Thar Documentation Book by Charmaine Sah

THESIS PROJECT 2019 THAR

Branding and Promotion of Handloom STUDENT:

CHARMAINE SAH

PROJECT:

Mountain Ghost Trail

SPONSOR:

Self initiated

PROGRAM:

Undergraduate Professional Programme

AWARD:

Visual Communication and Strategic Branding

GUIDES:

Rustam Vania and Sanjay Barnela

Copyrights 2019-2020 Student Document Publication (for private circulation only) All Rights Reserved Thesis Project (Undergraduate Professional Programme) Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology Bangalore - 560064 Karnataka No part of this document will be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronically or mechanically, including photocopying, scanning, photography and video recording without written permission from the publishers namely Charmaine Sah and Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore. Written, edited and designed by Charmaine Sah Printed at Srishti Institute of Art,Design and Technology, Bangalore

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND PLAGIARISM STATEMENT I, CHARMAINE SAH, hereby declare that the content of this student documentation and final design/artwork submission is my own original work and has not been plagiarised in full or part from previously published/designed/manufactured material or does not even contain substantial propositions of content which have been accepted for an award of any other degree or diploma of any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in this thesis project. I also declare that the intellectual content of this Thesis Project is my own original work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design and conception or in style and presentation is acknowledged and that this Thesis project (or part of it) will not be submitted as assessed work in any other academic course.

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT I, CHARMAINE SAH, hereby grant Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology the right to archive and to make available my Thesis Project in whole or in part in the instituteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s databank and website, and for non-commercial use in all forms of media, now and hereafter known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act.

Name: Charmaine Sah Signature: Date: 3rd May 2019

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Thar has gone through lots of ups and downs in the past four months. I would like to begin with thanking Rustam Vania and Sanjay Barnela for giving me this wonderful opportunity to work with this project. I also extend my gratitude to Riddesh Adarkar for listening to me during my days of stress and for constantly being patient with me. Sincere gratitude to Weaverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Service Center, Bangalore for cooperating with me and executing all the samples required for this project to be successful.

This project would have been impossible without Biru Singh and his team who set up a base camp for us in Kinnaur admist snow and made us feel comfortable in extreme weather condition. All the wonderful people at Kinnaur who were so hospitable and gave us information, Mohan Singh of Himachal Emporium for patiently answering all my questions and showing me around. Saili Palyekar, Uttara Nanda, Bhumika Singh, Vedika Lall for constantly taking care of me and giving me motivation during the trip and the long research hours. Adisha Khandual for helping me with textile design and encouraging me every passing day. Aastha CHoudhary, Manasi Vaidya, Aditi Bamel and Ritika Uppal for guiding me with technicalities of textile. Yash Kamat for photographing my project and giving my brand a Brand Photography style. Amith Nair for helping me with animation and break the fear of After Effects. Rahul Mathew, Dhruva Deshpande, Anu Manohar, Aradhana Venkat and Juilee Tembhekar for constant feedback on my Visuals. Hans Sidharth Palampadai for helping me during the concept building of my project. Lastly, I would like to thank my family who were there were me at all hours and who constantly motivated me and encouraged me during all the breakdowns.

CONTENT

1 2 3 4

Understanding the Project About the Landscape Secure Himalaya Project About the Snow Leopard Mindmaps

Research : Trip About Kinnaur Point of Interest Interview Kinnauri Weaving

Seminar 1 Pitch Research Questions Target Audience Aims & Objectives Possible Outcome Insight

Breakdown of Concept Case Study Name Map Brand Strategy

5 6 7 8

Various Explorations/ Making of logo Explorations of Kinnauri weaving in products Chosen products and Why Morphological Matrix Logo Iterations Round 1 & 2 Final Logo Visual Identity Explorations Visual Identity 1 Visual Identity 2/Inspired by kinnauri weaving Visual Identity 3

Seminar 2 Pitch Final Logo About Thar Motif Set 1 : Camera Strap Motif set 2 : Pouch Insight

Making The Advertisement Storyline Making of Animals Illustration Panel Stop Motion Pictures Making of Animation Final Animation

