Graduation Project - Curious Creatures of Lore by Ananya Mittal

a study of depiction of animals in folk/tribal paintings in India

Ananya

Department of Fashion Communication National Institute of Fashion Technology New Delhi

Copyright © 2013 Department of Fashion Communication National Institute!of Fashion Technology All rights reserved No part of this document or related files may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means (electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without prior written permission of the Department/ Student author.

I, Ananya hereby declare that the Project entitled “Curious Creatures of Lore : a study of depiction of animals in folk/tribal paintings in India” is my original work and no part has been copied from any Project. However, any material taken from any other published source has been suitably referred and acknowledged in the Document.

Ananya

This is to certify that Ananya has successfully completed her Graduation Project in the area of Graphic Design and Illustration in Fashion Communication Department (2009-2013) of National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi. This is towards partial fulfillment of the requirement for granting Bachelor of Design (Fashion Communication).

Dated:

Jury members: ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Project mentor ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Centre Coordinator, Fashion Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Chairperson, Fashion Communication ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Abstract From an early time man has felt the need to express himself and communicate with others. Through different stages of time, different mediums were used for this purpose. While to begin with, most of it occurred as word of mouth, it gave way to the written word and finally led to nonverbal visual communication through the use of images. Painting is an exquisite expression of human thought, and nature is an eternal source of inspiration. Mythological legends describe the earliest painting having been born out of Brahma, the creator asking a king to draw a picture of a recently deceased young man so that he could breathe life into him again. It is perhaps the earliest expression of manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interaction with his surroundings. It goes to reason that the subject matter for these paintings came from what he saw around him, the flora and the fauna. As such animals, plants and birds became a major part of them. However over a period of time, these simple representations began to acquire a deeper meaning. The animal motifs started to be used to depict symbolism in folklore and narrative. They were drawn and painted not only as a medium of catharsis and self expression but also to communicate. Different regions have different styles of painting that developed there and convey folklore through their use of colours, characters and symbolism. Animal motifs also play an important role in these folk paintings in different capacities whether it is portraying a character, a symbolic meaning or as a decorative motif. The main objective of this research is to study and understand how different animals appear in different styles of folk paintings in India, understand the similarities and differences between the painting styles, observe how the same animal form appears different visually in each style of painting, understanding the symbology and stories behind the representations, understanding the roles in which the animals appear as well as the characters they portray and creating an effective compilation of the above and translate that into a real time project. The objectives for Secondary Research included finding out about the history, evolution, socio cultural aspects of the craft, the regional differences

in style, technique and tools used by the artisans, collecting case studies to understand how people have dealt with the theme before, understanding the narratives and folklores that lend meaning to the animal characters, looking at the different categories of animal representations - real animals, birds, mythical beasts, study the differences in the animal form across styles. The objectives for the Primary research included getting first hand perspective of the craft to formulate personal viewpoints, understanding how the artisans who create these deal with the subject of animals by conducting interviews with artisans, drawing inferences on the basis of observation by looking at different exhibits in museums and craft fairs and also by observing the artisans at work, interviewing experts in the field to learn from their understanding to know how they were inspired by the same. In order to collect the required information the research was conducted in two phases - secondary research which will come from books, research papers, online sources, publications followed by primary research which will involve interviews with traditional artisans of folk painting, experts in the field as well as observation studies by watching and sketching different animals of different styles of painting as well as through case studies. All artisans confirmed the hypothesis that animals are an integral part of the craft. Furthermore, they said that which animal is depicted depends not only on the region and which animal is usually found there but also on what folklores are portrayed and which animals appear in them. Animals not only have different visual representations but also different connotations in different painting styles depending upon the culture, region, folklore etc. Animals are thus an important part of folk paintings in India. While some animals are primary and portray major characters, the others are seen majorly in the background. Apart from the roles that animals usually appear in like vehicles of gods, warfare, hunting scenes, sacrifices and sources of food, they also have other roles depending on which folk painting they appear in and its themes

and narratives. There are various categories that animals appear in, namely animals like horses and elephants, birds like peacocks and mythical beasts like Garuda and Navagunjar. In Phad painting, the major animals that are seen are horses, elephants, camels, tiger and deer. Each of these symbolize something and for a reason. While a horse symbolizes power and bravery since Pabuji, the protagonist of the painting rides on a black horse, an elephant symbolizes good luck/good health. A cow symbolises kindness, deer symbolizes beauty and tiger symbolizes anger. A camel symbolizes love because in the popular Rajasthani love tale of DholaMaru they meet on a camel. In Madhubani painting, peacock symbolizes love since RaÂŹdha-Krishna meet in Vrindavan amongst peacocks. In Pattachitra, the animals are mostly drawn in reference to the stories of Mahabharata. So we see mythical beats like Navgunjar which is composed of nine different animals. While analyzing the data some other interesting facts also came to light. While the symbolic and mythical reference of the animal motif is dependent on the culture and folklore, the stylistic reference primarily depends on the tools and techniques of drawing it. Since the tool used lends a particular character to the form, the meaning invested in it also varies with it. The representation of the animals is dependent on the collective consciousness of the community and the relationship of the particular animal with that community. Each craft always informs the other and thus there is certain cultural resonance due to which the same form appears in a wide variety of crafts. The results achieved are of a qualitative nature rather than a quantitative nature as they are based on the viewpoints of various people associated to the field of folk painting in different capacities. All the animals that appear as a significant motif in each of the painting styles have been pinpointed along with their symbolism. After the study it can be concluded that animals are a significant motif in folk paintings in India and portray many symbolic roles. The use of animals is an effective tool for communication of thoughts and ideas. In certain situations and with certain audiences (especially children), they are far more effective than conventional means of communication. Thus they have immense potential

to be used as a tool for communicating effectively in a visual manner. Hence understanding the significance of the animal motifs as they appear in folk paintings, one of the early forms of storytelling and communication becomes all the more relevant. The research findings have been compiled into an effective resource to learn about the depiction of animals in Indian folk paintings in order to give people a better insight into the same. The collected information has been applied to a real time project in the form of an illustrated storybook and other collaterals like flashcards, posters, notepads, bookmarks which all comes together in a kit. This project has been given the name â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Curious Creatures of Loreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The future scope in th eform of apps has also been discussed.

Acknowledgements This project owes its successful completion to a multitude of people. First and foremost, a big thank you to Dimple mam, my project mentor and the woman who gave me the courage and support tp pursue this project in the first palce. Her enthusiasm is the reason that this project could see the light of day. I would also like to thank Jaya Jaitly mam, my industry mentor, firstly for agreeing to mentor me and also pfor providing me with all required information about my topic. Her valuable insights helped the project immensely reaching its final stage. The next big contribution to this project wasthe Image and Word workshop. I would like to extend tahnks to the entire team especially Vidyun Sabhaney and Shohei Emura for organizing such

a wonderful event and giving me the opportunity to be a part of it. The many artisans that I met and interacted with gave me valuable information about the craft that helped steer the project in th eright direction. A big thank you to all of them as well. I would also like to thank the team at I ME AM Design for all their help with th eprinting and binding of the final deliverables. Lastly I would like to thank the faculty and staff of the Fashion Communication Department at National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi for all their help throughout the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s duration. Also not to forget, thanks to all my friends and family for the constant support and encouragement.

