I I
I llus t rat ing
Indian folktales
Classroom project 2 documentation by Lalith Prasad PG Graphics ’10 | Sem 3 | Guided by Chakradhar Saswade
I I
I llus t rat ing
Indian folktales
Classroom project 2 documentation by Lalith Prasad PG Graphics 10 | Sem 3 | Guided by Chakradhar Saswade
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I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it
Pablo Picasso
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Introduction
Story 1
Story 2
Data collection
014 Buffalo into Rooster
056 If God is Everywhere
(Marathi folktale)
(Bengali folktale)
004 (b) Visiting book shops
016 character explorations
058 character explorations
004 (c) Reading illustration books
035 selected characters
060 selected characters
006 (d) Inspiration, Illustrators
042 tools used
060 tools used
044 layout explorations
062 layout explorations
Project proposal
046 final layout
068 final layout
049 prototype
069 prototype
050 design feedback
070 design feedback
001 (a) Vidya Dehejia’s Narrative structures
009 Project title, Objective, Learning
Selected stories 010 Why I chose these stories ?
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Content s 102
074
112 Story 3
Story 4
074 A Qazi with a Long Beard
102 Walking on the Water
(Marathi folktale)
(Bengali folktale)
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User testing and feedback
(Childrens)
076 character explorations
104 character explorations
116 Design decisions for stories
088 selected characters
104 layout explorations
088 tools used
104 tools used
118 Costing for offset printing
090 layout explorations
106 selected characters
126 Explored other illustrations
096 final layout
108 final layout
097 prototype
108 prototype
134 Learning and conclusion
098 design feedback
110 design feedback
135 Acknowledgements
(Format, typeface, color, medium)
in the process
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Int roduct ion What is this document all about? This document is a record of my Studio two, which is based on illustrating Indian folk tales.
Why did I choose Illustration project? In Introduction to specialization course I decided to work more on Illustration projects and this is a nice opportunity to explore my skills and know about illustration.
Why did I chose Indian folk tales? India has a rich culture of folktales and mythological legends. While epics like Ramayana and the Mahabharata have been extensively explored in the visual medium, oral tales that are passed on from generation to generation remain largely untapped. I found A K Ramanujan’s retellings of these folktales very interesting and had an urge to explore them visually.
What is my concerns while developing a visual language for a story? I’ve decided my visual language should be contemporary, tools and mediums should be explored.
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Data Collect ion (a) Vidya Dehejia’s “On modes of Visual narration in early Buddhist art” The following is a brief introduction to the seven modes of narrative structures in the Buddhist Indian Art as identified by her. ( I ) Monoscenic narrative: Themes of action: Single episode from a story, usually neither the first nor last, but one that introduces a theme of action.
Monoscenic narrative, Vessantara jataka. Bharhut coping, ca. 100-80 B. C. (photo: author)
(2) Monoscenic narrative: Being in state versus being in action: Single episode from a story, usually showing protagonist in a culminating episode of a life scene.
Monoscenic narrative, Asilakhana jataka. Bharhut coping. (photo: American Institute of Indian Studies [AIIS])
Data Collection
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(3) Sequential / linear narrative: Multiple episodes of a story with the protagonist repeated, depicted in separate frames in a linear order.
Linear narrative, Story of Nanda. Nagarjunakonda, 3rd century A. D. (after Schilngloff)
(4) Continuous narrative: Multiple episodes of a story with the protagonist repeated, depicted within a single frame.
Continuous narrative, Vessantara jataka, both faces of lowest achitrave, east gateway, Sanchi stupa (after Schilngloff)
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Illustrating Indian folktales
(5) Synoptic narrative: Multiple episodes of a story with protagonist repeated, depicted within a single frame but without attempt to indicate any chronological sequence.
Synoptic narrative, Chaddanta jataka. Amaravati, 2nd century A. D (photo: ASI)
(6) Conflated narrative: The same as synoptic, but rather than having multiple protagonists depicted, the protagonist is conflated into one figure.