9 10

Making of Products Making of Thar travel pouch Making of Camera/bag Strap

Final Deliverables Colour Palette Typography Logo Construction Final Logo Illustration Style Visual Language Product Range Packaging Design Photography Digital Templates Advertisement

BRIEF The vast and rugged high Himalayas is the range of the snow leopard , an elusive, solitary and endangered apex predator, what the locals call the “mountain ghost”. It is becoming increasingly challenging to conserve such large landscapes with competing land use demands by local communities, national industries and global economies. Eco-sensitive trans Himalayan areas are particularly susceptible to such landscape modification and fragmentation. Pastoralism and agriculture is the mainstay of communities living in these fragile Himalayan eco-systems. Millions benefit from the ecosystem services of these habitats. The ‘Secure Himalaya’ project, is a landscape approach to the sustainable management of alpine pastures and forests in the high range Himalayan ecosystems to secure conservation of globally significant wildlife, including endangered snow leopard and their habitats. To achieve it’s goals, any comprehensive landscape conservation attempt will need to bring together different stakeholders to first seek appreciation and then understanding and co-operation. Creative communications will be crucial to the success of such an endeavour. This project will help formulate a communications strategy for the ‘Secure Himalaya’ project in the state of Himachal Pradesh. The project is in collaboration with United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEFCC) Government of India.

The project provides opportunity to affect real change by creating a comprehensive campaign and creative communications strategy, using a mix of different mediums and media channels. The communication campaign can include a diverse set of methods and strategies including publicity and branding of project and place, making of films and animation videos, social media campaigns, radio programs, interactive websites, maps, training material, publications for awareness and advocacy, leveraging of traditional alternative/local stories and folk media. The context opens possibilities to• Understand what is landscape ecology and conservation and how does one visualize and communicate the same to the public. • Create communication strategies to create a dialogue between diverse set of stakeholders such the Forest Department, NGOs, local communities and wildlife experts in a conservation landscape. • Take a critical look at the politics and use of language as a vehicle for knowledge creation and communication about the environment • Create brand identity campaign that benefits local economy and habitats There will be 2 weeks of intense immersion on the context to understand concepts of landscape conservation, political ecologies and communication strategies. This will be followed by a 10 day field trip to Himachal Pradesh. A good level of fitness is essential. Logistics: Travel expenses from Bangalore to field locations in Himachal Pradesh (Pangi Valley) will be borne by students. Local travel, boarding and lodging expenses at the field location shall be covered by the project.

PROPOSAL Abstract The Trans Himalayan region which is the snow leopard’s habitat is heavily used for livestock grazing and herds continue to grow here. People who are producers of wool are pastoralists and they are there in large numbers in this area. Wool weaving in Himachal is the result of extreme cold winters and almost every household here owns a pitloom. Through the local arts and crafts of the region, the aim of the project is to create awareness about educational purposes, and create product diversification which gives it a market value. Understanding the Landscape Snow Leopard, known throughout the world for its beautiful fur and elusive behaviour, is found in the rugged mountains of Central and South Asia. Snow leopards in Himachal Pradesh are usually found at an altitude between 9,800 to 17,000 feet in high and rugged terrains. Their habitat ranges from Lahaul and Spiti to Pangi in Chamba, and upper reaches of Kinnaur district. Kinnaur Valley falls in the Trans Himalayan range, a mountainous area, ranging in altitude from 2,320 to 6,816 metres 7,612 to 22,362 ft. The region falls on the Indo-Tibetan border and is one of the highest places of the country. Given the proximity to Tibet, it is not surprised that there are strong cultural and religious links with that distinctive land. These have manifested themselves in dress, language, architecture, customs and most visibly, in religion- the main body of Hindustan has been embellished with several Buddhist practices making it a rich syncretic culture.

