CRAFT WORKSHOP by NUTENDRA KUMAR SINGH

CRAFT WORKSHOP KUTCH CRAFT WORKSHOP AND FIELD VISIT REPORT

The Craft field visit team at Khamir Nutendra singh / Lifestyle Accessory Design-17

Nutendra Kumar Singh Master of design

Lifestyle accessories design National institute of design Gandhinagar

Guide : Krishna Amin Patel

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CONTENTS CLASS-ROOM LEARNINGS ..................................................................................................................9-10 ABOUT KUTCH.........................................................................................................................................11-13 HISTORY....................................................................................................................................................14-19 THE CRAFTS OF KUTCH.........................................................................................................................20-21 THE BELL METAL....................................................................................................................................22-27 LEATHER CRAFT.....................................................................................................................................29-33 LACQUER LATHE WORK.......................................................................................................................35-39 CRAFT WORKSHOP.................................................................................................................................40-41 PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS..................................................................................................................42-53 REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................53

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like to express my gratitude to all those who helped me to make this documentation possible. I would like to thank the National Institute of design, Gandhinagar for giving us this wonderful opportunity to study the famous and rich craft of Kutch. I would especially like to thank my guide Ms. Krishna Amin Patel for equipping us with the confidence and guiding us throughout the course of assembly of the document. This project wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be, for the words of encouragement and support from Mr. Amresh Panigrahi, Discipline lead, and the entire department of lifestyle Accessory Design. I had the backing of few of the greatest craftsmen who specialize in kutch including Ashar Siddiqui Luhar, Mustaq Luhar, Aala Bhai Marwada and Vekeya Marwada who patiently guided me through the beautiful yet meticulous process of Kutch and in the workshop for making amazing products. -lastly, but most significantly, I would like to thanks my family, friends, and peers for their constant motivation throughout the span of this project.

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PREFACE The Kutch region in Gujrat is famous for its great white sand desert known as Rann of Kutch . Kutch has many other unique identities from the test of India, it is the land of arts and crafts, the fabrics, the weavers, leathers, metal, prints, jewelry etc. Kutch is in demand not only India but all over the world among the crafts of kutch .thisdocument is a result of an in-depth research conduct a field and otherwise it elaborate about the age-old and famous craft of Kutch. This document gives a detailed information about the craft including the process .the artisan the infrastructure, materials, and scope

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CLASS-ROOM STUDY CRAFT RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION “For the artisan, craft is an end in itself. For you, the artist, craft is the vehicle for expressing your vision. Craft is the visible edge of art” This is the classroom discussion where we learn all about the craft and their importance in our culture. This section talks about the meaning and purpose of craft research and documentation. It also elaborates the process followed to conduct the project and how a project can help a particular craft sector.

David Bayles

Craft : Skill inplanning, making, or executing

Craft is the aplication of one’s creative ability in complete harmony with nature, tools mind, spirit and body.

Classroom learning To understand the craft research and documentation, I went through several books related to the craft of, for example, INDIGO is written by Jenny, Balfour Paul, and DOWRIES FROM KUTUCH written by Vickie, c. Elson. In the book INDIGO, I found an interesting way and interactive way of visuals and context representation. It started as a storytelling scenario to explain the context of dye, interconnection with the human. This book talks about evidence of the earliest use of indigo dye from tropical and subtropical indigo plant region. In the dowries from Kutch, it talked about the magnificent textile and glittering jewelry from the dowries of women from kutch. It also talk about the cate system and its influences at that time and how their traditional, cultural costumes and rituals involve in the different caste.

