“Phad” consists of a series of painted images on cloth along a horizontal axis; sometimes as many as seven hundred images. The largest phad could be thirty four feet by five feet. Most figures are in profile, consisting of court scenes, war, warriors astride horses or elephants, with queens and princes, women carrying pitchers, musicians and street performers, drinking scenes, animals like cows, tigers, snakes, scorpions and deer, as well as many varieties of trees. Phadsare used by Bhopas: the roving storytellers of Rajasthan. They stretch it between two poles and sing of the deeds of folk heroes. Both the Bhopa and his wife sing and narrate alternately. While he strums an instrument, she holds up a lamp and illuminates that part of the painting he sings about.The art flourished under the patronage of Shahpura kings. Apart from Phads, they painted murals of gods and goddesses, village deities and popular folk stories on ceilings and walls of temples and houses. The style of painting is a unique mixture of Mewar and Mughal style. Though “Phad” has a seven hundred year long history, its painters are few and confined to family lineage.

At the initiation ceremony Saraswati and Ganesh are worshipped with offerings of jaggery and coconut. Colours and brushes are also worshipped. In “Dev Narayanji Ki Phad”, the first line is drawn by an unmarried woman in honour of Jasvanti. After completion, Saraswati and Ganesh are worshipped again, and the Phad; is formally consecrated by the final drawing of Dev Narayan's eyes. No further work is done on it, no one is allowed to sit on it and no woman is allowed to touch it. The painter writes in his name, the name of the Bhopa, his donor, the samvat year and the name of the king of Mewar. The Phad is then handed over to the Bhopa with a piece of roti and jaggery. A worn out Phad is never thrown out. It is either released into the water of the Pushkar lake, or deposited in a temple of the deity. During the monsoon months all painting activities are suspended for fear of disturbing the sleeping deities.

The process of making colours for painting is very long. Earthen, vegetable and stone colours are used. The colours are in the form of powder and water is added to it drop by drop to make a thick paste. The paste; is then made into small balls and are kept in the sun to dry. When the colour is required the ball is taken and dipped in water and squeezed out and then gum is added to it. The canvas, which is hand woven is starched with barley and the surface is then polished with a smooth stone to smoothen it out. The artist then starts sketching on the polished canvas with orange colour which is made of a flower which is soaked in water overnight and then the juice is squeezed out. Then other colours are filled in, one by one. Body is coloured with light red, yellow for jewellery, green for plants and trees, brown for houses, blue for gods and goddesses as well as water and borders. The final outlines are drawn in black giving it an elegant look.