The snow leopard’s habitat is heavily used for livestock grazing and herds continue to grow. People who are producers of wool are pastoralists and they are there in large numbers in this area. They have a massive impact in Trans Himalayan region because this is where they grow wool and the grazing takes place. These pastoralists have an impact on landscape in Trans Himalayan region, for example, the pastoralist take the Rupi Baba Pass to enter the Pin Valley National Park where they can graze their herds. These high-altitude landscapes are low in productivity, low productive landscape which is cold desert has an impact by human intervention and pastoralism has a direct impact on herbivore that in turn affects snow leopard. “The relationship between livestock numbers and the presence of snow leopards seems to be hump-shaped”, Rishi says. “Up to a certain point, growing livestock numbers go hand-in-hand with habitat use by snow leopards. There seem to be areas that are so productive that they can sustain relatively high numbers of both livestock and wild prey.” But there is a tipping point: “When livestock density becomes too high, the number of cat’s decreases – probably because there isn’t enough wild prey left for them.” Himachal Pradesh is known for its weaving, which is not only a functional need but also has its roots grounded in the ancient tradition of the region. Its designs and techniques are influenced by Central Asia and Tibet, and its rich heritage makes it popular among tourists. Shawls and other woollen garments of the state are hand woven and knitted at home. Wool weaving in Himachal is the result of extreme cold winters and almost every household here owns a pit-loom. Every family has their own flock of sheep, which they rear as part of their family. It is these sheep that they still derive their wool from. Majorly, the mountain sheep gives them coarse merino wool whereas the handful of pashminas that some families own, is not enough to suffice for weaving even a single

shawl in a whole year. Wool is also considered as pure and is used as a ritual cloth. The famous woven object is the shawl, ranging from pashmina to the coarse desar. Kullu is famous for its shawls with simple patterns and vibrant colours. Kinnauri shawls are unique for their widely popular intricacy and nesse in weaving. Widely renowned for the intricacy and finesse in weaving, Kinnauri Shawls are unique. The Kullu Shawl owes its origin to the Kinnauri Shawl. The Kullu Shawl’s designs and motifs woven today have originally been derived from intricate Kinnauri designs that have been enlarged enormously and simplified with the passage of time. Many of the motifs woven have a very special symbolic and religious significance. The colours used for ground are white, black, natural grey and brown. The main colours used for patterning are red, orange, pink, blue, green, yellow, black and white. Out of these five colours represent five elements—white stands for water, yellow for earth, red for fire, green for air and blue for aether.

APPROACH AND PROCESS: • PRIMARY RESEARCH: Interaction with the local artisans called as ‘Khaddis’, Gathering stories from the locals, Interviews with several handicraft stores, shopkeepers, visit to Himachal Emporium, Bhuttico Shawl, visiting several tailors and getting a belt made from a kullu border embroidery as a new product approach • SECONDARY RESEARCH: Reading blogs, magazines, websites, Newspaper articles • Usage of Design Thinking Tools: Mapping of Landscape, Actor Network Theory Map

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

• To conserve the traditional handloom of Kinnaur, primarily weaving and give it a larger market by product diversification which makes it more affordable for the tourists, and gives the locals a value edition.

• Can design intervention play a role in diversifying the product range of the local handloom?

• To play with the geometric designs of the Kinnaur weaving and modify the designs by incorporating snow leopard which makes the audience aware of the snow leopard and gives the craft an educational value. • To improve the livelihood and income of the society giving it a market value

• Is it possible to use the local crafts and motifs and utilise them to create awareness about educational purposes? • Can the above influence in supporting the Brand Identity of a place?

TARGET AUDIENCE: The project delivers a market value edition to the locals of Himachal Pradesh giving them a source of income. The Secure Himalaya benefits from the project as the local arts and crafts would give the place a branding and enhance the crafts giving it an educational role.

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES: • Branding and Marketing the handloom by doing product diversification and incorporating snow leopard which gives it an educational value • Using the Kinnauri geometric patterns for educational purposes which can be incorporated in data visualization, puzzles, interface design etc • A souvenir kit which would enhance the Kinnauri embroidery, and would comprise of souvenirs to take back from the region, making it more affordable for the tourists and giving them the feel of the handloom in a box

The Trans-Himalayas Mountain Region or Tibet Himalayan Region is located to the north of the Great Himalayas which is consists of Karakoram, Ladakh, Zaskar and Kailash mountain ranges. It is also called the Tibet Himalayan Region because most of the part of these ranges lies in the Tibet.