Conflated narrative, Dipankara jataka. Gandhara, 2nd/ 3rd century A.D. (photo: author)
Data Collection
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(b) Visiting book shops and NID KMC to understand the visual language of existing illustration books I have visited few book stores
I found illustration books in
in Ahmedabad, found most of
NID KMC but could not find
the illustrators are fallowing
children books in specific.
traditional visual language
Liked Bob Gill drawings.
(c) Reading mythologies, contemporary stories and Indian folktales I read about Indian super he-
When i was a kid I used to
roes, if it’s real now there will
read Balamitra and Chan-
be a remake of fantastic four
damama books. This book reminded me those days
Water colour illustrations are good in this book, more of western kind of style. Details are well painted.
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Data Collection
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(d) Inspiration
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Pablo Picasso
Oliver Jeffers
My all time guru, diversity of works
Mediums, pencil handlettering, picture books
Vincent van Gogh
Eric Carle
Mad genius, sunflowers are still alive
Painting, collage technique and picture books
Illustrating Indian folktales
Steve Simpson Colour palates, details in photoshop
Mattias Adolfsson Smaller and detailed drawings in a larger compositions
Vladimir Stankovic
Nate Williams
Colours, monster illustrator
X object + Y object = Z object with concept
Data Collection
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Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration
Thomas Edison
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Proposal
Revised proposal: Title: Illustrating Indian folktales Target: School children, 7-15 years and general audience
Proposal
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Selected s tories Why I chose these stories ?
Story 1
Story 2
The text of this story seeks to engage the interest of both
This tale is a tragic-comic account of a man who gets badly
children as well as adults. The relationship and under-
injured by an elephant because he believed it won’t hurt
standing shared by the poor man and his eager wife in the
him, as according to his guru, God dwells in everything.
story really appealed to me. Apart from that, the variety
This story indirectly yet effectively urges us to reflect on
of animals that are a part of the story gave me ample
what we are taught rather than accepting it blindly and
opportunity for form and character exploration. I could
looking deeper instead of taking it too literally. I thought
explore the form of each animal individually as well as try
this was something worth sharing with people. Besides
to maintain a common visual language for all of them.
that, the particular scene involving the mad elephant held
Buffalo into Roos ter
I f God is Everywhere
a lot of interest for me from an illustrator’s point of view. It brought vivid images to my mind which I intended to capture through my illustration.
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story 3
Story 4
I found this story amusing because of its light hearted
This folktale is, in a way, a lesson in humility. It emphasizes
humour. The foolishness of the Qazi who yearns to be
being humble as a more important virtue as compared to being
known for his wisdom was quite entertaining and would
highly learned. I wished to represent the contrast between
appeal to the readers. Also, I felt that the long beard was
the attitudes of the two holy men and their approach to life
a strong visual element that could be used interestingly
through my illustrations.
A Qazi wit h a Long Beard
Walking on t he Water
to lead the reader through the images from start to end of the poster.
Selected stories
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story One
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Buffalo into Roos ter (Marathi folktale)
P
atil was a poor man, but he had a wife who loved him
you take it and give me the horse? I can use a horse.’ Patil
and they had two buffaloes to their name. As they
looked at the cow and liked the looks of it. Moreover, a
grew older and poorer, the woman said to her husband,
cow is less work than a horse. So he changed the cow for
‘Why don’t you take one of our buffaloes and sell it in the
the horse, but it didn’t take him long to find out that the
market? We could do with some extra money.’
cow was lame in one leg. He then met a man with a shegoat. When the man asked where he was going, Patil told
Next morning, when Patil was on his way to the market in
him: ‘I wanted to sell my old buffalo in the market. On the
the next village, he met a man who was leading his horse
way, I exchanged it for a blind horse. Now I have this lame
to the same place. Patil told him that he was taking the
cow in place of the horse. I’ll have to sell it.’ ‘Oh, why do
old buffalo to sell it. The stranger seemed to take a fancy
you want to sell it? I can use a cow. Take my she-goat and
to the buffalo. He said, ‘Why do you want to take it that
give me the cow,’ said the stranger.
far? Give it to me and I’ll give you my horse.’ When Patil started to walk the she-goat, he found it was Patil thought, ‘Why not? A horse is less trouble, and what’s
quite sick. Just as he reached the market, he met a man
more, fun for the children.’ So he said, ‘All right, give me
with a rooster under his arm, and managed to exchange
the horse.’ When he tried to ride the horse to the market,
the goat for therooster.