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In India, Craft is more than mere professionals. They reflect the history of our culture and influence of each empire. Many craft communities in India still practice traditional techniques of creating objects that are both practical and aesthetical. Since the industrial revolution, the traditional handicraft sector has suffered a lot and still suffering.Through craft research, We will aim to develop an understanding of materials, processes, methods, traditions, history, and the craft community. This will give us insights on the problems a particular craft is dealing with and how the design will be able to provide answers to it. Craft documentation is a process of recording, categorizing, compiling, and analysis of information through written media and visuals. The process explicates the substantial characteristics of a craft which is : The materials process, tools, and techniques, involved in creating it. A range of products and the various application possible with the materials. Tradition, history, and legends associated with the craft. Socioeconomic information about the artisan and their community. Literature study is a secondary data. It will be done initially before the field visit to become well informed about the craft practice and after the field study to further support the evidence from the field, the entire process for making the document involves the field visit includes interviews, observations, photographic(still and motion)documentation, and sketches. Craft documentation can help bring out a well-studied document in the areas of design and crafts which have not been studied and published yet. The documentation can help establish links between the current status of crafts to the global market and the history of craft it may help directly or indirectly the concerned craft, as it could help in finding new markets and in developing market supports.

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Amitabh Bachchan, in a famous Gujarat Tourism ad says

“Kutch nahin dekha toh kuch nahi dekha.” The legendary Bollywood icon couldn’t have made a truer statement.

KUTCH Kutch district is a district of Gujarat state in western India Kutch literally means something which intermittently becomes wet and dry; a large part of this district is known as Rann of Kutch which is shallow wetland which submerges in water during the rainy season and becomes dry during other seasons. The same word is also used in Sanskrit origin for a tortoise. The Rann is famous for its marshy salt flats which become snow white after the shallow water dries up each season before the monsoon rains. The district is also famous for ecologically important Banni grasslands with their seasonal marshy wetlands which form the outer belt of the Rann of Kutch. Kutch District is surrounded by the Gulf of Kutch and the Arabian Sea in south and west, while northern and eastern parts are surrounded by the Great and Little Rann (seasonal wetlands) of Kutch. When there were not many dams built on its rivers, the Rann of Kutch remained wetlands for a large part of the year.

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KUTCH MAP The district of Kutch, which spans over 45,692 square km, is the largest among all districts in India. The Gulf of Kutch lies to the south of Kutch while the Arabian Sea covers it from the west and south. To the north of Kutch is Pakistan. Bhuj, which lies in the centre of the district of Kutch, is its administrative headquarters. Some of the major towns in Kutch are Gandhidham, Anjar, Mandvi, Madhapar, Mundra and Bhachau. There are 969 villages in the district. The highest point in Kutch is Kala Dungar

Gandhinagar GANDHINAGAR

Image :http://www.thepinsta.com/little-rann-of-kutch-map_ZxvecLdEXU1VL2L%7COUmh*TjW0I-

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Kutchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history dates back to the prehistoric era. The region contains several sites

HISTORY

that were once a part of the famous Indus Valley civilisation. During Alexanderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reign, Kutch was mentioned in the writings of Greek scholars. Once ruled by Menander the first, of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom, Kutch was soon taken over by the Indo-Scythians, followed by the Maurya Empire and the Sakas. The first century saw the region ruled by the Western Satraps and then the Gupta Empire. The Maitraka of Valabhi took over in the fifth century. In the seventh century, the Chavdas ruled over the eastern and central parts of the region. Kutch eventually fell under the rule of the Solankis by the tenth century. After the Solankis had fallen, the Vaghelas ruled Kutch. By the thirteenth century, the Rajput Sammas took on the dynasty title of Jadeja and controlled the entire region of Kutch. The region was divided and ruled by three different branches of the Jadeja brothers for three centuries. In the 16th century, Rao Khengarji I unified Kutch, and it was ruled by his decedents for two centuries. The rulers fought many battles with the armies of Sindh, and the region was finally stabilised by the council called Bar Bhayat ni Jamat, who ruled independently during the mid-eighteenth century. The kingdom was defeated in 1819 and Kutch became a part of the British Empire. After India became an independent nation in 1947, Kutch became a state within the Union of India in 1950.