Understanding The Project

ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE Snow Leopard, known throughout the world for its beautiful fur and elusive behaviour, is found in the rugged mountains of Central and South Asia. Snow leopards in Himachal Pradesh are usually found at an altitude between 9,800 to 17,000 feet in high and rugged terrains. Their habitat ranges from Lahaul and Spiti to Pangi in Chamba, and upper reaches of Kinnaur district. Snow leopards live in the mountains of Central Asia. While their habitat range covers 2 million km2 (approximately the size of Greenland or Mexico), there are only between 3,920 and 6,390 snow leopards left in the wild. The snow leopard’s habitat extends through twelve countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. At the snow leopard’s typical elevation, the climate is cold and dry, and only grasses and small shrubs can grow on the steep mountain slopes. Snow leopards prefer the broken terrain of cliffs, rocky outcrops, and ravines. This type of habitat provides good cover and clear views to help them find prey, and sneak up on it. The snow leopard’s habitat is heavily used for livestock grazing and herds continue to grow. People who are producers of wool are pastoralists and they are there in large numbers in this area. They have a massive impact in Trans Himalayan region because this is where they grow wool and the grazing takes place. These pastoralists have an impact on landscape in Trans Himalayan region, for example, the pastoralist take the Rupi Baba Pass to enter the Pin Valley National Park where they can graze their herds.

SECURE HIMALAYA PROJECT Securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystems The Government of India and United Nations Development Programme, with support from the Global Environment Facility, are implementing a new programme in the high altitude Himalayas entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;SECURE Himalayas - Securing livelihoods, conservation, sustainable use and restoration of high range Himalayan ecosystemsâ&#x20AC;?, to ensure conservation of locally and globally significant biodiversity, land and forest resources in the high Himalayan ecosystem, while enhancing the lives and livelihoods of local communities.

Key Components : Conservation of key biodiversity areas and their effective management to secure long-term ecosystem resilience, habitat connectivity and conservation of snow leopard and other endangered species and their habitats Securing sustainable community livelihoods and natural resource management in high range Himalayan ecosystems Enhancing enforcement, monitoring and cooperation to reduce wildlife crime and related threats Knowledge, advocacy, communication and information systems established

ABOUT THE SNOW LEOPARD

Snow leopards are highly adapted to their home in the cold high mountains. Their thick fur patterned with dark rosettes and spots (a pattern that is unique to each individual snow leopard) is the perfect camouflage for their rocky habitat, allowing them to stalk their prey. Their beautiful coats are also made up of long hairs with a dense, woolly underfur to protect them against the cold. Snow leopards have longer tails than other big cats. They can be up to 1 m in length and help the leopards to balance on steep, rocky slopes. They also provide additional protection against the cold since the leopards can be wrap them around themselves while they are resting. Snow leopards are solitary and elusive creatures that usually hunt at dawn and dusk. They’re stealthy predators, able to kill prey up to three times their own weight.

STATUS Vulnerable

SCIENTIFIC NAME Panthera uncia

POPULATION total estimated 4,080-6,590

LENGTH 2-5 ft.

WEIGHT 45-55kgs

HABITATS cold high mountains

Snow leopards’ favored prey are herbivores, such as blue sheep, Argali sheep and ibex. But in many areas, snow leopards also prey on livestock, bringing them into conflict with herders. Indeed, snow leopard habitat provides important resources for local communities – from food and medicine to grazing for livestock, and wood for shelter, heat and fuel. As well as water sources for millions of people downstream.

MAIN THREATS

Snow leopards continue to face a number of threats including habitat loss, poaching and increasing conflict with communities. And climate change is now putting the future of their mountain home at even greater risk.

Poaching: Snow leopards have long been killed for their beautiful fur, but their bones and other body parts are also used in Traditional Asian Medicine. And the illegal trade in snow leopard parts appears to be increasing.

Shrinking home: Snow leopards need vast areas to thrive, but expanding human and livestock populations are rapidly encroaching on their habitat. New roads and mines are also fragmenting their remaining range.

Conflict with communities: Herders sometimes kill snow leopards in retaliation for attacking their livestock. And the decline in the leopardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural prey - due to hunting, competition from increasing livestock herds, and habitat loss - is forcing them to rely more on livestock for food and increasing the risk of retaliatory killings.

