railway Station

Arun Aravind
Bhuvaneshwari

Arun Aravind

Five-year National Diploma from the Guruvayur Devaswom Institute of Mural Painting. He paints murals for temples, homes and architects.

Signature work: a 125-foot Mahabharatham at the Kerala Art Gallery, Kottakkal

Priya with her Sree Krishna mural
Sree Krishna

Priya

Over 20 years in Kerala mural art. She stays faithful to the traditional style and is known for explaining each step so beginners can follow along with confidence.

Teaches: online and in-person classes

Here's what happened when complete beginners learned from them.↓

Painted by our students

A doctor, a designer, an 11-year-old. All beginners.

None of them had painted a mural before. These are their first paintings.

Mural by Arushi
Arushi AbhilashUnited Kingdom · age 11

Learned entirely online from the UK and finished this mural through the step-by-step classes.

Mural by Deepti
Deepti SheejuGraphic designer

No experience with mural art. She finished her first full painting in about a month.

Mural by Dr. Baburaj
Dr. BaburajPhysician

Used the traditional measurement method to paint this Ganapathi alongside his medical practice.

Mural by Gopika
Gopika VinoshWorking professional

Learned around a full-time job, and her color harmony and composition grew with each class.

Mural by Nagulesh
Nagulesh RavindranWorking professional

Built confident line work and refined proportions through steady practice on evenings and weekends.

Mural by Sreelatha
Sreelatha C.RWent on to course 2

After finishing Ganesha she moved straight on to Bhuvaneshwari, and painted this.

Your painting could be next.
Start today · 14-day money-back guarantee
Start painting · $197

Still wondering if this is really for you?↓

Who it's for

Made for people far from Kerala, and people discovering it for the first time.

🪔

Bring Kerala home

For families abroad who want a piece of home on the wall, made by their own hands, and a way to pass the stories of Ganesha and Krishna on to their children.

🖌️

A slow, absorbing art

For anyone who loves detailed, meditative work. Hours on fine ornament have a way of quieting the mind. No religious background needed.

🎁

A gift with meaning

For a parent, a partner, or a friend who has always wanted to paint. And the finished murals become heirlooms to give in turn.

Here's everything you get, and what it costs.↓

Enroll

Choose your path

One-time payment in US dollars. No subscription. Lifetime access.

Prefer to start with two?

Sree Krishna is available only in a bundle, and adds just $40.

Ganesha + Bhuvaneshwari

$157

48 classes · 40+ hours. Save $37 compared with buying them separately.

Choose this pair

Ganesha + Sree Krishna

$137

38 classes · 28+ hours. Foundation first, then Krishna, for $40 more than Ganesha alone.

Choose this pair

Bhuvaneshwari + Sree Krishna

$137

38 classes · 28+ hours. Two of the most beloved forms, for $40 more than Bhuvaneshwari alone.

Choose this pair

Or just one painting

Dancing Ganesha

$97

24 classes · 20+ hours. The recommended starting point.

Choose Ganesha

Bhuvaneshwari

$97

24 classes · 20+ hours. Rich in ornament and fine detail.

Choose Bhuvaneshwari

All prices in USD. Canadian cards are welcome, and your bank converts the charge to CAD.

14day
guarantee

Try the first classes. If it's not for you, get your money back.

Watch the lessons, pick up a brush, and see how it feels. If you're not happy for any reason, ask for a full refund within 14 days of purchase.

What you'll need

A short, simple supply list

Everything is available at any art supply store in the US or Canada, such as Blick, Michaels or Amazon. You'll see exactly how each item is used in the first class.

Colors & brushes

  • Yellow Ochre
  • Vermilion Red
  • Sap Green
  • White
  • Black
  • Prussian Blue
  • Round brushes: 000 long-hair (×2), plus a small and a medium round

Canvas & drawing

  • Canvas board: 16 × 20 in (Ganesha), 24 × 18 in (Bhuvaneshwari), 22 × 15 in (Krishna)
  • 2B pencil, eraser and a ruler
  • A drawing book for practice sketches

Prefer the exact studio kit our mentors use? Email us after you enroll for an international shipping quote.

Questions

Frequently asked

I can't draw at all. Will I really manage?

Yes, and this course was built for you. There's no tracing. You learn to draw the figure using the traditional proportion grid, one line at a time. Many of our 3,000+ students had never painted before.

Are the classes live?

No. Every class is recorded, so you can watch on your phone, tablet or computer whenever it suits you, in any time zone, as often as you like.

What language are the classes in?

English.

How long does each painting take?

Most students finish a painting in about two to four weeks, working a few evenings a week. There are no deadlines and your access never expires.

Which course should I start with?

Dancing Ganesha. It teaches the complete foundation. Then take Bhuvaneshwari and Sree Krishna in any order.

Do I need to be Hindu, or know the stories?

Not at all. Students of every background take these courses. Your mentors explain the meaning of each figure and ornament as you paint.

Can I buy Sree Krishna on its own?

Sree Krishna is only available in a bundle, with Ganesha or Bhuvaneshwari ($137) or in the Complete Collection ($197).

How do I get help if I'm stuck?

Send a photo of your painting by WhatsApp or email and our team will guide you. We're based in Kerala (India Standard Time), so replies may arrive overnight for you.

Can I give a course as a gift?

Yes. Email us at support@fabusframes.com and we'll set it up for you.

What if I'm not happy?

Ask for a full refund within 14 days of purchase.

A painting you made yourself, in a tradition hundreds of years old.

The first class takes about as long as a cup of chai.

Get the Complete Collection · $197

14-day money-back guarantee · Lifetime access

Complete Collection · 3 courses
$197 USD
Enroll