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KUTCH GEOGRAPHY

REGIONS OF KUTCH DISTRICT

Kutch (also referred to as Kachchh) is a mystery land, not easy to comprehend. Kachchh is a sanskrit word meaning (land) which gets intermittenly wet and dry. Its vast length and breadth cannot easily be covered, and it is greater in area than some states of India. It’s the second largest district of the country (next only to Ladakh) located on the north-west frontiers of India.Spread over an area of 45,652 sq. km., Kutch occupies almost onefourth (24%) of the geographical area of Gujarat State. Besides, it accounts for nearly 60 percent of the drought-prone area of the State. More than half (i.e. 23,310 sq. km. or 51%) of its area consists of saline marsh of the Great and Little Ranns of Kutch which bound the district on the north and east. It has a vast coastline of 352 kilometers with Arabian Sea that binds the district on the south-west. It receives a low average annual rainfall of 380 mm during the south-west monsoon with an average of 15 rainy days in a year. Sometimes it gets intense rainfall within 24 hours which is more than the annual average. Droughts are frequent – almost 6 in a cycle of 10 years. The temperature reaches up to 40 and often touch 50 degrees Celsius during the summer (April-June), while dropping to as low as below 1 degree during winter (January) in the interior parts of the district. It is also strategically important from defense and security point of view

ECONOMY

Topographically, Kutch is divided into 5 distinct regions: (i) The Great Rann, or uninhabited wasteland in the north, (ii) The Grasslands of Banni, (iii) Mainland, consisting of planes, hills and dry river beds, (iv) The Coastline along the Arabian Sea in the south, and (v) Creeks and mangroves in the west. More loosely, the southern portion of the Rann is considered an island, with seawater inundating the land for most of the year. The mainland is plane but has some hill ranges and isolated hills.

Historically Kutch was always considered a backward region due to its location and submerged geography. The situation seemed to have worsened after the disastrous Kutch earthquake. But in the next decade, the economy took an almost miraclous jumpstart due to the intense efforts of the Gujarat government. Kutch today is a growing economic and industrial hub in one of India’s fastest growing states - Gujarat. Its location on the far western edge of India has resulted in the commissioning of two major ports Kandla and Mundra. These ports are near most to the Gulf and Europe by the sea route. The hinterland of north-western India hosts more than 50% of India’s population.

DEMO GRAPHY OF KUTCH DISTRICT Kutch has approximately 965 villages inhabited by a diverse population. Hindus constitute 89% of the population, followed by Muslims who form 9% and Jains who make up 1% of the total population. The region is sparsely populated in comparison to the large area of land, but the settlements are fairly densely populated.

AREA OF KUTCH DISTRICT Kutch is well-nigh an island, surrounded. Apart from this, Rann of Kutch also shares the border with Pakistan. The series of villages situated on the blind thrust in the eastern part of the Kachchh Mainland Hill Range (viz. Jawaharnagar, Khirsara, Devisar, Amarsar and Bandhdi) was completely erased.

RIVERS OF KUTCH DISTRICT Kutch has many rivers, they are small and do not have much water. Those flowing in the north disappear in the desert, while those flowing in other directions join the sea. The Khari flowing by Bhuj meets the desert and the Magh and the Tara empty their waters in the Gulf of Cambay. Rudramata has been bounded for irrigation, providing the only irrigation project in Kutch.

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CLIMATE OF KUTCH DISTRICT Kutch has a tropical monsoon climate with an average annual rainfall of approximately 14 inches. The temperature ranges from 2 degrees Celsius in the winter to 45 degrees Celsius in the summer. The three main seasons are: (i) Summer, from February to June, (ii) Monsoon season, from July to September, and (iii) Winter, from October to January.

TRANSPORTATION Quality of roads is good in Kutch. The large part of the growth of Kutch came after intense development by the state government as part of 2001 earthquake relief. Due to the existence of two major ports i.e. Kandla and Mundra transportation as a business has thrived. Since historical times the people of Kutch have formed the backbone of trade between Gujarat mainland and Sindh. After the formation of Pakistan this trade stopped for good, but due to the inception of the Kandla port, trade boomed again. Kandla port is also in Kutch. It is considered Gateway to Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s North. It is managed by the Kandla Port trust.