Changing climate: All these threats will be exacerbated by the impact of climate change on the fragile mountain environment - putting the future of snow leopards at even greater risk. It will also endanger the livelihoods of local communities and the tens of millions of people living downstream of these major watersheds.

To understand the landscape, we went on a trip to visit the secondary site, Kinnaur. Our site visit lasted for ten days where we interacted with the locals to gain a better understanding of the place. We also went to Shimla where we had a meeting with the PCCF to get a better idea about the project.

Research : Educational Trip

ABOUT KINNAUR

Kinnaur is one of twelve administrative districts in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, India. The district is divided into three administrative areas – Pooh, Kalpa, and Nichar(Bhabanagar)– and has six tehsils (counties). The administrative headquarters of Kinnaur district is at Reckong Peo. From here Kinnaur Kailash, considered to be the abode of Lord Shiva, can be seen. As of 2011, it is the second least populous district of Himachal Pradesh (out of 12 districts), after Lahaul and Spiti,in spite of that nine vital languages are spoken in the district.

Amongst dizzy Himalayan heights, Kinnaur, once a forbidden land, is now a treasure’s trove for the daring and adventurers seekers. From the righteous greens of Sangla valley with well developed orchards of apricots and apples, to the magnificent panorama of Chitkul, India’s last village on Indo-Tibet border, and from the stunning sight of Mt. Kinner Kailash, abode of Lord Shiva from Kalpa, to the pristine lake at Nako village, mother nature’s portrait is an ever-changing one in Kinnaur. Lying on the ancient trade route between India and Tibet, ringed by the majestic Himalayan, Zanskar, and Dhauladhar ranges, Kinnaur with its well conserved culture and timeless rituals is a land of plenty. The gushing rivers – Sutlej, Spiti, Baspa and their tributaries – have over the centuries chiselled beautiful valleys across this picturesque land and nurtured one of the most hardy of mountain societies in the world. Kinnauris, as the natives are called, are proud yet friendly who can be easily spotted out by their striking cylindrical cap that features a half band of green, maroon or purple felt. Where lower Kinnaur has large influences of Hinduism with traces of Buddhism in their belief systems, in the higher reaches it is Buddhism that dominates. Kinnaur in a land where the two religions meet at the peaks and coexist in harmony.

Kothi Temple

Dried Apple

Kinnaur Kailash Range

Carvings in Monastry

POINT OF INTEREST

Meeting the Weavers During the trip, we visited multiple weavers ( locally called as gaddiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) to understand the process of weaving. Every household there owns a pit loom where they weave, Talking to them gave us an in house experience about their process of weaving and gave us a better understanding of the usage of colors. Motif meanings etc Himachal Pradesh is known for its weaving, which is not only a functional need but also has its roots grounded in the ancient tradition of the region. Its designs and techniques are influenced by Central Asia and Tibet, and its rich heritage makes it popular among tourists. Shawls and other woolen garments of the state are hand woven and knitted at home. Wool weaving in Himachal is the result of extreme cold winters and almost every household here owns a pit-loom. Every family has their own flock of sheep, which they rear as part of their family. It is these sheep that they still derive their wool from. Majorly, the mountain sheep gives them coarse merino wool whereas the handful of pashminas that some families own, is not enough to suffice for weaving even a single shawl in a whole year. Wool is also considered as pure and is used as a ritual cloth. The famous woven object is the shawl, ranging from pashmina to the coarse desar. Kullu is famous for its shawls with simple patterns and vibrant colours. Kinnauri shawls are unique for their widely popular intricacy and nesse in weaving.

Sangla

Reckong Peo

Kinnaur Kailash Range

Kalpa

INTERVIEW With Mohan Singh, Himachal Emporium Mohan Singh, worked for 20 years in Himachal Emporium, locally from Kinnaur Most selling product in the store is Kinnauri cap due to its cheap price. Tourists speand around Rs 3000/- max on buying shawl etc. Kullu shawls are bought more frequently because they are cheaper than kinnauri shawls. Price Range : Kinnauri Stole (one border) - Rs 750/Kinnauri Cap - Rs 300/Kinnauri Stole (full embroidery) - Rs 3000/Dryfruits (Chirgoza, Badam, Khurmani) - Rs 250/Shawl One border - Rs 750/Two borders - Rs 1200/Full Embroidery- From Rs 3000 to 25000/-