he found that it was blind. Soon he met a man with a cow. It was noon. He was hungry and he didn’t have a penny on
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‘Where are you going, old man, with that horse?’ ‘I was
him. All he had was a rooster in his hand. He took it to the
on my way to the market to sell my old buffalo. But I
market and all he could get for it was a single rupee. With
exchanged it for this horse, and it’s blind.’ ‘Is that what
it he bought some food, washed his hands and feet in a
happened? This cow of mine is a fine animal. Why don’t
pond, and sat down under a pipal tree with his food on a
Illustrating Indian folktales
leaf. Just as he was about to put a morsel in his mouth, a
‘Listen, I don’t have the rooster. I got hungry, so I sold
beggarman in tatters appeared from nowhere and said, I
the rooster for a rupee and bought something to eat.’
haven’t eaten for days. Give me some food.’ Patil couldn’t
‘That’s all right. What could we have done with a rooster?
bear to see the beggar starve while he ate his fill, so he
I’m grad you ate something for lunch. You shouldn’t go
gave him the whole leaf full of food and left for home.
hungry after all that work you did,’ said the good wife.
His wife was waiting for him. She had cooked and cleaned
‘Wait till I tell you everything, please. I was about to eat
and fed the children by the time he arrived. She asked him
when a starving beggar appeared. So I gave him all the
how the day went and why he looked so beaten. He said,
food and walked home.’ ‘And you went hungry? Poor man!
‘I’ll tell you everything. Give me a glass of water first.’
But what you did was right. You should never turn away
After cooling himself off with a drink of water, he began
a beggar at mealtime. Now, if you’ll wash up, I’ll get you
to tell her what had happened.
something to eat. You must be famished,’ said the wife, and served him a proper meal.
‘I did not sell the buffalo. I exchanged it for a horse.’ ‘Oh, fine!’ said his wife. ‘Where is it? Children, Daddy has
Next morning, when Patil woke up and opened the door
brought a horse!’ ‘Wait. I don’t have the horse. I exchanged
of his hut, he was amazed by what he saw. He called his
it for a horse.’ ‘Oh, lovely! I always wanted a cow. The chil-
wife to come quickly. Right in front of their door stood a
dren can have some cow’s milk at last. Children, go look
collection of animals: a buffalo that was not old, a horse
outside. Daddy has brought a cow,’ said the wife.
that was not blind, a cow that was not lame, a she-goat that was well and frisky, and a splendid rooster. Right next
‘Wait, wait, I wanted to bring the cow home, but I ex-
to them was a leaf, with a shining rupee on it. As they
changed it for a she-goat.’ ‘A she-goat is even better.
wondered at what they saw, the wife whispered in awe,
Goat’s milk makes children strong. And a goat takes care
‘ Who in the world could have done this? That beggar you
of itself. Children, go see the new goat!’ ‘Don’t be in such
fed yesterday?’ The man said, ‘Yes, That beggar! He must
a hurry. I exchanged the goat for a rooster,’ said the poor
have been God, who else?’
man. ‘That’s fine. It’ll wake us up every morning. Where is it? Let’s all go see it,’ said the eager wife.