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THE CRAFT The handicrafts material in Kutch is titled as one of the unique and distinctive features of the city culture. Identified in many forms the handicraft of Kutch offers the wide variety of segments from small to large which typically describes the real and pure art of the city. The craftsmen there are stated to commit their whole life just into making handicrafts for the city and developing the city one step ahead in art and craft form. The arid climate has pushed communities here to evolve an ingenious balance of meeting their needs by converting resources into products for daily living.While embroidery has become a craft synonymous with Kachchh, other textile crafts and hard materials crafts give this land color and identity. Craft is inextricable from the numerous communities, connected by trade, agriculture and pastoralism in Kachchh.

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Crafts of Kachchh

Ajrakh Block Print

Bandhani

Batik Print

Embroidery

Katchh Weaving

Kharad Weaving

Namda

Metal Bells

Pottery

Wood Carving

Mashru Weaving

Recyled Plastic Weaving

Camel Wool Weaving

Kala Cotton

Bela Printing

Knif Work

Leather Art

Lacquerred Wood

Rogan Painting

Silversmithy

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Metal Bells - Kutch, Gujarat Manufacturing bell metal products has a glorious past in India. Bell metal is an alloy of copper and zinc. Whereas these alloys are used to produce articles such as sculptures of deities, mythological figures and animals, pots, pans, utensils and bells etc. The sound of bells signifies the seven musical notes. Bells are one of the oldest percussion instruments. The unique ability of producing sounds that reaches vast distance and was used by several cultures and ancient civilizations as a mode of communication and also as a musical instrument. It is believed that each part of the hand crafted bell represent a particular deity, goddess Saraswathi (Goddess of wisdom) resides on its clapper or tongue, Lord Brahma on its face, Lord Rudra on its middle and vasuki on its stem. The handle of the bell denotes the life-giving energy or vital force (Prana Shakti). Pleasantly sounding bells is an accurate mixture of copper and tin Mr. Asgar from Zura village of kutch district, a well-known artisan who started his career in making bells at his early age. His family is also doing the same work. he have learned this craft from his father. The income will be depending on the orders which he gets.

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MAKING PROCESS In India it is believed that the bell sound will drive away all the negative thoughts. The metal bells are manufactured in the traditional process of heating and beating. Iron sheets, metal powder and mixture of raw cotton and mud are the basic materials for bell making that include five important steps those are shaping the metal sheet, applying metal powder, mud wrapping, heating and tuning. Initially iron sheet (MS sheet) is marked according to the required size (farma -pattern) and cut with the help of metal sheet cutter(kapri). The edge is cut slightly to lock both the edges to make cylindrical hollow. Then the metal sheet is shaped by placing on the ekalwai and sandhard (Iron made structure used where beating process has been done), which has impressions of varying sizes and shaped carefully. Metal sheet is beaten(Thapai) further and smoothen the edges, which has to be overlapped. Once again the sheet is marked in to circle using metal compass to make a cap for the bell. The marked sheet is cut and bent by hammering (Thapai) the sheet to obtain a dome shape. The sharp edges are smoothened by hammering. The handle for the bell (kara) is made by cutting and shaping the metal sheet according to the bell size. Handle for the bell is attached by making a hole on the semi-circular hollow crown. Then the cylindrical body and the semi-circular hollow crown are skillfully interlocked (sandha) together without any welding but are beaten and driven in to the required shape. Woman in the house will have to do the next process. The bell is dipped in to mud water and then the metal powder made of copper(5-10%), glass(40%) and brass(50%) applied on the wet bell so that it will hold the powder correctly. Then the mixture of raw-cotton and clay is putting thoroughly and wrapped around the bell. Once done with the wrapping, the bell is placed in Bhatti (kiln ) using metal holder to bake with a high temperature. After heating the bell is taken out from the Bhatti (klin) and cooled by dipping and pouring water. Then the outer layer of mud is removed by thapai (hammering) carefully. The wood is cut and shaped in to required size to make a clapper for the bell. Then the clapper for the bell is attached with the help of metal wire inside the bell and lastly very important step is tuning the bell, which is one of the most important processes. Artisans are experienced enough for tuning the bell by beating cleverly to get a fine tune.