Kinnauri Cap

Handicraft shop in Peo

Himachal Emporium in Shimla

Weaving Center in Reckong Peo

KINNAURI WEAVING Widely renowned for the intricacy and finesse in weaving, Kinnauri Shawls are unique. The Kullu Shawl owes its origin to the Kinnauri Shawl. The Kullu Shawlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designs and motifs woven today have originally been derived from intricate Kinnauri designs that have been enlarged enormously and simplified with the passage of time. Many of the motifs woven have a very special symbolic and religious significance. The colours used for ground are white, black, natural grey and brown. The main colours used for patterning are red, orange, pink, blue, green, yellow, black and white. Out of these five colours represent five elementsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;white stands for water, yellow for earth, red for fire, green for air and blue for aether. The Kinnauri Shawl is of a very typical kind. It is a blend of two weaves: A basic weave for the ground and body fabric and extra-weft for the design. The basic weave for the body and ground is twill. Twill is used in all its forms: Basic twill, pointed twill, herringbone twill and basket weaves. All designs are done on four shafts. In Kinnauri shawls, it is believed that the finer and the heavier the design, the wealthier and better, the family background. When a boy is to be married the girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family is shown the entire range of shawls, the family has woven. It is a criterion by which the marriage is finalized. The extra-weft is doing just for the design, where knotting and changing lifting orders do every part of it singularly. The design happens on both the ends and goes on till half a metre towards the main body. The ground fabric is usually naturally coloured wool and includes the basic colours- black, white, cream, grey, brown or a mix of any two. The shawl is usually made of the size: 3 metres in length and 1 metre in breadth.

Seminar One Panelist Girish Chandrasekharan, Riddhesh Adarkar and Rustam Vania

Seminar 1 Pitch

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

TARGET AUDIENCE

Can design intervention play a role in diversifying the product range of the local hand-loom?

The project delivers a market value edition to the locals of Himachal Pradesh giving them a source of income. The Secure Himalaya benefits from the project as the local arts and crafts would give the place a branding and enhance the crafts giving it an educational role.

Is it possible to use the local crafts and motifs and utilize them to create awareness about educational purposes? Can the above influence in supporting the Brand Identity of a place

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

POSSIBLE FINAL OUTCOME

To conserve the traditional handloom of Kinnaur, primarily weaving and give it a larger market by product diversification which makes it more affordable for the tourists, and gives the locals a value edition.

Branding and Marketing the handloom by doing product diversification and incorporating snow leopard which gives it an educational value

To play with the geometric designs of the Kinnaur weaving and modify the designs by incorporating snow leopard which makes the audience aware of the snow leopard and gives the craft an educational value.

Using the Kinnauri geometric patterns for educational purposes which can be incorporated in data visualization, puzzles, interface design etc

To improve the livelihood and income of the society giving it a market value

A souvenir kit which would enhance the Kinnauri embroidery, and would comprise of souvenirs to take back from the region, making it more affordable for the tourists and giving them the feel of the handloom in a box

To use the local crafts for awareness and educational purposes

INSIGHT FROM SEMINAR ONE

To take an inspiration from the craft and aesthetics and deploy it as a communication, education, information, branding, experience design that â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;weavesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; some of the Secure Himalaya objectives of awareness and branding into her final outcome.

Breakdown of Concept

Creating an experience where people come and engage and interact with the designs and product

Showcasing innovative, creative and interesting use of designs inspired by the Trans Himalayan Region Telling a story of the place via an experience of products and interaction

CASE STUDY

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Shenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, meaning snow leopard in the local Spitian dialect, is an enterprise started by the women of Kibber and Chichim villages in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh to produce and sell local products that could supplement their livelihood.

NAME MAP

BRAND STRATEGY

Brand Name THAR ( means snow leopard in Spiti) Trans Himalayan Art Restoration

Founder Space Secure Himalaya

Business Space Launching in Shimla, Reckong Peo, Kullu and slowly will make a presence in airports, exhibitions (Dastkar, Chitra Santhe) etc . A special label will be released during the Wildlife Week which is held in October.