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Buffalo and Cow Character explorations
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Horse
Character explorations
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Goat
Character explorations
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Roos ter Character explorations
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Illustrating Indian folktales
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Pat il and his wife Character explorations
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Beggar Character explorations
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Selected Characters Buffaloes
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Selected Patil and his wife
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Selected Beggar
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Selected Horse
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Selected Cow
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Selected Goat
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Selected Rooster
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Tools
Used for illustrations
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Scanned image
Curves
42 X 14.5 cm Spread
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Sharpen
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Book layout
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Prototype
8.25’’ X 5.5’’ Buffalo into rooster (BIR) book (Digital print)
Story One: Buffalo into Rooster
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Design
Feedback How do you arrive at design solutions to convey message? how can you represent a blind horse? try to remove the horse eye. When you draw human figures try to maintain the thin lines to go with other visuals. – Chakradhar Saswade
ng s si mi ry re , t s a cy er n t te ac si s ar on .. ch c i s. l w th ua fe s e i v ok li k e in bo m ta ar he n ur i t ak o a h y e m k T In o sh ma t t aje to ou R –
ne
Sce w
Co gar
Beg il
Pat
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Illustrating Indian folktales
ritated at times ir t u b , k o led lo phy used nd scribb f typogra cratchy a ri s e e s s th n d a e s I lik ssed xt and odern/ glo king the te m a e re b th s is a . here me w mposition his somew ties of co ti dy copy. T n o e b id e te th r ra fo two sepa n part into Baidya s illustratio e k – Ra h
, e for this book ustration mad ill le ng si y er d I like ev look simple an goat. They may h us especially the rce of the br e grace and fo nced playful. But th ires an experie achieved requ gs stroke that is e drawin . is evident in th at th d an nd ha – Dhwani Shah
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story Two
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I f God is Everywhere (Bengali folktale)
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Illustrating Indian folktales
A
sage had a number of disciples. He taught them his
You’ll be hurt!’ But the disciple did not move an inch. The
deepest belief: ‘God is everywhere and dwells in
mad elephant picked him up with its trunk, swung him
everything. So you should treat all things as God and bow
around, and threw him in the gutter. The poor fellow lay
before them.’ One day when a disciple was out on errands,
there, bruised, bleeding, but above all, disillusioned that
a mad elephant was rushing through the marketplace, and
God should do this to him. When his guru and the other
the elephant driver was shouting, `Get out of the way! Get
disciples came to help him and take him home, he said,
out of the way! This is a mad elephant!’ The disciple remem- ‘You said God is in everything! Look what the elephant did bered his guru’s teachings and refused to run. ‘God is in
to me!’ The guru said, ‘It’s true that God is in everything.
this elephant as He is in me. How can God hurt God?’ he
The elephant is certainly God. But so was the elephant
thought, and just stood there full of love and devotion. The driver, telling you to get out of the way. Why didn’t you driver was frantic and shouted at him, `Get out of the way!
listen to him?’
Story Two: If God is Everywhere
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Elephant Character explorations
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Illustrating Indian folktales
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Illustrating Indian folktales
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Layout
One
1 2 3
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Illustrating Indian folktales
A3 Poster cover
Story Two: If God is Everywhere
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Layout
Two
5 fold accordian Poster cover
1 Possible Reading Formats Book + Pos ter
n 1
i 1
2 3
1 2
4
3
5
4 5
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Illustrating Indian folktales
1
2
3
4
Story Two: If God is Everywhere
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Phase 1
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Story Two: If God is Everywhere
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Final
Pos ter
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Prototype
10.5’’ X 27.5’’ If God is Everywhere (IGIE) poster (Digital print)
Story Two: If God is Everywhere
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Design
Feedback Add little red on top guru to balance red, need to reduce red colour intensity at elephant background. Increse the font little. Bottom drawing is good. Down elephant trunk should be little darker to show both elephants are the same. – Chakradhar Saswade
d p an trict o t res y on gre . Dont stead e l litt place e in dd t blu A x . k e r r t a te gd tom pos ng ey bot ry usin it? o l d gr d, t cre ke a Ma d little k n re esign en lac the d ext r to b u re is rdher colo . Whe i k ep G blac un De ar –T
I really like th e way the e lephant is c action in th aptured in is poster. Th e treatment o boxes in the f the text 3rd and 4th section cou much bette ld have been r. Also the ro ugh sketch the part of y treatment ‘get out of in the way’ co slightly more uld have be refined. en – Dhwani S hah
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Story T hree
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A Qazi wit h a
Long Beard (Marathi folktale)
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Illustrating Indian folktales
O
ne evening, a qazi was reading an old book by the light
beard in his fist and lighted the end of it, so that he could
of an oil lamp. when he came across the sentence, Men
have a shorter beard. The beard was long, fine, and silky. It
with long beards are usually quite stupid.’ He had always
caught fire and burned in a blaze. When his fingers began
wanted to be respected for his wisdom, and here he was with
to get burned, the qazi let go of his beard, and the flame
the longest beard in town! Everybody must think him utterly
leaped up and burned off his mustache and his eyebrows,
stupid. He couldn’t bear the thought of it. His eyes fell on
and spread to the hair on his head and burned it all off.
the oil lamp. Without any further hesitation, he gathered his
Now he knew that men with long beards were really stupid.
