# Pookalam (Onam 2022) **URL:** \ **Category:** Finished Projects\ **Tags:** realism, lighting, blender2-80\ **Created:** [September 14, 2022, 12:18pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/pookalam-onam-2022/1406584 "2022-09-14T12:18:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nick\_J](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/nick_j/32/775896_2.png) [@Nick\_J](https://blenderartists.org/u/Nick_J)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 12:18pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/pookalam-onam-2022/1406584/1 "2022-09-14T12:18:23Z")
![WhatsApp Image 2022-09-14 at 16.46.37 (1)](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/0/7/f/07f8fcf04d792151fde7a4624468936507fcd5dd.jpeg) ![WhatsApp Image 2022-09-14 at 16.46.38](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/8/7/e/87e794074ca29f68522c0ffac35091ce280c0650.jpeg) ![WhatsApp Image 2022-09-14 at 16.46.47](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/5/b/2/5b246a2179c9df593f30b680c300019390001441.jpeg) ![WhatsApp Image 2022-09-14 at 16.46.39](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/6/a/1/6a11253bca62c295beec08582a3c8ac777ca2da1.jpeg) ![5](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/e/8/f/e8f06b5b8f9a0bdafcc985e0e2ada874460eaeac.jpeg) Gave a shot at CGI ‘Pookalam’ Pookalam is a popular ritual in Kerala(India), where I am from. Its a traditional patterned-decoration using flowers and leaves. Done as a part of Onam festival celebrations. Thought of doing a CGI one this time (though I am posting it quite late, as Onam was last week😅). ![Pookalam2k22](https://blenderartists.org/uploads/default/original/4X/8/6/e/86e90ec26f89c6a8b16e7dc4a873225433daa6a7.gif) Done in blender 3.2 completely. Photoshop for a mild post-processing. ---
**Author:** ![piranha4D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/piranha4d/32/939946_2.png) [@piranha4D](https://blenderartists.org/u/piranha4D)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 3:54pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/pookalam-onam-2022/1406584/2 "2022-09-14T15:54:35Z")
Pretty. Onam is what, a harvest festival? Now I am curious how people make these pookalam in real life – do they construct them geometrically? This looks amazingly precise. And what are those truncated pyramidal objects in the centre of the leaf? Hope you don’t mind the curiosity. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![sundialsvc4](https://blenderartists.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@sundialsvc4](https://blenderartists.org/u/sundialsvc4)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 4:42pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/pookalam-onam-2022/1406584/3 "2022-09-14T16:42:45Z")
Well, you certainly achieved an image that looks like it is a real scene. Beautifully done. ---
**Author:** ![Nick\_J](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/nick_j/32/775896_2.png) [@Nick\_J](https://blenderartists.org/u/Nick_J)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 6:33pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/pookalam-onam-2022/1406584/4 "2022-09-14T18:33:27Z")
Happy to get you curious 😅 You guessed it right, its a harvest festival, celebrated in Kerala. And by mythology, this is the only day King Mahabali(his spirit) visits Kerala every year, who once ruled Kerala but was unjustly pushed/punished by Vamana (an incarnation of Vishnu) to netherworld/hell, because other Gods feared his growth as a king (this is the short version). Those pyramids as far as I know represents Vamana, but some believe it as a representation of Mahabali too. Pookalam is not always geometrical, but yes most of its outer area/shape would be patterned and centre part is modified according to people’s creativity, some have boat, some have coconut tree, some Mahabali, etc, all made of flowers and leaves only. Practically, when people make them, they mark/draw their pattern on floor/area with a chalk and then add in flowers on top. ---
**Author:** ![Nick\_J](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/nick_j/32/775896_2.png) [@Nick\_J](https://blenderartists.org/u/Nick_J)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 6:35pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/pookalam-onam-2022/1406584/5 "2022-09-14T18:35:38Z")
Thanks. Thats what I was going for, realism 😁 Didn’t have time to build the surrounding structure(as Onam was last week already), so used real pics as background plates. ---
**Author:** ![piranha4D](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/piranha4d/32/939946_2.png) [@piranha4D](https://blenderartists.org/u/piranha4D)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2022, 8:07am UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/pookalam-onam-2022/1406584/6 "2022-09-16T08:07:13Z")
I looked at some images of pookalam, and there’s a lot of gorgeous artwork. Thanks for taking the time to explain! ---
**Author:** ![bartv](https://blenderartists.org/user_avatar/blenderartists.org/bartv/32/1477233_2.png) [@bartv](https://blenderartists.org/u/bartv)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2022, 7:02pm UTC](https://blenderartists.org/t/pookalam-onam-2022/1406584/7 "2022-09-16T19:02:01Z")
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