Table of Contents Abstract 9 Acknowledgements 13 1. Introduction of the Project 16 Overview 19 Identification of Study variables 20 Significance of the Problem 20 Research Objectives 21 Assumptions and Limitations of the Research 21

2. Methodology for Research 22 Framework for Literature Review 25 Determination of Research Design 25

3. Research: Secondary and Primary 28 Roles of Animals 30 Styles of Folk Paintings 35 Socio-cultural aspects 44 Case Studies 45 Conclusions 46 Recommendations 46

4. Image and Word: workshop on storytelling

About Image and Word 51 Programme of the Workshop 52

5. Designing the Deliverables 62 About the Concept 65

6. Future scope of the Project 104 Apps for Educational Purposes 107

7. Other Projects Undertaken 110 Yearbook 2013 for Ansal University 113

References 159

INTRODUCTION OF THE PROJECT

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Overview Painting is an exquisite expression of human thought, and nature is an eternal source of inspiration. Art, in the Indian context, perhaps emerged when man placed a colored dot on a mud surface. Even during the period of his semi-settled existence, he began to record and capture the world around him.

states of India. The theme in the Monpa painting has traditional Buddhist influence. Another form of Buddhist art is Thangka, which are paintings done on flat surface and are painted or embroidered Buddhist banners. Thangkas are hanged from monasteries or are carried by Lama`s in ceremonial procession.

Mythological legends describe the earliest painting having been born out of Brahma, the creator asking a king to draw a picture of a recently deceased young man so that he could breathe life into him again.

Among all the motifs that one can see in folik paintings, animlas are one of the lesser recognised and understood ones.

Chitra means picture, thus the painters of pictures that told stories were Chitrakaars. The major motifs seen in any painting are derived from nature. The depictions are either of people, animals or plants. The animals depicted in the paintings serve different purposes and appear in different roles. The paintings themselves differ fvrom region to region in terms of style, material, process and symbolism. Many different styles of folk painting exist in India. Pata painting in the Kalighat area of Kolkata have simple bold lines and flat colours to describe the Hindu gods and goddesses like Shiva, Durga, Kali, Krishna, Lakshmi, Ganesha as well as daily rural life. In the villages of Bihar women paint the pictures of Ramayana, Mahabharata, Krishnalila and other Hindu mythologies as well as birds, animals and other natural objects on the mud walls of their hut.The Pahari paintings use beautiful scenes of mount Himalaya as a backdrop and describes epics and mythological stories in a soothing, powdery colour. Rajasthani folk paintings are usually done on some specific occasions like marriage, birth ceremony and festivals. Warli painting of Maharastra is a gift from a small tribe of the same name living in the state. These paintings are executed in white on austere mud wall with the spontaneous expressions of folk life, customs and beliefs. South India Tanjore school of painting and Mysore School of painting is unique to south India. Dragon painted on wood is typical example of Monpa art of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and other places in the North eastern

Folk Painting is generally done on the walls of houses by the women of the house. It is also done on the floor of the house primarily made using natural materials. In certain areas these paintings are a part of everyday life while in others on ceremonies like birth of a child, mundan, marriages etc. the paintings are done to mark the auspicious day and to invoke the blessings of gods. In recent times these paintings are done on paper and cloth also. The subjects of the paintings are religious and sacred in nature. The tools and materials used to create these paintings differ depending on the style of painting. However most of these require a base which could be cloth, paper, board, palm leaf etc. Colours are obtained from natural dyes. Brushes are made out of animal hair and pens out of bamboo. In recent years artificial colours as well as tools are also used.

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Identification of study variables The basic objective of the research and the statement of the research problem is understanding how animals are portrayed in folk paintings in India in terms of form, symbology, narrative, folklore etc. For the purpose of the study the research variables need to be identified first. These include all the different heads under which data needs to be collected and analysed. Different variables were identified for Secondary research and Primary research. The variables for the Secondary Research included finding out about the History, evolution, socio cultural aspects of the craft, the Regional differences in style, technique and tools used by the artisans, Understanding the narratives and folklores that lend meaning to the animal characters, Looking at the different categories of animal representations - real animals, birds, mythical beasts and then selecting one, Differences in the animal form across styles.

were determined. These included characteristics pertaining to treatment of form, color scheme and the meaning, material, narratives, themes. The variables for the Primary research included Understanding how the artisans who create these deal with the subject of animals by conducting interviews with at least one artisan from each painting style, Interviewing experts in the field to learn from their understanding to know how they were inspired by the same, Getting first hand perspective of the craft to formulate personal viewpoints, Drawing inferences on the basis of observation by looking at different exhibits in museums and craft fairs and also by observing the artisans at work. Identifying all these variables helped not only structure the framework for the research. but also conduct the study in a holistic manner.

The major characteristics of the different styles of folk painting that were finalised for the research

Significance of the Problem Animals are one of the lesser recognised motifs in Indian crafts. However they are quite important. Over time, it has been proven that the use of animals is an effective tool for communication of thoughts and ideas. In certain situations and with certain audiences (especially children), they are far more effective than conventional means of communication. Thus, understanding the significance of the animal motifs as they appear in folk paintings, one of the early forms of storytelling and communication becomes all the more relevant.

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While there exists documentation on each of the crafts separately, there is no efeective documentation on the subject matter of the use of animals as motifs. In fact, many artisans are themselves unaware of their significance which makes the task of data collection quite challenging. However it is important to consider the cultural context as that lends meaning to the form and it cannot be looked at in isolation.

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Research Objectives The main objective for this study included - Studying and understanding how different animals appear in different styles of folk paintings in India - Understanding the similarities and differences between the painting styles - Observing how the same animal form appears different visually in each style of painting

- Understanding the narratives and folklores that lend meaning to the animal characters - Looking at the different categories of animal representations - real animals, birds, mythical beasts and then selecting one - Differences in the animal form across styles The objectives for the Primary research included

- Understanding the symbology and stories behind the representations

- Getting first hand perspective of the craft to formulate personal viewpoints

- Understanding the roles in which the animals appear as well as the characters they portray

- Understand how the artisans who create these deal with the subject of animals by conducting interviews with at least one artisan from each painting style

- Creating an effective compilation of the above and translating that into a real time project The methodology was divided into seconadry reserach followed by primary research and drawing conclusions that are ultimately used to design the deliverables. The objectives for Secondary Research included

- Make inferences on the basis of observation by looking at different exhibits in museums and craft fairs and also by observing the artisans at work - Interviewing experts in the field to learn from their understanding to know how they were inspired by the same

- Finding out about the History, evolution, socio cultural aspects of the craft - The Regional differences in style, technique and tools used by the artisans - Collecting Case studies to understand how people have dealt with the theme before

Assumptions and Limitations of Research The entire research has certain limitations and the solution was based on a few assumptions. Only a few artisans were interviewed in each painting style and their opinion was considered to reflect the opinion of the entire community of

artisnas of that folk painting. Thus the information provided by them was considered to be true and authentic. Therefore the data collected during the primary research was assumed to be a universal opinion.