Story Three: A Qazi with a Long Beard
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Qazi
Character explorations
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story Three: A Qazi with a Long Beard
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story Three: A Qazi with a Long Beard
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Illustrating Indian folktales
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story Three: A Qazi with a Long Beard
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story Three: A Qazi with a Long Beard
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Selected Character
Tools used: Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter
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Illustrating Indian folktales
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Layout
One Book
Cover Page Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Option 4
Initially i tried quick rough thumbnail drawings to design a book for this story. Later i thought poster works better.
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Inside spreads
1
2
3
4
5
6
Story Three: A Qazi with a Long Beard
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Layout
Two
5 fold accordian Poster cover
1 Possible Reading Formats Book + Pos ter
n 1
i 1
2 3
1 2
4
3
5
4 5
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Illustrating Indian folktales
1
2
3
4
Story Three: A Qazi with a Long Beard
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Phase 1
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Story Three: A Qazi with a Long Beard
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Final pos ter
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Prototype
10.5’’ X 27.5’’ Qazi poster (Digital print)
Story Three: A Qazi with a Long Beard
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Design
Feedback
e th
zi Qa
..
i s. te th ra ge ke i g l a re ex n mo re ca n e ka U a ev d Th ar be sh
aje – R
The illustrations are charmingly humorous and the tragic comic moment comes out really well. Also, the beard is interestingly used as a narrative element that leads us along the story. – Dhwani Shah
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Illustrating Indian folktales
open up the whole thing as My concern is that when you ty. What one can do is use emp little look poster it might ornment of Qazi’s home/ envi of supporting elements like 2 things..it will show your workplace with lamp, it will do ng like how set designgini ima and capability of creating create set for a movie, to ers and cinematographer will ndly will add texture to the seco and . real of give a glimpse e it non empty. I really mak will h large scale graphics whic characters, but to me it feels liked the explorations of the re the factors which drives whe s, like exploration of skill ing. this character to be like it is miss
– Rakesh Baidya
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Story Four
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Walking on t he
Water (Bengali folktale)
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Illustrating Indian folktales
A
holy man was once meditating on the bank of a river,
water. Where did you learn that?’ ‘I practiced yoga and
when another holy man wanted to impress him with
penances for twelve years in the foothills of the Himalayas,
the extraordinary powers he had achieved through his
standing on one leg, fasting six days of the week. And so I
ascetic practices. So he came towards him, walking on the
acquired this power.’ ‘Really?’ said the first holy man. ‘Why
water. When he reached the place where the first holy man
did you go to all that trouble to do this? Our ferryman here
was quietly sitting, he said, ‘Did you see what I just did?’
will ferry you across any day for two pennies.’
‘Oh yes, I saw you come across the river, walking on the
Story Four: Walking on the water
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Holy man
Character explorations
Tools used: Adobe Photoshop and Corel Painter
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story Four: Walking on the water
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Holy man
selected characters
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story Four: Walking on the water
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final layout
& Prototype
10.5’’ X 16.5’’ Digital print poster
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Story Four: Walking on the water
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Design
Feedback
nd rs a e bdu atur le su he n a T p . f d way se o roun the ckg he u n t a i l b e l k e e te li f th ts w Qui nt o f lec e e r m t ers trea ract the cha o w ed. he t trat of t s u l il are they hah ni S a w h –D olo ed c
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Illustrating Indian folktales
ut age) layo d (105 p re ye racters a one with yout cha la l a n fi I feel the the eeded. Because t really n rk better. o o n w is ll ld a u wo en s at tongu er his lip ressive th p x e r e t lips cov v u o h it very o w adhu pecially sitting s sions, es ow that s h re s p n x a e c U with good. ite good plicity is U are qu im . s t rd u a e o y b ll la with t. Over a eaks a lo p s t a th the eyes keluskar – Rohit kgroun llow bac
guing A simple story expressed in a very intri would manner with vivid facial expressions ut what compel the reader to read it and findo oach of the story is all about. I like your appr ration using a serious yet a little funny illust style to execute this story. – Abhisek Behera
ing, terest
gh the n. stratio ular illu
althou
ry in are ve s r e rtic t c ara his pa e The ch ull in t d get th ly t sligh y and r e o r t a s s r g he colou foldin port t ns sup rategic t io s t a e r h t s .T The illu diately imme s s o r c ce a essen alive. terest in e h t keeps h han Is – Aks
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User Tes t ing I had been sharing my work with my guide, visiting faculties, friends etc throughout the process. But later, I thought of getting some inputs from children themselves who are my real target audience. So I decided to interact with the kids of the faculties living on campus who usually come out to play in the evenings.