Size, Resources and Partners Himachal Emporium

Product Space Utility Products like Camera Straps, Bag Straps, Pouch etc. Products which are more universal and can be used more often in daily use. The space will also extend in showcasing creative use of designs inspired by the Trans Himalaya region.

Target Audience Eco-tourists who are sensitive of their surroundings and are curious about the landscape and flora, fauna.

Brand Differentiation Our range of products give you an essence of the rich handicraft of the Trans Himalaya region, also spreading awareness about the Secure Himalaya project and makes you contribute to the project if one wants to.

Core Brand Values Authentic, Impactful, Diverse

Peripheral Brand Values Conserve, Aware, Prosperity, Recognition

Insight Statement â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I really value their rich handicraft; I wish I can take back with me a piece of their handicraft which I can use oftenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

Tagline Threads of Himachal

Emotional Benefits Thar gives me utility products I can use often, and also makes me contribute to the Secure Himalaya Project which makes me feel like a responsible citizen

Functional Benefits Maximum utility of the product

Self-Expressive Benefits Thar makes me contribute to the Secure Himalaya Project

Tone of Voice Minimal, Warm, Fresh

Appearance Authentic, Subtle

Brand Identity Grey’s, Black’s, white’s with blue, the authentic snow leopard palette which resonates with the animal

Brand Personality Creating an experience where people come and engage with the designs and products

Desired Customer Reaction Wow, I never thought the kinnauri designs could be used in such a creative way and I could incorporate the craft in my daily life.

Various Explorations/ Making of Logo

Explorations of different possibilties inspired by Kinnauri Weaving

Kinnauri Cap

Bag Tag

Camera Strap

Gloves

CHOSEN PRODUCT AND WHY

Camera/ Bag Strap : Multifunctional Accessory, an accessory used more often and which showcases the regional craft more on various occasions, all season usage

Travel Pouch : A souvenir take away, with high utility aspect, adding the craft value in daily usage, all season usage

Bag Tag : A travel accessory, taken on all tours spreading awareness catching the eye

COLOR PALETTE EXPLORATION

MAKING OF LOGO : Morphological Matrix

Logo Iteration / Round 1

Logo Iteration / Round 2

FINAL LOGO

Exploring Visual Identity

Visual Identity 1

Visual Identity 2 / Inspired by Kinnauri Weaving

Motifs Inspired by real objects

Snow Lepard Motifs

Visual Identity 3

Seminar 2 Pitch

ABOUT THAR

Thar is a brand which is inspired by the handicrafts of the Trans Himalayan region and showcases innovative, creative and interesting use of designs inspired by the region. The main focus of the brand is to spread awareness about the Secure Himalaya project and make people aware about the elusive snow leopard being endangered. It aims at creating an experience where people come and engage and interact with the designs and products. The brand focuses on keeping the rich craft alive while inspiring people to make the craft a part of their daily life.

MOTIF SET 1 / CAMERA/BAG STRAP

MOTIF SET 2 / TRAVEL POUCH

INSIGHT FROM SEMINAR TWO

To look at meaning of the motifs and attempt to develop product/activity ideas for consumer engagement, also look at the essence of the brand â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tharâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and what is its key messaging with the consumers.

The advertisement video gives an introduction to the cause of snow leopard being endangered. It continues by introducing Thar and provides a platform for the viewers to contribute to the project as well.

Making of Advertisement

STORYLINE To make people aware of why the snow leopard is being endangered and an introductory video to make the customers understand the cause of why the snow leopard is being endangered. Frame 1 : A mountain puppy sitting, with lots of trees and Mountain around ( wagging its tail) Frame 2 : A mountain puppy sitting , slightly older , with a man, few buildings and lesser tress (showing evolution) Frame 3 : A mountain dog old, lots of buildings, half cut tress and lots of people Showing increase in population Increase in population demands for more space, more food hence humans have pushed ever further with their livestock into the snow leopard’s habitat. Frame 4 : Going to where the mountains start Goats, Buffalos, cattle, eating up the grass on the mountains Overgrazing damages the fragile mountain grasslands Frame 5 : Showing dry mountains, leaving less food for the blue sheep, ibex and argali which are Snow leopard’s main prey . Face of SL, save the SL, for merchandise visit THAR