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METHODOLOGY FOR RESEARCH

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Framework for Literature Review The literature review was done by carefully collecting information from books/journals/research papers/internet resources.

folk_painting_india.htm, http://devdutt.com/articles/ indian-mythology/sacred-beasts.html, http://www. kamat.com/kalranga/vehicles/2036.htm

The data was collected from books like Handicrafts of India - Kamamladevi Chattopadhyay, The Arts of India - George C.M. Birdwood, The Craft Tradition of India - Jaya Jaitly, The Everyday Art of India - Robert F. Bussabarger, Arts and Crafts of India - Nicholas Barnard, Folk and Tribal Designs of India - Enakshi Bhvani, Mughal Art - a study in handicrafts - Shanti Swarup, Crafts of Himachal Pradesh - Subhashini Aryan, Arts and Crafts of Jammu & Kashmir - D.N. Saraf, Arts and Crafts of Rajasthan - Aman Nath, Handicrafts of Rajasthan - H. Bhisham Pal, Arts and Crafts of Tamil Nadu - Nandhita Krishna, Madhubani - K. Prakash, Indian Folk and Tribal Paintings - Charu Smita Gupta.

The information collected was then analysed to filter only the relevant data which was then tabulated for easy and quick reference. After having done this, An outline was prepared which covered all the important heads and the information was sorted within those.

Apart from these online sources like http://www. iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/jamini-roy.html, http:// devdutt.com/about, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Indian_painting, http://www.indianetzone.com/9/

Determination of Research Design

Secondary data on folk paintings in India was collected thorough book/journal/publication research and internet research. The books that were referred to are Handicrafts of India - Kamamladevi Chattopadhyay, The Arts of India - George C.M. Birdwood, The Craft Tradition of India - Jaya Jaitly, The Everyday Art of India - Robert F. Bussabarger, Arts and Crafts of India - Nicholas Barnard, Folk and Tribal Designs of India - Enakshi Bhvani, Mughal Art - a study in handicrafts - Shanti

Swarup, Crafts of Himachal Pradesh - Subhashini Aryan, Arts and Crafts of Jammu & Kashmir - D.N. Saraf, Arts and Crafts of Rajasthan - Aman Nath, Handicrafts of Rajasthan - H. Bhisham Pal, Arts and Crafts of Tamil Nadu - Nandhita Krishna, Madhubani - K. Prakash, Indian Folk and Tribal Paintings - Charu Smita Gupta. Primary Research was done with the help of interviews, field visits and observation studies to gather more information about the craft and formualte personal viewpoints.

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1. Where do you belong to ? 2. How long have you been practicing this craft ? 3. Do you practice this craft traditionally or have you learnt it from somewhere ? 4. What is the process that you follow ? 5. What tools/ techniques/ materials do you use ? 6. How did this craft come into being ? 7. Are there any rituals/ stories associated with this craft ? 8. Do you use natural colours for painting ? 9. What are the major themes the paintings are made on ? 10. What are the major motifs that you make ? 11. Can you talk about the style/ treatment ? 12. Which animals are found in the palce that you belong to ? 13. What animals do you draw ? Why only those animals ? Why not others ? 14. What is the symbology behind these animals ? 15. What roles do the animals usually appear in ? 16. When you showcase your work in craft fairs, how often do people interact with you enquiring about the significance of the motifs ? 17. Have you made any efforts to make the carft more contemporary ? 18. Has that led to changes in the way the mtifs are made/ portrayed/ what they symbolise ? 19. Has the craft seen any evolution from the way it was made traditionally to today ? 20. What are the differences and similarities between your style and other paintings ? 21. Are there any variations within this school of painting amongst different artisans in terms of depictions/ symbology/ treatment ? 22. What are the major rituals associated with the process ?

Interview questions

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RESEARCH: Secondary and Primary

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Roles of Animals HUNTING Animal fights were a regular feature in the post vedic India. People participated in animal fights for betting and recreation. Hunting was a regular sport in which the kings and his family participated. Hunting provided them with a good opportunity to perfect their skills in archery, chariot racing and marital arts, get acquainted with the conditions of the region and clear the forests of wild animals which menaced the people living there. Accompanied by an entourage of soldiers, officials, ministers and entertainers, they went out on hunting expeditions either to kill or capture wild animals such as lions, tigers, bears, elephants, wild boar, deer and wild bulls. On occasions they visited the ascetics who lived near by and engaged them in spiritual conversation. USE OF ANIMALS IN WARFARE Elephants and horses constituted a significant part of a kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s military might, which were replenished regularly through hunting and conquests. The Greek historians accounted 4000 horses, 300 chariots and 200 elephants in the army of Porus who ruled a small principality in the Punjab region. The Nandas and Mauryans who ruled vast empires maintained huge armies consisting of hundreds of thousands of bulls, bullocks, horses and elephants. Chandragupta Maurya sent a gift of several hundred elephants to Selukas who was appointed by Alexander as the viceroy of the territories he conquered east of Hindukush. Animals were used in military either for warfare or in transportation. Bullock carts were used in the transportation of food and other materials to the soldiers during war time. People used various types of animals for riding including horses, camels, asses, elephants and tigers. Shepherds and cowherds lived in open in tents. In post Mauryan period there were professional guilds of hunters, snake charmers, bird catchers and pig dealers. ANIMAL SACRIFICES Ancient Indians regularly indulged in animal sacrifices and rarely in human sacrifices. In some remote areas of India animal sacrifices continue even today. The raise of Tantricism in the post Mauryan period and the integration of folk religions

into Hinduism contributed to the rise animal sacrifices. Kings sacrificed animals to appease divinities seeking their blessings and support. Inscriptions belonging to the Gutpa period suggest that people had an obligation to supply sacrificial animals on demand to their king. Sometimes the kings exempted some villages from this obligation. ANIMALS AS DIVINITIES Hindus revere many divinities in animal form. Lord Vishnu incarnated upon earth first as a fish, then as a tortoise and next as a boar. In another incarnation he appeared as half lion and half man. He is worshipped in all these forms. Lord Siva appeared once in the form of a sharabha a mythical monster with multiple horns, legs and spikes instead of hair on the body. Hanuman is a monkey god who assisted Lord Rama ably in the battle of Ramayana. He is worshipped through out India and, though of a lesser god, ranks among the foremost in the Hindu pantheon. Ganesha the elephant headed god and son of Lord Siva and Parvathi is equally popular, if not more. Adishesha is a thousand hooded primeval serpent associated with Lord Vishnu, who arises from the primeval waters (ksiramudra) in the beginning of creation resting on his endless coils, his thousand hoods providing him the canopy. The serpent symbolically represents the time and the thousand hoods divisions of time. Besides Hanuman, animals played an important role in the epic battle of Ramayana. Jatayuvu, a mythical bird, loses his life fighting against Ravana when he is carrying away Sita after kidnapping her. During his wanderings in search of Sita, accompanied by his brother Lakshman, Rama comes across Sugriva, the monkey king of Kishkindha whom he helps against his brother Bali. Jatayuvuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother provides a clue to the search party of monkeys headed by Hanuman that Sita was held in captive by the demon king Ravana. Then accompanied by an army of monkeys, bears and other animals Rama leaves for Lanka to rescue his wailing wife. The monkeys and other animals build an incredible bridge across the ocean to the island country of Ravana. They destroy the vast army of Ravana and help Rama in rescuing his wife. The story of Ramayana is a

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Use of animals in warfare, in hunting scenes, as vehicles of gods