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Tools and Raw Materials • Iron Sheet: A basic material to make bell. • Wood: Used to make clapper for bell. • Metal Powder (copper glass and brass): Powder is applied to the bell before heating. • Metal Compass: To measure and mark the sheet according to the required size. • Kapri (Cutter): To cut the metal sheet. • Holder: To hold the bell and to place in a kiln. • Thapai (Hammer): To shape the metal sheet. • Bhatti (Klin): Used to heat the bell with high temperature.

pabri

• Raw Cotton and Clay: Mixture of raw cotton and clay is wrapped around the bell before heating.

kapri

ekalvayi Nutendra singh / Lifestyle Accessory Design-17

FLOW CHART

Metal sheet is marked andcut into required size and shape

Handle for the bell is done by shaping the metal sheet and attached to the cap

Mixtures of row cotton and it wrapped around the bell.

Metal sheet is marked and cut into required size and shape

The cylindrical body and her cap are skillfully interlocked

Bell is placed in a kiln and baked with high temperature.

Metal sheet is shaped by hammerring to get a desired shape

The bell is dipped in mud water and metal powder is applied evenly

Bell is cooked and outer layer is removed by hammeringcarefully.

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The bell is turned by beating deverly to get a fine tune.

Grander is used to finish the bell

Finished bell

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LEATHER - Kutch, Gujarat Leather craft is one of the non – textile Craft being practiced in Kutch since generations. The Marwada Meghwal community – who in heritage the craft skills – have migrated from Sindh and Rajasthan to Kutch. They used to work closely with cattle herders (Maldhari community) of Kachchh, who traditional supplied them with hides. The tanning and other pre-processes were done at the village level only. This slowly disappeared due to cultural and social stigma associated with it and now leathers artisans are buying leather from outside. The community is blessed with the other embroidery skills, resulted into shared craft traditions to decorate the leather goods

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MAKING PROCESS The dyeing of leather is also a unique practice of Kutch.The pieces of leather are hand stitched by passing thick thread through small slits made with a stitching awl. The main techniques of leather craftsmanship in Kachchh are Jari Kaam and Torni. In Jari Kaam, a silver and golden Jari or thread is used to create various design and motifs on leather goods. Traditionally, Jari kaam was used to decorate horse back riding gear. In Torni work technique, the coarse yarns were used to create colorful patterns on various leather items. It is mainly used to decorate the borders of leather goods. TCraftsmen have also started using sewing machines to assemble the pieces together, thereby adding efficiency to the traditional craft. The men undertake the construction of leather products while the women embellish these objects with embroidery executed with multicoloured threads. In addition to the footwear made of camel hide, the craftsmen also make mirror frames and panels in goat hide; these are ornamented with patterns created by backing a leather surface punched with variously shaped handheld punches against coloured fabrics. The design vocabulary of the leather artisans and the bas-relief forms they render, display a striking similarity with other local craft techniques such as reverse appliquĂŠ and felt making.

THE TECHNIQUE The main techniques of the leather are Jari Kaam and Torni work. In Jari Kaam the silver and golden Jari is being used to create various design and motifs on the various leather items. Traditionally the Jari kaam is used to decorate the items that were used to ride the horse. The same work is also transferred in the modern products like shoes, bags and other accessories. In Torni work technique, the coarse yarns were used to create colorful patterns on various leather items. It is mainly used to decorate the borders of leather goods. The dyeing of leather is also q unique practice of Kutch. The raw leather is dyes with various dyes locally available

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RAW MATERIAL-PROCESSING The crafts are done on the processed leather and following are the steps involved in processing the hide. Step 1 :Curing Add salt and white gum (akk) to the animal hide for removal of hair for about 8-10days

Pakad

Rapl

Aari

Step2 :Tanning Add babul tree’ bark which is also called as desi baawar which is used to produced a tight grained, and fairly light colored, good quality leather

TOOLS The number of tools used are not too many and they are easily available. Following are the tools mostly used for the crafts making process. 1 Aari – to scrape the leather 2 chisel- to cut leather 3 lohe k irampi- iron tool to apply force 4 sancha – punch tools to create patterns 5chemical colors –to make dye for the leather.

