Going yellow
The Indian way!
Of all God ’s gifts to the sight of man, colour is the holiest, the most divine, the most solemn. Ruskin Bond
Photo Collage journey
2 Introduction
Table Of Contents
4
Colour Story - Haldi
6
Colour Wheel
7
Colour Harmonies
26
Textures, Patterns, Transparency
40
Reflection of Process
42
References and Resources
Introduction The source of light, the colour of the sun. The colour of a new beginning -Yellow, is one of the primary colours.
As Wikipedia puts it: The word “yellow” comes from the
and enables clear thinking! Ok, I urge everyone to try this:
Old English geolu, geolwe, meaning “yellow, yellowish”,
It is said that lighting a yellow candle in the room can make
derived from the Proto-Germanic word gelwaz. It has the
you concentrate, study and get inspired with new ideas!
same Indo-European base, -ghel, as the word yell;
Now isn’t that interesting? I am definitely going to try it
ghelmeans both bright and gleaming, and to cry out.
some day when I experience a creative Block!
Yellow is a colour which cries out for attention.
Having read about these numerous paths that one could
When we talk about the meaning of this colour, one gathers
fallow about the colour yellow, I was intrigued by the
words like, inspiration, beginning, playful, stimulant,
traditional and cultural aspect of this colour. Coming from a
creativity, vibrant, happy, bright, warm, traditional, culture,
traditional Indian background, rich with culture and festivals,
light and various other words. Yellow is also the colour for
I found myself relating and enjoying the exploration of this
hyperactivity and restlessness, hence it is studied that
colour down the traditional path.
children who have their room-walls painted yellow are always on the move, they are hyperactive! There were many such things about yellow that really caught me by surprise, being in the creative field for 7 years now I did not know that this colour stimulates new ideas, creativity
And what is more traditional and cultural than a wedding? During the course of this book I am trying to bring out the essence of the Hindu Wedding which is traditionally called “Shaadi”. The names of the colours are frequent names that one hears in a wedding house back in India.
2
Colour Story- "Haldi" An Indian wedding brings with it a lot of colours,
The “Haldi” marks the beginning of the Indian wedding.
especially on the warmer side. The colour yellow is a very
The bride and groom usually wear yellow clothes and
auspicious colour in the hindu tradition, It is mark of a
their relatives put a haldi paste on them. This is usually
new beginning in the lives of two people.
done so that they have sparkling and good skin for their
Turmeric which is called “Haldi” is a very common ingredient in an Indian household. Haldi is one of the basic ingredients in Indian food. It also has medicinal values. Whenever someone cuts his/her finger the first thing that is said is that “put some haldi on it”. This is
marriage. Hence the colour yellow marks the beginning of the marriage ceremony, and I would like to call my colour “Haldi - the new beginning” pulling after the famous Indian quote: “Haldi Chandan Karna” which means - “the auspicious mark of a new beginning.”
called “Gharelu Nuske.” Haldi also has cosmetic value.
4
Primary colour wheel
Tertiary colour wheel
Red
Orange
The colour wheel is an organisation of hues in a
The colour wheel helps figure out colour harmonies
circle which shows the relationship between Primary,
which is shown in the next couple of pages. Alongside is
Secondary and Tertiary colours.
a stylised version of the primary and tertiary colour wheel.
een
Pur
ple
Gr
w
Ye llo
e Blu
e ang
Pur p le
Or
The Colour Wheel
Green
6
10 Nyota-Analogous
Colour Harmonies
14 Gehna-Complimentary 16 Agni-Neutral 18 Doolha-Monochromatic 20
Aabhushan-Split Complimentary
24 Doli-Triadic
8
YOw Sindoor
Yw Haldi
Nyota-Analogous Harmony The Analogous Scheme is a harmony of colours that lie next to each other on the colour wheel. Along side is a analogous colour study. I have chosen colours on either side of my hue-yellow. I chose YellowOrange and Yellow-Green as my analogous scheme to play with a little contrast. I also decided to pick the compliment of my hue i.e.Violet. The complimentary colour breaks the monotony and adds depth and high contrast and makes the design interesting.
YGw Elaichi
The Indian wedding is all about these colours. Usually the “mandap� where the bride and groom sit and take their vows is done up using analogous colours of the yellow family. The yellow fire with the play of flowers and leaves add a great ambience and create the desired mood and warmth for a perfect wedding.
Vw Nritya
Even wedding cards that are sent out to people have a great combination of these contrasting colours. Hence after having looked up and studied these aspects I designed a wedding card motif to go with this colour harmony.