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reminder of the Hindu belief that in the universal scheme of things God does not distinguish between humans and animals and that all living beings have an equal status but play different roles. ANIMALS AS VEHICLES OF GODS In the Hindu pantheon each god and goddess is associated with an animal as a vehicle. Symbolically the vehicles represent the animal energies or qualities or skills which need to be strengthened or sublimated in our lower nature with the help of the divinities who can transform them. The knowledge of vehicles is therefore very useful in knowing which divinity can help us in transforming our inner energies. ANIMALS AS SYMBOLS Animals serve as symbols in Hinduism. The elephant is used as a religious symbol by the Hindus, the Buddhists and the Jains. The symbol of ashta diggajas or eight elephants standing in eight different directions represent the ashtadikpalas or rulers of the eight directions of space. The elephants are also associated with goddess Lakshmi as symbols of abundance. The fish and conch shell are associated with Lord Vishnu. The conch is an attribute of Lord Vishnu while two fish juxtaposed to each other is considered as a symbol of fertility and good luck. Makara, a mythical figure, with the head of a crocodile, body of a reptile and tail of foliage, is a symbol of the zodiacal sign of Capricorn. It is also depicted as the vehicle of the river goddess Ganga. In northern India the lion, bull and elephant are included among the ashtamangalas or the eight auspicious objects. ANIMALS AS SOURCE OF FOOD Meat eating was not forbidden in ancient India. The Vedic people ate cooked meats of certain animals. Meat was also cooked and consumed at the end of certain sacrificial ceremonies such as the horse sacrifice. Vedic people ate fish, buffaloes, oxen and various other animals. Cows were often sacrificed but they were subsequently banned from slaughter. Jainism exercised a great influence in changing the food habits of the people of the subcontinent. The Jain monks lived austere lives and encouraged people to avoid animal food. Many ancient rulers of India were Jains including Chandragupta Maurya which must have contributed

greatly to the increasing preference among urban people for vegetarian food. Although Buddhism emphasized the virtues of compassion and non injury to animals, meat eating was not disallowed by Buddhism altogether. The monastic rules of Buddhism provided a code of conduct for the monks to follow in choosing vegetarian and nonvegetarian foods of various types without craving. Asoka introduced his law of piety (dhamma), which was a mixture of Vedism, Jainism and Buddhism, in which he emphasized the need for compassion and respect for animal life. He also banned animal fights and made provision for animal care. The post Mauryan period saw a revival of Hinduism. The Sungas, the Nagas, the Guptas and the Vakatakas, who ruled large parts of India patronized Hinduism and revived many ancient traditions. They participated in vedic sacrifices, worshipped Hindu gods and goddesses and built temples in their honor. The Dharmashastras prescribed elaborate rulers regarding food and drinks. The Apastamba Sutras forbid meats of certain animals such as the one hoofed animals, camels, certain birds, fish, deer, village pigs and cattle, but allowed the meat of cows and oxen, tortoise, porcupine, hedgehog, the rhinoceros and the hare were allowed. The Guatama sutras forbid meat of animals that had five toes, or double rows of teeth or excessive quantity of hair, but exempted the meat of hedgehog, hare, porcupine, the iguana, the rhinoceros and the tortoise. Certain animal parts such as the testicles of bulls and the meat of rhinoceros were used as aphrodisiacs. In ancient India people used various types of animals for domestic, military, commercial, recreational or medicinal purposes. Hindu scriptures mention the use of cows, sheep, oxen, buffaloes, rhinoceros, camels, asses, elephants, birds, boars, pigs, dogs, snakes, fish, tigers, lions and many mythical creatures. Animals were used in trade and commerce, hunting, animal fights, gambling, defense, transportation, sacrificial ceremonies, medicines and as gifts and foods.

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Sources of Secondary Research

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Styles of Folk Paintings Many different styles of folk painting exist in India. Pata painting in the Kalighat area of Kolkata have simple bold lines and flat colours to describe the Hindu gods and goddesses like Shiva, Durga, Kali, Krishna, Lakshmi, Ganesha as well as daily rural life. In the villages of Bihar women paint the pictures of Ramayana, Mahabharata, Krishnalila and other Hindu mythologies as well as birds, animals and other natural objects on the mud walls of their hut. The Pahari paintings use beautiful scenes of mount Himalaya as a backdrop and describes epics and mythological stories in a soothing, powdery colour. Rajasthani folk paintings are usually done on some specific occasions like marriage, birth ceremony and festivals. Warli painting of Maharastra is a gift from

MADHUBANI

PITHORA

a small tribe of the same name living in the state. These paintings are executed in white on austere mud wall with the spontaneous expressions of folk life, customs and beliefs. South India Tanjore school of painting and Mysore School of painting is unique to south India. Dragon painted on wood is typical example of Monpa art of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and other places in the North eastern states of India. The theme in the Monpa painting has traditional Buddhist influence. Another form of Buddhist art is Thangka, which are paintings done on flat surface and are painted or embroidered Buddhist banners. Thangkas are hanged from monasteries or are carried by Lama`s in ceremonial procession.

PATTACHITRA

GOND

PHAD

KALAMKARI

Fish in different styles of Folk Paintings

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Gond Paintings The Gond tribe, one of the famous tribes belonging to the Mandala region of Madhya Pradesh, has a typical style of painting, known as Gond paintings. Painted freehand, these two dimensional paintings reflect their perception of life. The third dimension, the depth is always lacking in these paintings reflecting the simplicity of the artist. Sometimes these paintings also tell how colorful their imagination can be. They put colours to the blandest creations of the nature at times. For example you can see the lizard here in our collection with colorful stripes and dots. They can be treated as the expression of their desire to color the nature as well, if we think philosophically. The bodies of the various forms that they paint are seldom or perhaps never in one shade, they are always striped, dotted or filled with any other geometrical pattern. They are done on a handmade paper with poster colours. The topics are selected from the natural surroundings or just from the happenings of their day to day lives. The harvest,

Gond Paintings

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a field, a happy family, almost everything finds an expression on their canvas. Apart from painting on paper, this tribe Gond engage themselves in wall painting and floor paintings as well. These paintings serve the ritualistic purposes as well as keeps the surroundings harmonious and pure. They are done with the help of white rice paste, ochre or yellow earth colours. Drawn during festivals or rituals connected with seasonal changes, sowing of corps, onset of rains, harvest or on a significant occasion in their families such as birth, puberty, marriage, pregnancy and death, they are symbols drawn afresh each time, in the courtyard, on the threshold and in other spaces in the house. With a strong sense of colour and shape, this tribe, even with a lack of the third dimension, express their outlook very skillfully on any canvas; a wall, a paper or the ultimate canvas of the universe; the earth.

