The art of painting has been taught in Sri Lankan schools from the British colonial period. Present Sri Lankan paintings can be categorized into three main groups. They are western painting art, traditional paintings and commercial painting art. After the late 1980s the painting art had a notable improvement.
Notable Tamil artists
S.R Kanagasabai: Also called as S.R.K. He was an art teacher in North East of Sri Lanka. He founded the Vinsor Art Union in 1938. It was started in the teacher's training college in Kopay. This union had contributed an important role for the development of painting until 1957.
Mark: After the demise of S.R.K, activities of Vinsor Art Union was weakened. During this period artist Mark estabihed the Holiday Art Union. He is considered as the pioneer of the Tamil modern art in Sri Lanka. Arunthathi Sabhanathan, Vasuki Jeganathan, Nirmala and Vaithehi were some of his students.
K.Kailasanathan, Nilanthan and Sanathanan are some of the artists who came to frontline in 1980's.