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Illustrating Indian folktales
User Testing
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User Feedback
Here are some of the responses I got from them,
Abonti Mukherjee
Divyansh Girdher
Abonti is an 8 years old girl studying in the 2nd standard. She
Divyansh, who is studying in the fifth standard likes reading
likes reading classical ghost stories, especially the character of
books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid and also vampire stories. Illus-
Dracula with big teeth and at times also reads small illustrated
tration wise, he liked the story of ‘If God is everywhere’ whereas
books in Bengali, her mother tongue. She could recognize all the
story wise he preferred ‘Walking on water.’ He enjoyed these
visual elements correctly and also read the text. She liked the
two stories more than the ‘Buffalo into rooster’ story because
Buffalo into rooster story among others because she enjoyed the
he found them funnier. In ‘If God is everywhere, he liked the
illustrations of the animals in the book, especially the form of
depiction of the scene where the disciple is held by the elephant
the cow. However she commented that the form of the rooster
with his trunk and he liked the character of the first holy man in
in the book was not correct and resembled the form of the goat
the story of ‘Walking on water.’ His younger brother, Prathyush,
in the book. From the story of ‘walking on water,’ she liked the
however, liked the small boat in the background rather than the
character of the second holy man. She got a little confused with
images of the two holy men in the poster.
identifying the form of the guru and the disciple in the story ‘If God is everywhere.’
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Sara Nahar
Some inferences from this conversation
Sara is a 9 years old girl studying in the 4th standard. She likes
The reading choices, to some extent, were influenced by the
reading young fiction, especially by Thea Stilton. She patiently
gender of the protagonist in the books. While the adventures
read through the story of ‘Buffalo into rooster’ which is the
of the Theo sisters really appealed to Sara, Divyansh preferred
longest of all four folk tales. But she liked the story of the qazi
Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
better than ‘Buffalo into rooster’ because it was funny. She observed that the size of the text was larger in the books she
Abonti’s comment about the rooster not looking like a rooster
read at home than the size I have used.
made me realize that maintaining the physical characteristic and personality was more important than character and style
Ms. Vinita Nahar, Sara’s mother, who was also present there at
continuity. I should remain close to real proportions of animals
the time, also shared about her daughter’s reading habits. She
even while simplifying the form. Also, while attempting abstrac-
commented that they get a lot of books from NBT (National
tion of form, I should maintain some characters that help in
Book Trust) for her that have realistic characters and situations
identification of animals.
that children can relate to in their daily lives. They also encourage her to read a little in Hindi which she does with some reluctance.
Kids were responding better to stories with some element of
Sara often rereads some of her favourite stories and tries to draw
humour. Besides the illustrations of the main characters, they
some characters she likes. She drew out for me the character of
were also noticing other tinier details like the boat in
a pony from the book ‘Rainbow dash and the hot day’ which she
the background.
quite liked when she was a little younger.