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Kalamkari Paintings Kalam is a Persian word meaning pen and kari means work. This kalam or pen is a stick of bamboo or date palm, which has a tapered point. This point is slit to about lâ&#x20AC;?, above which there is a round ball of wool that serves as a reservoir for ink. The kalam is dipped in the ink and the wool fabric is pressed while applying the paint on the fabric. In Andhra Pradesh, both the Masulipatnam and Srikalahasti villages are recognized as major centers for Kalamkari painting. There is a religious colour code for the decoration of Kalamkari cloths â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all Gods are painted blue, female characters golden yellow and all demons and bad characters are red. The Srikalahasti designs show Hindu influence whereas Masulipatanam with its historic Persian links shows Muslim influence. Originally, only vegetable dyes were used for colouring the fabric. The procedure involves the use of kalams or blocks for application of the wax resists on the fabric which would be later dyed blue, red, green, yellow and black. The fabric used for manufacture of these kalamkaris is the unbleached plain weave cotton fabric for the mordanting process. To produce black colour iron mordant

called Kasam is used, whereas for red Alam crystals as mordant is painted on the cloth followed by washing for removal of excess mordant and then finally dyeing of the fabric in different colours by subsequent removal of wax is carried out. Starching is also done where rice starch and buffalo milk are applied on the fabric. The wax used is generally the beeswax. The popular motifs included the Tree of Life, Cyprus cone, verses from Koran, Mihrab or the arch which were seen amidst a number of floral scrawls and creepers. In the figurative designs the human faces were given a lot of attention the eyes were made bold and expressive. Female jewellery was made very elaborate and intricate details were given to costumes. The figures with rounded shapes and border designs are typical of kalamkaris. The motifs are a blend of both geometric and naturalistic depictions. The Kalamkari art of painting undergoes a laborious, slow process of resist â&#x20AC;&#x201C; dyeing and hand printing. Many stages have to be undergone before the final results are achieved.

Kalamkari Paintings

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Pithora Paintings Pithoro painting is not done for any decorative or ornamental purpose. Pithoro, is an important deity in the region qnd the painting is done to appease the deity. The painting process involves a long ritual celebration. The execution of the Pithoro painting is a festive occasion for the whole village. Bright and vivid hues of blue, green, red and orange are preferred. Yellow and black are also used occasionally. The dry pigments are dissolved in water in containers made out of coconut shells, or small clay bowls. Khakhara leaves and milk are added as a binder. A few drops of liquor are also added to each colour. Brushes are made from fresh bamboo twigs. Twigs of different thickness are used for filling in the colours and for outlining the forms. Lakharas start their work by drawing a rectangular border that encloses an area of about two metres high and three metres wide. Pithoro is painted inside these borders which represent the â&#x20AC;&#x153;limits of the earth in all four directions where the world ends.â&#x20AC;? Next to be drawn are the nine horses of Pithoro and other deities. For maintaining a uniform size,

Pithora Paintings

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spacing and shape, the painter uses a simple wooden diba-templets in the shape of horses and other animals. A particular sequence is followed in drawing the figures according to the iconography followed traditionally. These are placed and coloured accordingly. The painting not only represents the barat, of Pithoro, the nephew of Indra, but it is also an embodiment and manifestation of many things related to tribal life. Besides the main characters astride their horses, many figures and motifs are also painted in Pithoro. Among the commonly found are the multi-headed Ravana, a farmer ploughing his land, a panihari-woman with several water pots on her head, a bhatari, carrying lunch for her husband, Raja Bhoj smoking a hookah, a horse cart (to bring food-grains and clothes for the celebration), Damor Dev hunting a stag with a bow and arrow, a rooster and a hen, an umbrella, watchmen with their muzzle-loaders, the sun and the moon (these celestial guests are also the known symbols of eternity), a man climbing a palm tree, a woman milking a cow or a buffalo, etc. The painting is finished with outlines and patterns of dots and strokes of aluminium paint.

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Warli Paintings Warli art became popular for its unique simplicity and fervour for life. Warli Art was first discovered in the early seventies. when the practice of embellishing the walls of the house was the only means of transmitting folklore to a general populace not versed in the written word. Usually the Warli paintings are done during the marriage ceremony. Their respect for nature is from the most gigantic to the smallest creature and plant. The figures and traditional motives are repetitive and highly symbolic. They communicate through their paintings and their life style and passion for nature are depicted with utmost details. Triangular humans and animals with stick-like hands and legs, geometrical designs with rows of dots and dashes are drawn on the mud walls of the huts of Warlis. In Warli paintings it is rare to see a straight line. A series of dots and dashes make one line. The artists have recently started to draw straight lines in their paintings. From the depths of the painting spring a variety of activities with humans, animals, and trees. The subjects found in these paintings are wedding scenes, various animals, birds, trees, men, women, children, descriptive harvest scene, group of men dancing around a person playing the music, dancing

peacocks, and many more. Warli paintings are strangely ascetic, unlike other folk paintings of India which consist of myriad primary colours in such abundance. Instead they are painted in white on an austere brown surface decorated with occasional dots in red and yellow. This first impression of sobriety is countered by the ebullience of the themes depicted. These are remarkable in their intensely social nature. They look outwards, capturing the life around and by implication, the humanness of living. Men, animals and trees form a loose, rhythmic pattern across the entire sheet. This results in a light swinging and swirling movement, describing the day to day activities of the Warlis. It is believed that these paintings invoke powers of the Gods. The Warlis do not narrate mythology or any great epic. Simply painted on mud, charcoal and cow dung based surface with rice paste for the colour white, the art form deals with themes that narrate their social lifestyle and activities. The loose rhythmic movement that each painting suggests adds life to the paintings.

Warli Paintings

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Madhubani Paintings Exclusively the domain of women, the art of Madhubani painting has been handed down from one generation to another. Translated, Madhubani literally means ‘a forest of honey’. The art flourished in the villages around Madhubani in the Mithila region of north Bihar near the Indo-Nepal border. This region has historical and religious importance as Mahavir, Buddha and Lord Rama’s wife Sita, are all believed to have been born here. Historically, painting was an important medium of expression for the women of the Madhubani region, in the absence of any formal education. The works of art were created mainly for ritual occasions. Mothers passed on the traditional skill to their young enthusiastic daughters. The paintings are mostly pictorial depictions of gods and goddesses from the Hindu pantheon like Rama, Krishna, Shiva, Ganesh, Lakshmi, Durga and Kali. Durga, the goddess of energy, sitting on her vahana (vehicle), a lion, is often seen in their creations. As is the amorous couple of Hindu mythology, Radha and Krishna – with Krishna playing the flute and Radha offering water to a bird from her pot.

Madhubani Paintings

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Goddess Lakshmi too is often depicted in their paintings. Special events like marriage ceremonies and court scenes are also depicted, besides themes from nature. Geometrical designs fill up all the gaps, leaving hardly any empty space in this style. Being of a religious nature, the paintings are done by the women predominantly at home, in anointed areas like the prayer room. It is said that women offer prayers to the deity before starting on a painting. Traditionally, the work is done on freshly plastered mud, dung walls and floors. The women use only plain, slatted bamboo sticks with wads of cotton to apply the paint. The colours are made from vegetable dyes or are of natural origin and are prepared by the women themselves. For example, black is made by mixing soot with cow dung, yellow from turmeric, blue from indigo, red from red sandalwood, green from leaves and white from rice paste. The black outlines are drawn first and then the colour is filled into the spaces. Yet, despite the crude implements, the result is a bright and bold image with a character of its own. While this art has been in practice for centuries, it has, for most practical purposes, remained confined within the region.