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Yw Haldi
Sagai
Gehna-Complimentary Colour Harmony Complimentary colours are the colours that lie opposite
and traditional colour use. Now days the more modern
to each other on the colour wheel. The have a high
families go for theme weddings and colour coordinated
contrast and create maximum tension in a design. The
weddings. Each function has a colour scheme. Especially
use of yellow and violet now days in Indian weddings
the new contemporary jewellery use different colour
has increased as compared to the olden more warmer
stones. Since Gold is the main colour for traditional jewellery brides usually go with purple as a contrast.
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Tints
Agni-Monochromatic Colour Harmony Monochromatic colour scheme is the use of the tints and
while walking around this sacred fire. The wedding ritual
tones and shades of the same hue. When you add white
is performed around this fire The groom and bride pay
to a hue you get a tint, when you add black to a hue you
respect to the sacred fire and it is taken as a witness to
get a shade and when you add grey you get a tone.
the wedding, as the famous wedding line goes: “Agni ko
Shades
sakshi maankar�. The Sacred Fire -Agni is the most important in a Hindu wedding. The bride and groom take their seven vows
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Achkan
Sehra
Doolha - Colour neutrals Jutti
Colour Neutrals as the name suggests are neutral colours
The Hindu groom usually wears neutral colours. The
that we would usually find in places that do not need high
sehra is a turban that he wears on his head has neutral
contrast and tension. These colours are calm and quiet and
flowers and motifs on it. But I must say here that the
do not shout and pop out. These colours usually are picked
trends are changing now and the groom also has gone
from backgrounds and may be highly pastels. I have chosen
more modern and bold in his look. The bride and groom
a metallic to go with my colour neutrals as the groom always
now days colour coordinate their outfits with each other
has some metallic shine or texture in his outfit.
and also with the event ambience.
Saafa
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Sangeet
Haldi
Kundan
Aabhushan-Split Complimentary Split Complimentary is the hue along with two other hues
The bride usually has matching jewellery with all her outfits
that lie on either side of its compliment. For example the
for all her functions. Usually a brides jewellery box includes
split complementaries for my hue - Yellow would be the
all of those pieces depending on the attire she wears for the
colours on the left and right of its compliment - Violet. i.e.
different functions. Coloured stones and gold is quite the
Blue-violet and Red-violet.
fashion with Hindu brides these days.
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Jal
Haldi
Chooda
Doli-Triadic Colour Harmony The triadic colour harmony includes colours equally
The Vidaai is the end of the wedding ritual where the girl
spaced on the colour wheel. So basically these three
bids farewell to her folks and steps into her new life with her
colours form an equilateral triangle on the colour wheel.
husband. The doli is a palanquin in which the bride sits. It
The triadic harmony for my hue includes yellow, blue and
comes from her parents house and after the vidaai the bride
red. These are the three basic primaries.
sits in the doli goes to her new house for a new beginning.
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Textures, patterns,Transperancy
28
Beyond Textures
30
Patterns and Motif
32
Greyscale Patterns
34
Coloured Patterns
36
Applied Pattern
38
Transparency and Light
26
Silk Cloth Found Texture
Paint Generated Texture
Beyond Textures Look around and you see that you are surrounded by
There are created textures, found textures, photographic
ample-number of textures. We hardly see flat colours,
textures, artificial textures, generated textures and many
everything has a texture. Textures are used as inspirations
more. I have created a few textures, keeping in mind the
in many facets for an Indian wedding. The Indian Wedding
theme of this book. The smoothness and warmth is what
is a bright, colourful and traditional event. A lot of fabrics
I have tried to depict from the textures. Patterns are also
and other materials go in the making of a grand Indian
a form of texture. One of the textures along side is an
wedding. From the drapes to the clothing of the couple,
illustrative pattern that I am using as a style for this book.
from decor to food, everything has texture in it.
Jewellery Artificail Texture
Marigold Natural Texture
Fire Natural Texture
Haldi Natural Texture
Pattern Texture
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Patterns and motif The Indian wedding is a traditional event and has a lot
I have taken inspiration from these traditional Indian
of motifs and patterns that go into each aspect of it. The
motifs and created patterns taking into account the
bride and groom wear attires that have Indian motifs on
shapes, rhythms, movement, and traditionality of these
it. Further more the bride has a “Mehendi” ceremony,
motifs in order to capture the essence of the wedding on
which is the drawing of Indian motifs on her hands and
micro level. I was naturally drawn to these patterns. What
feet. This is a symbol of a married women. The entire
you see here is the capture of the “mehendi” motifs and
Wedding captures these little motifs in highly stylized
the use of traditional jewellery motifs.
designs and forms.