Awl

Rampi

Kath Sancha

Khaedi Nutendra singh / Lifestyle Accessory Design-17

Stepwise process The leather is cut according to the desired shape using the knife. The chemicals colors are mixed with water and are applied on the leather using sponge or cloth. It is then dried for sometime and given another coat to make it brighter. The holes are punched using tools on the leather based on the design templets given.if rampias used to give more force to the punch tools tomake the psttern. Once the punctures done, the tornis are stitched using used needle and thread to make it more decorative.

The craft products: The traditional leather craft products include fans, footwear, mirror frames and lanterns. The modern products are belt, wallet, big and small bags, toys and combination with other crafts.

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TYPES OF STITCHES khadh dedhi

kundhari

panchka

anti

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LACQUER LATHE WORK - Kutch, Gujarat Colour is the essence of India in many ways, with bright “Indian” colours being a strong visual aspect in our lives. Kutch, Gujarat, the land I come from, is no different. I, the famous wood and lacquer work of Gujarat – a craft that involves colouring hand-carved wooden items with lac obtained from trees – was born from deep within the state’s rich, unique heritage of handicrafts. Lac, a material taken from insect resin, has been used in Indian craft for centuries. Coloured lacquer is applied to wood by heat through turning with a hand lathe. In the process, the artisan maneuvers the lacquered colors to create patterns by hand in kaleidoscopic designs. This form of lacquered patterning is found only in Kachchh.

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THE CRAFT Lac has been used in Indian craft for centuries. Coloured lacquer is applied to wood in layers and chiselled to create designs and effects. A handful of families from Kachchh’s semi-nomadic Vadha community settled in villages like Nirona and Jura where they use the technical and artistic skills of their forefathers to sustain the lac turned wood craft tradition. The Vadhas traditionally moved and worked, where needed, throughout villages bordering Kachchh’s Great Rann. They carved and coloured wooden furniture and household accessories for many local communities. The descendants of these artisans now work in the villages where they have settled. Few traditional lacquer artisan families continue the craft in Kachchh.

TECHNIQUE Lac turned wood is practiced using simple tools, a self-made lathe, a string attached to a bow, and sticks of coloured lac. Each lathe is demarcated by two sharpened iron rods which are bent toward each other at ninety degree angles and fixed in the ground. The distance between them is dependant upon the length of wood the artisan is turning because the wood must be held firmly between the rods’ pointed ends. The artisan begins by carving the wood. One the wood is carved into product, artisan apply lac on the wood to create colour patterns on it. Traditionally, the lacquer was colored with vegetable dyes though, more recently, artisans use brightly coloured chemical dyes. The first colour is a base upon which the artisan adds layers of colours.

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MAKING PROCESS Babool wood is used to makethe spoon

The surface of the spoon is roughed up to enable the resin to stick easily to the sides.

biyau Tools used for the making the spoons

aarayi kuhaadi The shape of the wooden spoon is first crafted with wood from the locally available babool tree.The spoon is then carefully fitted inbetween the two ends of the lathe and the bar of colour is added to it while it rotates. The rotation of the lathe is orchestrated by the back and forth movement of the a bamboo stick tied with a piece of thread.

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Next the resin is gradually applied on the surface with one hand, while keeping the rotation constant (the back and forth movement) of the other hand.

Then vertical lines are added on the coloured surface using rods covered with the resin. Every line is added with precision by hand

Next the surface is wiped with a small cloth dipped in oil. The movement is kept constant. This highly precise process creates rippled on the surface and the colours are altered in a constant motion.

The result is a beautiful piece of art. The entire family is involved in this process and the process has passed down through the generations. There are few products in line that I will introduce in the coming weeks.

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The craft products: The most commonly crafted products are kitchen utensils including chakia-velan (chapatti roller and board), chamcha (spoons), thaveta (spatulas), khandani (mortar and pestals). Artisans also produce decorative household items such as charpoy (bedsteads), bajot (stools) and gotani (furniture legs) etc.