User Testing
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Design
decisions for
s tories
Title:
Buffalo into Rooster
Title:
If God is Everywhere
Size:
8.25’’ X 5.5’’
Size:
10.5’’ X 27.5’’
Format:
Book (20 pages)
Format:
Poster (4 folds)
Medium:
Hand drawn
Medium:
Digital
Tools:
Ink and brush
Tools:
Adobe Photoshop
Font used: Adobe Caslon Pro
Font used: Sweetness
Colours:
Colours:
C=0 M=0 Y=0 K=100 C=0 M=9 Y=41 K=0
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C=0 M=0 Y=0 K=100 C=0 M=100 Y=100 K=0
Title:
Walking on the Water
Title:
A Qazi with a Long Beard
Size:
15.5’’ X 10.5’’
Size:
10.5’’ X 27.5’’
Format:
Poster (2 folds)
Format:
Poster (4 folds)
Medium:
Hand drawn, Digital
Medium: Digital
Tools:
Photoshop, Corel Painter
Tools:
Photoshop, Corel Painter
Font used: Noteworthy
Font used: Sketchy
Colours:
Colours:
C=12 M=5 Y=16 K=0
C=85 M=79 Y=81 K=7
C=35 M=28 Y=25 K=21
C=1 M=28 Y=81 K=0
C=2 M=20 Y=25 K=0
C=0 M=60 Y=48 K=0
C=75 M=70 Y=70 K=90
C=65 M=17 Y=57 K=1
C=0 M=9 Y=41 K=0
C=0 M=23 Y=49 K=0
Design Decisions
117
Cos t ing for O ffset Print ing
BIR Story Book
+
+
8.25’’ X 5.5’’ Buffalo into rooster (BIR) book
4’’ X 5.5’’ Character cards (5)
2’’ X 5.5’’ Book marks (10)
27.5’’ 5.5’’
16.5’’
16.5’’
1
20.5’’
2
4
5
6
20.5’’
7
4’’
4’’ 22’’ X 30’’ Cartridge
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Illustrating Indian folktales
22’’ X 30’’ Cartridge
8
9
10
Job name:
BIR story book
Total
=A+B+C
+ book marks (10)
= 4394 + 2000 + 2000
+ character cards (5)
= 8400 rupees
Quantity:
1000
1000 books
= 8394 rupees
Actual size:
8.25’’ X 5.5’’
1 book
= 8394/ 1000
Paper:
149 gsm Cartridge 22’’ X 30’’
= 8.40 rupees
No. of colours: 1 colour two sides No. of pages: 20 (10 spreads) Finishing:
centrestaple book
A. Paper cost: 20 pages on 1 sheet (front and back) 20 pages/ book
= 1 sheet/ book
1book + 5 character cards + 10 boomarks = 8.40 rupees
therefore, 1000 books = 1000 sheets 1 ream (500 sheets)
= 2197 rupees
2 reams(1000 sheets)
= 4394 rupees
B. CtP + Printing: 1 colour/ plate1000 sheets = 1000 rupees 2 plates X 1000 sheets
= 2000 rupees
C. Finishing: cutting, gathering, folding, centrestaple per book 2 rupees 1000 books = 2000 rupees
Costing
119
Qazi Poster & IGIE Poster
27.5’’
10.5’’
Qazi poster
21’’ 10.5’’
IGIE poster
22’’ X 30’’ Cartridge
10.5’’ X 27.5’’ Qazi poster + 10.5’’ X 27.5’’ If God is Everywhere (IGIE) poster
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Job name:
(Qazi + IGIE) posters
Total
=A+B+C
Quantity:
1000
= 4394 + 4000 + 2000
Actual size:
10.5’’ X 27.5’’
= 10394 rupees
Paper:
149 gsm Cartridge 22’’ X 30’’
No. of colours: 4 colour one side
1000 (Qazi + IGIE) posters = 10394 rupees
No. of pages: 1 page
1 (Qazi + IGIE) poster
= 10394/ 1000
Finishing:
= 10.40 rupees
Qazi poster
= 10.40/ 2 = 5.20 rupees
IGIE poster
= 10.40/ 2 = 5.20 rupees
= 5.20 rupees
cutting, folding
A. Paper cost: (1 Qazi + 1 IGIE) poster on 1 sheet therefore, 1000 posters = 1000 sheets 1 ream (500 sheets)
= 2197 rupees
Qazi poster
2 reams(1000 sheets)
= 4394 rupees
IGIE poster
= 5.20 rupees
B. CtP + Printing: 1 colour/ plate1000 sheets = 1000 rupees 4 plates X 1000 sheets
= 4000 rupees
C. Finishing: cutting, folding, per poster 1 rupee 2 posters X 1000 = 2000 rupees 1000 books = 2000 rupees
Costing
121
Wow Poster
33’’ 16.5’’
16.5’’
10.5’’ 21’’ 10.5’’
10.5’’ X 16.5’’ Walking on the water (Wow) poster
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Illustrating Indian folktales
23’’ X 36’’ Royal art paper (matt)
Job name:
Wow poster
Total
=A+B+C
Quantity:
1000
= 1376 + 4000 + 1000
Actual size:
10.5’’ X 16.5’’
= 6376 rupees
Paper:
170 gsm Royal art paper (matt) 23” x 36”
No. of colours: 4 colour one side
1000 posters = 6376 rupees
No. of pages: 1 page
1 poster
= 6376/ 1000
Finishing:
= 6.40 rupees
cutting, folding
A. Paper cost: 4 posters on 1 sheet therefore, 1000 posters = 1000/4 = 250 sheets 1 ream (500 sheets)
= 2752 rupees
250 sheets