30
Greyscale Patterns depicting the traditional Indian motifs in jewellery and other designs for the Indian bride.
32
Coloured patterns pulled from contemporary Indian Jewellery for a traditionally modern bride.
34
Every bride buys a new wardrobe at the time of her wedding. Most of them pick up traditional sarees for the different functions the couple has to attend to post marriage. Traditional Indian sarees include thick Indian borders and one of the many traditional motifs creating a pattern on the saree or the border.
36
Transparency and light Transparency studies between two colours give rise to a third colour usually known as the child and the former
cocktail
sagai
shaadi
two known as the parent.
38
Reflection of process So, ends my journey of the Indian yellow, but I look forward to a begining of a new journey in colour and design.
This class is been a fun filled class and a discovery into
Yellow was one of the colours that I had hardly worked
colour especially the “yellow colour.” When I started off I
with previously and therefore I was thrilled and nervous
was not sure of how I would manage the colour class as
at the same time when I was faced with the challenge of
I was a little afraid to use colour. I had my style of colour
working with this colour. At first I had many ideas in mind
usage and it was getting really monotonous and I wanted
but I always anti-climaxed cause I never found any idea
to break free.
doing justice to this colour. This is when I hit realisation that yellow is the most important colour of a Hindu wedding and
Sitting and experimenting with paints, splashing them
there I took the plunge and vola! here is my personal journal
around and seeing what the outcome is, using colour
on aspects and elements of a Hindu wedding.
aid paper and mixing and matching colour hues, photography, editing was all part of this process. It was a
I went all in and explored all aspects of yellow in form
fresh break from the usual digital stuff that we designers
of photographs and also illustrations. I wanted to add a
always keep doing. Sometimes unleashing yourself
personal touch and my own style to this journal and hence
and enjoying colour rather than always thinking of the
I spent a lot of time developing a particular style that I
design and outcome does really help unwind. I loved the
wanted to adopt into this book. I loved working on this
splashing splurging and therefore I have pulled that into
book and I totally freed-up (if I may say) while compiling it! It
my book! I tried capturing that free and organic essence
was a refreshing experience. Studying colour relationships
through this book and hence you would have noticed
has created a knowledge bank in my head about colour in
that though this book was based on a grid but it was very
general and now I am more confident about colour usage
organic and playful in it’s own way!
than before. As it is said that “Colour can make or break Design.” This know makes complete sense to me.
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References and Resources http://ratnaveera.hubpages.com/hub/The-Significanceof-Yellow-Color http://headlinesindia.mapsofindia.com/indianwedding/ haldi-ceremony.html http://www.bigindianwedding.com/Article/PlanningIdeas/Wedding-Rituals/Rituals-by-Community/Tamilwedding-rituals/ http://www.thejewelleryeditor.com/2012/09/tanishq-theindian-wedding-jeweller/tanishq-08/ http://www.101mehndidesigns.us/1380-eid-mehndidesigns-for-hands.html/eid-mehndi-designs-for-hands-4 http://mehndidesign2013.blogspot.com/2013/01/latestbridal-mehndi-feet-2013.html http://www.cecinewyork.com/cecistyle/issue/v51/ourmuse/ Be inspired by Reshma Shetty & Deep’s Indian wedding in New York City http://wendys-bridalaffairs.blogspot.com/2011/02/ indian-weddings-at-drexelbrook.html By Wendy
http://www.onewed.com/photos/show/wedding-planningideas-incorporating-culture-into-i-dos-indian-bridemakeup http://www.onewed.com/photos/show/wedding-planningideas-incorporating-culture-into-i-dos-indian-bridemakeup http://www.wallchan.com http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-messagesmeanings/color-meaning-symbolism-psychology/allabout-the-color-yellow.html http://webdesign.about.com/od/color/a/bl_colorculture. htm http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/ cultural-color.html Symbolic Meaning of the Color Yellow in Korea | eHow. com http://www.ehow.com/about_6617936_symbolicmeaning-color-yellow-korea.html#ixzz2LyxtCrMC http://www.streetdirectory.com/florist/singapore/flower_ guide/flowerguide/roses/1265/significance_of_yellow_roses
http://mandapdesign.com/md/ created by deepa varma
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Abha Anand Spring 2013 colour workshop Prof. Michelle Hinebrook