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Display at NID, Gandhinagar Nutendra singh / Lifestyle Accessory Design-17

CRAFT WORKSHOP This project aims to expose the students to rich craft sector, to develop an appreciation of various craft techniques and the artisan skills that may formulate an integral part of the studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design vocabulary as practicing professionals. This course serves as an important platform for learning whereby the students are exposed to various crafts sectors of India and around the world, working with traditional technique and craftsperson skills and appreciate the constraints etc. and take it through the journey of a design project to bring the gap between traditional craft practices and contemporary needs

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CRAFT WORKSHOP IDEATION SKETCHES

HANGING BELLS

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HANGING BELLS The whole idea about to make hanging bells is creating a new sound. Here the form of bells is changed which produce the new sound for the listener. so basically i have done this ideation to break the making of a traditional form of bell and played with the shape and size of the bells. MATERIAL: Wood , Metal (ms -iron)

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MAKING PROCESS

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BIRDFEEDER Continuation of cultures, value systems and constantly changing lifestyles of people requires a balance somewhere. A common habit of birds feeding has given an opportunity for design intervention as in terms of enriching urban life and peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sentiments. Ahmedabad is the city where people celebrate bird feeding festival in India. Therefore making a birdfeeder in a craft is good for promoting tradition and preserving Gujrat culture.

Display at NID, Gandhinagar Nutendra singh / Lifestyle Accessory Design-17

IDEATION SKETCHES

Jewellery case ideation

Initial Sketches for jewllery container and holder

Birdfeeder ideation

Ideation 1

Sketches to Thermaco mockup

Thermacol mockup to understand the form and size for products Nutendra singh / Lifestyle Accessory Design-17

The selected sketch for further development of product

Sketches to Thermaco mockup

In order to translate the two-dimensional visualization of the product into three-dimensional forms, Thermacol mockups are created, to understand in the actual material to get a feel of how the actual may look. Also since wood is expensive material, it makes sense to try the ideas in the Thermocol before going to the actual material.

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MAKING PROCESS

Material wood: Babool, Iron rod, Laquer Nutendra singh / Lifestyle Accessory Design-17

Nutendra singh / Lifestyle Accessory Design-17

LEARNING EXPERIENCE The experience with the craft and the artisan was amazing. The understanding of the minimal nature of the craft was greatly influencing and the philosophy was ingrained in every aspect of the craft and its making. The conscious nature of using the material while understanding its behavior is a great learning and during making product, I learn to appreciate the efforts and detailing that goes into the making of the products.

Nutendra singh / Lifestyle Accessory Design-17

REFERENCES https://www.makemytrip.com/blog/the-secrets-of-kutch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutch_district https://issuu.com/abinayaravi/docs/kutch_leather_craft_documentation http://kutchguide.blogspot.com/2011/03/kutch-geography.html https://www.justdial.com/photos/aina-mahal-bhuj-ho-bhuj-museums-18yovv2-pc-53203998-sco-99Fzm5x1 https://www.indianetzone.com/20/geography_kutch.htm https://www.google.co.in/search?biw=1366&bih=662&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=THN1W7OOOMqV8wWl64HYBQ&q=kutch+embroidery&oq=kutch+embroidery&gs_l=img.3...3146.3146.0.3889.0.0 .0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c.1.64.img..0.0.0....0.9XSUCxr3oMM#imgrc=y0_e4vZmkzNx-M: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutch_district https://gulfnews.com/culture/people/the-artisans-of-kutch-1.2239694 http://www.dsource.in/resource/metal-bells-kutch-gujarat/introduction http://www.craftcanvas.com/blog/tag/kutch https://www.google.co.in/search?biw=1366&bih=613&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=knt1W-eUFYnkvASEyamwDQ&q=wood+carving+kutch&oq=wood+carving+kutch&gs https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291345695_Chabutaras_Bird_Feeders

Nutendra singh / Lifestyle Accessory Design-17

The team LAD/NID and craftsman from Kutch alongwith Mrs. Krishna Amin Patel Nutendra singh / Lifestyle Accessory Design-17