= 2752/ 2 = 1376 rupees
1 Wow poster = 6.40 rupees
B. CtP + Printing: 1 colour/ plate upto 1000 sheets= 1000 rupees 4 colour/plates X 1000 sheets
= 4000 rupees
C. Finishing: cutting, folding, per poster 1 rupee 1000 posters = 1000 rupees
Costing
123
Package (BIR book + 10 bookmarks + 5 character cards) + Qazi poster + IGIE poster + Wow poster = 8.40 + 5.20 + 5.20 + 6.40 = 25.20 rupees
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Pack of six outcomes offset printing cost
` 25.20
Package
125
Explored ot her
illus t rat ions in t he
process
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Explored Other Illustrations
127
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Illustrating Indian folktales
129
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Explored Other Illustrations
131
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Illustrating Indian folktales
133
Learning & Conclusion
This project gave me an opportunity to develop a better understanding of storytelling using illustrations. I worked on traditional hand drawn illustrations using brush and ink as well as tried digital illustrations using a pen tablet. I explored corel painter while developing the character of Qazi for the story ‘A Qazi with a long beard’. In the course of getting feedback on my artwork, I realized
Experimented with a few offset printing techniques in
that most designers will have their own taste and pref-
digital printing while making prototypes especially for
erence of style hence their opinions on illustrations may
the story of ‘If God is everywhere.’ I also got a clearer
differ; at times it may be completely opposite. Also when
knowledge about making cost effective art works for
every individual is different, choosing a specific target
offset printing.
audience is difficult and developing something especially for them based on an assumption might not work.
I had to approach this project both as an artist and a designer. While my aesthetic choices were largely influenced by my fine art background, many decisions regarding the format and structure were dictated by my understanding of design. I can conclude by saying that this project was, in a way, a bridge of sorts between my art background and graphic design education.
After working on this project, I feel more confident of my illustration skills. I will be able to develop various visual styles to suit different subjects.
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Illustrating Indian folktales
Acknowledgement s
I would like to thank my guide Chakradhar Saswade for spending some time with me to discuss interesting insights even though he was busy with his schedule while visiting the main campus. I thank him for accepting my project even though I took too a long time to finish I’m very glad that I have my friends here, Dhwani, Siddharth, I discussed with other professors and my seniors, Rajesh Sandeep, Amrit, Rahul, Sujatha, Gargee, Abhisek, Mrinalini,
Thakare, Isabel Herguera, Prateek thomas (manta ray),
Akash, Deeksha, Poshika, Pallavi Apte, who were always
Ajay tiwari, Rakesh baidya, Boopathy, Navneet, Rohit, Sai,
there to give me feedback on my works and listened with
Meera. I extend my deep gratitude to them.
patience while I was eating their brains. And finally Chamspa Rinchen Dorje for teaching me IndeI would like to thank my professors, Rupesh Vyas for giving
sign to make this document, giving suggestions when i
me support, a 27’’ iMac and bamboo tablet to develop
was struggling to make design decisions.
illustrations, Immanuel suresh for discussing about my document, Tarun Deep for design feedback in the process.
Thank you all whose names i could not mention here, Some times my hard drive does mess with my important data.
Learning
135
There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.
Louis L’Amour
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Illustrating Indian folktales