A long time ago, a Mountain puppy lived happily in a lush green forest. One day came a selfish woodcutter and chopped off all the trees. This led to deforestation. Every passing year, more and more trees were cut to meet the human needs. The demand for food and other utilities gave a rise to extensive cattle rearing. The cattle demanded lush alpine meadows which therefore led to overgrazing. There is a collapse in the food chain leaving no food for the Asiatic Ibex and Wild sheep which are Snow Leopard’s main prey. This leaves the elusive snow leopard with no specie to prey on to leading to it being endangered.

Rough Sketch

Making of Animals

ILLUSTRATION PANEL

Stop Motion Pictures of loom

Making of Animation

FINAL ANIMATION

The products are made in Collaboration with Weaverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Service Center, Bangalore and the swatches are woven by Mallika Rajuna. The weave structure used is Extra weft for the products.

Making of Products

Making of Thar Travel Pouch

Digital Patterns

Woven Swatch

THAR TRAVEL POUCH

Making of Camera/Bag Strap

Digital Patterns

Woven Swatch

THAR BAG/CAMERA STRAP

Final Deliverables

COLOR PALETTE

TYPOGRAPHY

LOGO CONSTRUCTION

FINAL LOGO

ILLUSTRATION STYLE

Kinnauri motif

Snow Leopard Eye

Kinnauri regional motif

Snow Leopard motif

Snow Leopard Eye motif

VISUAL LANGUAGE

PRODUCT RANGE

PACKAGING DESIGN

PHOTOGRAPHY

DIGITAL TEMPLATES

REFRENCES

Gupta, Sachin. “History and Culture of Kinnaur.” History and Culture of Kinnaur | | Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh. Accessed February 13, 2019. http://www.himachaltouristguide.com/index.php/districts-ofhimachal/kinnaur/history-and-culture. Brown, Jeff. “Can Snow Leopards Coexist With Livestock?” Snow Leopard Trust. August 18, 2015. Accessed February 12, 2019. https:// www.snowleopard.org/snow-leopard-conservation-and-pastoralproduction-are-compatible-within-limits/. http://www.abhijna-emuseum.com/intangible-cultural-propertiesgallery/the-art-of-weaving-shawls-from-kinnaur/ Vasvani, Palash. Kullu and Kinnauri Shawls Designs and Techniques for Wool Weaving. PDF. MUmbai. Vatsyan, Manish, and Manish Vatsyan. “Himachal Pradesh.” The Himalayan Handlooms. January 01, 1970. Accessed February 13, 2019. http://tourtoaheaven.blogspot.com/2010/04/himalayan-handlooms. html. “Culture & Heritage.” Culture & Heritage | District Kinnaur, Government of Himachal Pradesh. Accessed February 13, 2019. https://hpkinnaur. nic.in/culture-heritage/.

REFLECTIVE NOTE

This project has been a very different experience as I was working on a completely new skill sets like textile hence I faced a lot of barriers. It has taught me how to collaborate with people and be patient during the process. Working on something completely new is exciting yet very nervous as I was extremely curious during the whole process as I didn’t have any idea on what to expect as an outcome. This semester has taught me a lot about technicalities of textile and different weaving methods, fabrics etc. I also learnt so much about the Kinnauri craft and culture, and got a better understanding about the landscape. The span of four months were a complete roller coaster were constant ups and downs, but when I look back at them I see the project grew a lot and I’m very satisfied as the process taught me a lot and gave me lessons I’ll value in all my future work.

THESIS PROJECT 2019

Examiner 1 (name and signature):

THAR

Examiner 2 (name and signature):

Branding and Promotion of Handloom STUDENT: CHARMAINE SAH PROJECT:

Mountain Ghost Trail

SPONSOR: Self initiated PROGRAM: Undergraduate Professional Programme AWARD:

Visual Communication and Strategic Branding

Final Examination Panel COMMENTS:

Examiner 3 (name and signature): Date: Academic Dean:

CHARMAINE SAH Thesis Project 2019 (Undergraduate Professional Programme) Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology Bangalore - 560064 Karnataka