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Kalighat Paintings Kalighat painting originated in the 19th century Bengal, in the vicinity of Kalighat Kali Temple, Kalighat, Kolkata, India, and from being items of souvenir taken by the visitors to the Kali temple, the paintings over a period of time developed as a distinct school of Indian painting. From the depiction of Hindu gods, goddesses, and other mythological characters, the Kalighat paintings developed to reflect a variety of themes. In the nineteenth century, the only school of painting that was flourishing in Bengal was the traditional art of scroll paintings that was popular in the rural areas. These paintings were done on cloth or patas. They depicted conventional images of gods and goddesses and scenes from epics like Tulsidas’ Rama charita manas. The artistes were villagers who travelled from place to place with their scroll paintings and sang the scenes from the epics depicted in the paintings during village gatherings and festivals. These artists, called patuas or ‘painters on cloth’ were said to be half Hindu and half Muslim and practised Islam.

The Kalighat School was an agreeable and unique blend of two different styles of painting—the Oriental and the Occidental—and steadily gained popularity. Among the deities that the Kalighat artists painted, the goddess Kali was a favorite. Images of Durga, Lakshmi, and Annapurna were also popular, especially during the Durga Puja festival. The artists also portrayed themes like SitaRama, Radha-Krishna and the exploits of Hanuman. Another theme depicted, dear to the Bengali ethos, was that of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and his disciples. But the Kalighat artists did not restrict themselves to religious themes. Their paintings depicting different professions and costumes were also popular with the tourists. Even contemporary events like crime were the subject of many paintings. The artists also chose to portray secular themes and personalities and in the process played a role in the Independence movement. They painted heroic characters like Tipu Sultan and Rani Lakshmibai. Capturing Quotidian Life. The charm of the Kalighat paintings lies in the fact that they captured the essence of daily life and they influence modern artistes like the late Jamini Roy even to this day.

Kalighat Paintings

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Pattachitra Paintings One of the outstanding forms of traditional folk art is scroll painting or patta chitra which emerged and flourished all over Bengal in the late medieval period and continues to flourish even today. Its survival has been helped by its wonderful capacity to blend tradition with changes in taste and fashion. The scroll painters gleaned their themes mainly from ancient Indian mythology and the mangal kavyas of medieval Bengal. The Puranic gods and goddesses like Siva, Chandi, Manasa appear repeatedly in their pictures. Scenes from the Ramayana, the Savitri-Satyavana episode from the Mahabharata, the Behula-Lakhindara episode of Manasa-Mangala and the Kamale Kamini vision of the Chandi-Mangala are common themes. In modern times, they have used important historical events and cult figures to cater to contemporary tastes. Episodes from Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s struggle for freedom hold sway in modern scroll paintings. This is a clear proof of the ability and flexibility of the painters to move with the times. The style of the painters varies from place to place and group to group. Generally, they depict heavy monumental figures of deities with rich

Pattachitra Paintings

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ornamentation in bright deep colours with the intention of making an immediate and abiding impact on the minds of the simple rural folk. The Kalighat patas mark a modern development in this field. They use the old style with bold outlines and broad modelling, showing their distinctveness. Most modern painters, however, employ less ornate styles and use light water colours to create a certainserenity and sobriety, reflecting an awareness to live up to changed modern tastes. Another style of pata painting is current in Vishnupur, which appears to be more lyrical than picturesque, the figures being drawn for no real iconic effect. For instance, a scroll depicts the Goddess of LearningSaraswati- seated on a throne in a lotus pond with the sky above her head sketched in shades of appropriate color. A halo heightens the grace of the goddess. The scroll generally consists of a piece of paper of equal size pasted to it on one side. Two wooden rods are attached at two ends of the scroll to facilitate smooth and quick folding and unfolding. Sometimes durable paper scrolls are also used, as in the case of the famous Kalighat patas.

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Phad Paintings When balladas are captured on canvas in vivid hues and immortalized for posterity, it is termed as the phad painting. These paintings depict the various folklores on a scroll of canvas, scene by scene, with utmost clarity. The nuances of each scene are explained by professional narrators, known as Bhopas. The phads that display the heroic exploits of goods and many Rajput warriors are generally of five kinds namely Pabuji, Devnarayan, Krishna, Ramdal (Ramayana) and Ramdevji. Of these, the most legendary and popular is that of Pabuji, who is considered a demi god in Marwar, even today. A traditional phad is approximately thirty feet long and five feet wide and the material used is local khadi or canvas. Primarily only vegetable colours were used, which remained fast and fresh for a long duration. Scarcity of these colours, however, would have ultimately led to a virtual stagnation of the craft, so the artists were compelled to make innovations. Thus the usage of water-proof earthen colours evolved. These colours are made by pounding the natural earthen colours with gum,

water and indigo. The painting commences with great flourish on the appointed auspicious day, when the Bhopas arrive. The ritual offering of a coconut is made to the Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Learning). A free hand sketch is then made on the canvas, where various postures of human and animal figures are perfected. Floral trees adorn the piece filling up the empty spaces. The figures are the painted in a light yellow colour initially, known as kacha. The first stroke of colour is always made by a virgin girl from the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family or from another family of high caste. The artist uses only one colour at a time, filling it in wherever required. The colour orange is used for limbs and torso, yellow for ornaments, clothing and designs, gray for structure, blue for water and curtains, green for trees and vegetation and red, prominently for dress. The subtle black outline that brings the linear expressions alive, is the syahi. The phads that are made for the Bhopas, are always signed. The price of the phad however, is determined prior to beginning the paintings. After continuous usage for many years the phad was immersed in Pushkar Lake.

Phad Paintings

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Socio-Cultural aspects The earliest Indian paintings were the rock paintings of pre-historic times, the petroglyphs as found in places like Bhimbetka, some of them from before 5500 BC. The frescos of the Ajanta Caves are the most significant of the few survivals. Mughal painting represented a fusion of the Persian miniature with older Indian traditions, and from the 17th century its style was diffused across Indian princely courts of all religions, each developing a local style. Company paintings were made for British clients under the British raj, which from the 19th century also introduced art schools along Western lines, leading to modern Indian painting, which is increasingly returning to its Indian routes.

In certain areas these paintings are a part of everyday life while in others on ceremonies like birth of a child, mundan, marriages etc. the paintings are done to mark the auspicious day and to invoke the blessings of gods.Some paintings styles however are predominately done by male members as kalamkari. In recent times these paintings are done on paper and cloth also. The subjects of the paintings are religious and sacred in nature. The tools and materials used to create these paintings differ depending on the style of painting. However most of these require a base which could be cloth, paper, board, palm leaf etc. Colours are obtained from natural dyes. Brushes are made out of animal hair and pens out of bamboo. In recent years artificial colours as well as tools are also used.

Folk Painting is generally done on the walls of houses by the women of the house. It is also done on the floor of the house primarily made using natural materials

Women painting on the walls in a village

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Tools like brushes used in painting

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Case Studies DEVDUTT PATTANAIK

JAMINI ROY

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik is the Chief Belief Officer of the Future Group. He is an author, speaker, illustrator and mythologist.

Developed a personal painting style inspired largely by traditional Indian folk and village arts, particularly those of Bengal. Through his paintings he gave expression to the scenes of everyday life of the people of rural Bengal.

Trained in medicine, he spent 15 years in healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. He wrote and lectured extensively on the relevance of mythology (not just Hindu mythology) in modern times. He consults Star TV on storytelling techniques and patterns.His columns on management and culture appear in a number of major publications. He has written over 20 books for everyone from adults to children, for youth to business executives. His article “Sacred Beasts” and his illustrations take inspiration from depiction of animals in crafts.

In his career as an artist Jamini Roy earned fame by evolving his own language of painting which he termed as ‘Flat Technique’. Jamini Roy was honored with the Padma Bhushan in 1955. He died in 1972 in Calcutta. He has worked with animals as asubject extensively and taken inspiration from the craft tradition to depict them in a natural surrounding interacting with people.

Devdutt Pattanaik and Jamini Roy

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Conclusions On the basis of the research, it can be concluded that animals are in fact a significant motif in folk paintings in India. They not only have importance in the form and color but also the symbology and narrative. While some animals are primary and portray major characters, the others are seen majorly in the background. Apart from the roles that animals usually appear in like vehicles of gods, warfare, hunting scemes, sacrifices and sources of food, they also have other roles depending on which folk painting they appear in and its themes and narratives. There are various categories that animals appear in, namely animals like horses and elephants, birds like peacocks and mythical beasts like Garuda and Navagunjar. In Phad painting, the major animals that are seen are horses, elephants, camels, tiger, deer. Each of these symbolise something and for a reason. While a horse symbolises power and bravery since Pabuji, the protagonist of the painting rides on a black horse, an elephant symbolises good luck/good health. A cow symbolises kindness, deer symbolises beauty and tiger symbolises anger. A camel symbolises love because in the popular Rajasthani love tale of Dhola-Maru they meet on a camel.

In Madhubani painting, peacock symbolises love since Radha-Krishna meet in Vrindavan amongst peacocks. In Pattachitra, the animals are mostly drawn in reference to the stories of Mahabharat. So we see mythical beats like Navgunjar which is composed of nine diffrent animals. In Gond paintings one can see a multitude of animlas, some real while others mythical. In Warli art, the animals most frequently seen are tigers, horses, bulls, peacocks since these are the animals they come across in their day to day lives and they depict the same in the paintings. In Kalighat paintings, one can see cats, peacocks, birds, fish etc. The stories may be simple ones revolving around the animals or of greta eoics where the animals portray smaller roles. Thus across styles the most commonly seen animals are elephants, tigers/lions, deer, fish, peacocks, horses and birds. Their depiction varies from style to style but usually they appear in one form oe another in each style.

Recommendations The reserch findings can be compiled into an effective resource to learn about the depiction of animals in Indian folk paintings in order to give people a better insight into the same. The concept of an eductaional kit for children has quite some potential since animals can be used to communicate with children very effectively since

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they possess certain intrinsic characteristics. Thus they are perfect for visual communication. This kit can have an illustrated story book that tells the story of the folk paintings to the children. Along with this, it can also have a coloring book to make them more familiar with the form of the animals. The kit can also contain paper ornaments and bookmarks.

IMAGE AND WORD: workshop on storytelling

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About Image and Word Image and Word: Workshop on storytelling was a space where visual storytellers came together to understand each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s processes as well as the contexts and narratives that influence their individual works. It was designed to generate dialogue between young and experienced artisans about how narrative images are created. It was the culmination of a year-long study into the visual narrative technique of traditional storytelling forms by comic book artists Vidyun Sabhaney and Shohei Emura.

Specially featured were artists from three traditional storytelling forms: Togalu Gombeyatta from Karnataka, Bengali Patpainting and Performance, and Rajasthani Kaavad. Since this workshop came at a time when traditional visual storytelling forms are rapidly changing in the face of modern entertainment, the focus was on how they are adapting themselves to new markets and formats. Also showcased at the workshop were works and experiences of contemporary artists, publishers and developmental organisations who have uniquely and innovatively engaged with visual narrative.

Glimpses from Image and Word

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Programme of the Workshop The workshop was conducted over three days, 5th, 6th and 7th April 2013 at Sanskriti Anandgram.

7th April Practice of Patuas in Bhirbhum (West Bengal) Facilitator: Roma Chatterji

The following sessions were held at the workshop: 5th April Introduction by Vidyun Sabhaney Creating Visual Narrative by Parismita Singh Understanding Rajasthani Kaavad: Performance and Patronage with Kojaram Facilitator: Ranjana Pandey Understanding Rajasthani Kaavad: Making of the Kaavad with Dwarka Prasad Facilitator: Ranjana Pandey The touring trail: Re-imagining stories from the travelling cinemas by Amit Madheshiya 6th April Understanding Leather Puppetry in Karnataka with Gunduraju Facilitator: Anurupa Roy Using Manga Effects in Visual Narrative by Shohei Emura Integrating Forms: Creating Comic Book Pats with Suman Chitrakar Facilitator: Medhavi Gandhi Repurposing Traditional Storytelling: Cluster Development Programme of Happy Hands Foundation by Medhavi Gandhi

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Understanding the Santhal Pat Tradition by Rupsona Chitrakar Style is Substance: Exploring Fom vis-a-vis Content in Comics by Vishwajyoti Ghosh The Story of A Book: Tara Books and Design as Process by Nia Murphy The Poet Who Became a Tree: Visually interpreting Kabirâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s poetry as comics by Orijit Sen

At the end of the workshop there was a space for the participants to share not only their experiences but also their work and to explore possibilities for collaboration. Since there were only about 20 participants or so, each of them having been selected after an application process, the setup of the workshop was quite intimate and its was possible for the participants to engagae in a one on one exchange with the artisans and the facilitators. The programme of the workshop was such that there was a perfect balance of presentations followed by hands on sessions which kept the interest of all the participants going. It was such a pleasure being amidst such a rich company and moreover people who were from different walks of life. Perhaps one of the most enriching aspect was the new friends that we made and the conversations that we engaged in.

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People at Image and Word From top left Amit Madheshiya, Anurupa Roy, Arun Patua, Dwarka Prasad, Vishwajyoti Ghosh, Kojaram, Medhavi Gandhi, Nia Murphy, Orijit Sen, Vidyun Sabhaney, Roma Chatterji, Rupsona Chitrakar, Shohei Emura, Suman Chitrakar, Ranjana Pandey, Gunduraju, Hanif Kureshi, Parimita Singh

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Creating Visual Narrative by Parismita Singh Parismita Singh is a graphic novel artist. Her graphic novel ‘Hotel at the end of the World’ was published in May 2009. She is currently working on a graphic novel for young adults. She also works in primary education and is associated with the AESR Centre, Delhi. Parismita spoke about her process as well as the tools that one can use to create a visual narrative. She explained how the basic unit in any comic is a box. In fact in order to plan a comic, the sheet is usually divided into 4 squares. She stressed on the importance of planning the story and the palcement of text and images before one starts to draw out the final artwork. She also explained how white space or negative space can be used effectivley. Furthermore she talked about different kinds of speech bubbles and the effect they create.

Using Manga Effects in Visual Narrative by Shohei Emura Shohei Emura is a comic book artist, illustrator and painter based in New Delhi. Sine graduating from the Fine Arts Faculty at MSU Baroda in 2005, he has worked with and been published by Penguin India, Radio Mirchi, MRM, Rubbabu, The YP Foundation and Captain Bijli comics. In his session he spoke about how dynamic backgrounds can lend a certain effect in Manga and how that technique can also be used effectively in other forms of visual storytelling. He explained how to use speech bubbles and how their shape conveys a certain context. He also talked about the use of action lines and how they can be used to convey focus and moods.

Style is Substance: Exploring Fom vis-a-vis Content in Comics by Vishwajyoti Ghosh Vishwajyoti Ghosh is the author of the critically acclaimed graphic novel Delhi Calm. His graphic narratives are regularly published in various anthologies, both in India and abroad. Ghosh is also the author of the weekly political cartoon ‘Full toss’

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in a leading Indian newspaper. In his session he shared his work and spoke about his influences and inspirations. He spoke about how he like sto work with a combination of found visuals and sketches and how juxtaposing the visual in a new manner helps form a connect with the reader. He talked about being free and open about discovering one’s style.

The Story of A Book: Tara Books and Design as Process by Nia Murphy Nia Murphy studied at Central Saint Martis School of Art and Design in London. A graphic designer working predominantly in book design, she joined Tara Books in 2011. Since then she has worked on a number of book projects with Patua, Gond and folk artists from India as well as contemporary fine artists and illustrators from across the world. She spolke about the process that is followed for a book to see the light of day. She emphasized that everyone involved in a book project is equal and that there is no greater truth to anyone’s story since they are infact stories.

The Poet Who Became a Tree: Visually interpreting Kabir’s poetry as comics by Orijit Sen Orijit Sen is a graphic artist and designer based in New Delhi. He trained at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. He has helped conceptualise, design and execute several exhibition and museum design projects. He also works with graphic narrative formsHis pioneering graphic novel ‘The River of Stories’ was published in 1994 and he is one of the founders of the Pao Collective. In 1990 he cofounded People Tree, a centre for design, crafts and sustainable living. He ran through his process while working on Kabir’s poetry as comics. He gave us an insight into how he edeveloped the concept and how he has used motifs, symbology to unify parallel narratives. He spoke about how he tried to erdaicate the line between fact, fantasy and fiction in his work.

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What I learned at Image and Word

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DESIGNING THE DELIVERABLES

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About the Concept After the research, primary and secondary was completed and inferences were drawn, I started working on the design deliverable. The concept of an illustrated storybook taking you on a journey across the country like a zoo seemed promising, so I started out with planning that. After the basic tentative layout was planned, I worked on the creating the final illustrations that were to be used in the final book. However after the final illustrations were made, I got some interesting feedback from my mentor, Jaya Jaitly mam. She said that it would be more appealing if the story was integrated with the illustrations like its done in a graphic novel using panels. So the final design was done keeping that concept in mind. The layout of the book was divided in such a manner that it progresses along geographically from one region to another. Starting from Madhubani in Bihar, moving on to Phad in Rajasthan, Pithora in Gujarat, Gond in Madhya Pradesh, Warli in Maharashtra, Kalamkari in Andhra, Kalighat in Bengal we come full circle to Pattachitra in Orissa. While the final illustrations were colored using watercolors and poster colors, they needed slight digital retouching. Also the use of asymmetrical boxes with textures and bright colors and different transparency effects helped make the design of the book look more lively and appealing. An introduction and conclusion page were added to bind the story together. The experience I had at Image and Word workshop and the things that I learnt there proved extremely valuable while designing the illustrated storybook. I could integrate it with the style of graphic novels and comics effectively since I had witnessed the work of many notable graphic novel artists at the workshop and had benefitted by their sharing of their creative process and experiences.

The book was titled â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Curious Creatures of Loreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, after which the project has also been named. The title seemed apt since the animals portrayed in folk/ tribal paintings are quite peculiar in their depiction. So much so that sometimes the drawn animal bears little or no resemblance to that actual one. They are believed to possess magical qualities and embellished with ornaments, color, motifs etc. I decided to work with a square size of 7.5 by 7.5 inches as it would be handy and yet large enough to see the artwork clearly in all its detail. The font chosen was a handwritten one that went nicely together with the hand drawn illustrations. Since the main aim of this project was to communicate information about the portrayal of animals in folk/tribal paintings in India, the story talked about the animals and their characters and symbolism. After the design of the book was finished and finalised, I began work on some other extra collaterals as well. So apart from the book, there is also a poster, a set of flash cards, a notepad and bookmarks. Thers is also a small coloring/tracing book that has all the illustrations in it. All of these things have been put together in a box as a kit. The final deliverables were printed with the help of the team at I ME AM Design. They guided me not only about printing and different papers but also regarding what would work well with my design. The purpose of this kit is to not only generate interest in folk paintings but also create awareness that may inspire positive action recarding the protection of endangered animals and endangered crafts, both of which are facing extinction.

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Original Illustrations

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Original Illustrations

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Final Illustrations - Birds

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Final Illustrations - Elephants

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Final Illustrations - Fish

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Final Illustrations - Deer

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Final Illustrations - Peacocks

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Final Illustrations - Lions/Tigers

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Final Illustrations - Horses

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Final Illustrations - Miscellaneous

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Planning of the storybook

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Planning of the storybook

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Planning of the storybook

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Planning of the collaterals

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Design of the storybook

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Design of the storybook

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Design of the storybook

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Design of the storybook

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Design of the storybook

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Design of the storybook

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Design of the storybook

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Design of the flashcards and bookmarks

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Design of the colouring book

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Design of the colouring book

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Design of notebook covers

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Design of Poster

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Final printed collaterals and posters

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Final printed flashcards and bookmarks

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Final printed coloring book

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Final printed notepads

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Final printed storybook

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Final printed storybook

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Final printed storybook

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Final printed storybook

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Final printed storybook

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Final printed storybook

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Final printed storybook

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FUTURE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

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Apps for Educational Purposes The project has immense potential to be taken forward in the digital domain. Since all the research and visual language is already in place, development of an app that gives children information about not only animals but also the crafts is a promising future prospect. Animals help communicate even sensitive topics to a wider audience with ease since messages can be communicated in a symbolic manner. Thus an entire series of apps and games can be developed using this information.

The app can allow the user to select their animal avatar on the basis of certain characteristics and set off on an adventurous journey where while playing they also learn. This would help sensitise the audience to not only the plight of animals that are facing extinction but also the crafts that are on the verge of dying out. Thus by creating awareness it may inspire positive action for the protection of both.

App for I-phones

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App for I-pads

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OTHER PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN

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Yearbook 2013 for Ansal University Ansal University Yearbook is an annual publication that showsaces the courses offered by the various schools under Ansal Unoiversity Gurgaon, their students’ work, academic collaborations, events and activities etc. I worked on the Yearbook 2013 in the capacity of a freelance Graphic Designer, hired by the studio I ME AM Design, where I had interned in the summer previously. Since they were familiar with my work, they felt confident in giving me a project of this magnitude. Working on this project gave me the opportunity to learn about a lot of different things such as client interaction, various finer design aspects of publication design, the imortance of maitaining consistency etc. This was truly an enriching experience.

The objective of the project was to design the yearbook for the year 2012-2013, keeping in mind the grid and the size used last year. Also the client wanted this year’s yearbook to look more academic but also have elements from the previous publication to make the series cohesive. Yet at the same time, the design had to be interesting enough to catch the attention of the reader and highlight all important achievements of the university. There are eight schools in all in Ansal University, Gurgaon and a section had to be designed for each one. Some things like faculty, students’ achievements were commin across th eschools while others were specific. The design had to reflect the essence of each school. The timeline for the project was about 10 weeks.

Schools under Ansal University

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