Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
25th April, 2008
Everything had to be wound up today so we started the day trying to complete the remaining work. We split our work. While one of us scanned the log books and signage, the other finished painting the log book covers. This was followed by editing of scanned images on photo shop.
At about 5 o’ clock in the evening we left for the city to get our binding and printing done. Tomorrow we will collect our tin stool from Shri Arts, go back to the city to collect the log books, and get sun board cut.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
24th April, 2008
- Finished off the log book covers.
- Went to Yelahanka Old Town to ask Shri Arts to paint on a tin box that will be converted into a stool. The imagery will contain an astrological hand, a human figure advertising a particular tailor, the chicken holding an A.K. 47 gun ( that is also our blog picture) and an advertisement of undergarments.
- The painting will cost a total of 500 Rupees.
- This will give our project another perspective.
- Finishing and scanning the signage.
Evaluation Criteria ( mail from Sudipto)
-Have understood the premise and all its limitations and potentials to produce a comprehensive project brief
-Identified appropriate information sources
-Identified appropriate research methods
-Synthesized data to summarise key findings
-Have been able to manage responsibilities time and resources
-Have been able to define goals
-Developed ideas fluently using different methods
-Converted ideas into concepts.
-Successfully narrowed down to a final solution
-Created a final form or representation of the solution
-Tested the final solution and located defects.
-Modified and/or improvised based on the results
-Quality of Presentation
-Quality of Documentation
-Overall quality of process
23rd April, 2008
Overall, it was not exactly a brilliant day. The night before, we had sat together and figured our signage keeping a hotel in mind. We started out afresh in the morning, all set for screen printing.
Since in the process of screen printing, the art work to be exposed needs to be completely black, we went over our gateway sketches with a rotring pen again. We exposed it for exactly 11 minutes and then ran to the washing area to wash off the emulsion.
After one and a half hours of spraying water (it is sad that so much water gets wasted in screen printing.) we realised that it was not working out. Already one and a half days had gone into it and we did not have time to do it again. We decided, with the help of our textile faculty Meera to hand do it on cloth. That again was a time taking process and despite sitting with it for 3 and a half hours we did not finish.
I came back home to start off with painting the signage. I ruined one and spilled water over the other! Nonetheless, we sat and finished as much as we could. We could not finish all. They have to be carried forward for the next day.
Since in the process of screen printing, the art work to be exposed needs to be completely black, we went over our gateway sketches with a rotring pen again. We exposed it for exactly 11 minutes and then ran to the washing area to wash off the emulsion.
After one and a half hours of spraying water (it is sad that so much water gets wasted in screen printing.) we realised that it was not working out. Already one and a half days had gone into it and we did not have time to do it again. We decided, with the help of our textile faculty Meera to hand do it on cloth. That again was a time taking process and despite sitting with it for 3 and a half hours we did not finish.
I came back home to start off with painting the signage. I ruined one and spilled water over the other! Nonetheless, we sat and finished as much as we could. We could not finish all. They have to be carried forward for the next day.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
22nd April, 2008
Today we finally started the screen printing process for our log book covers. The whole morning was spent in preparing the screen and coating it with emulsion. We start with printing and painting the cloth from tomorrow.
Meanwhile, we spoke to our faculty Ramesh. Earlier we were targeting our signage to the general public. We were going to design signs like 'no urinating', 'no spitting', 'no smoking', 'no eatables' ' rest rooms' and so on. Ramesh suggested that we change are target to the 'higher end' of society since it is they who are not as much in contact with street art. So, now we are designing signage for a hotel, which could have this kind of a signage. It will be interesting to see what will be the reaction or result to this kind of art form in a 'sophisticated' environment.
As students, we wanted to do everything on our own, from ideating, conceptualizing, to executing it. We planned to figure out the style, observe it, and illustrate it in the form of a range of products. If we were, say, practitioners, it would be us conceptualizing and analysing, not actually sitting and doing things by ourselves. We would have instead, formed a society of these painters and asked them to illustrate instead since it is difficult for us to learn their techiniques in a short span of time, and it will benefit them, in terms of earning and employment.
Today we were asked to ask the street artists to illustrate for products instead of us. It is a valid point but somehow, we cannot bring ourselves to do it! We don't have the money to pay the artists and it would just feel as if we have done nothing for this 2 week project. Therefore, we have decided to give only one product to these artists to paint. We will be doing so shortly.
Meanwhile, we spoke to our faculty Ramesh. Earlier we were targeting our signage to the general public. We were going to design signs like 'no urinating', 'no spitting', 'no smoking', 'no eatables' ' rest rooms' and so on. Ramesh suggested that we change are target to the 'higher end' of society since it is they who are not as much in contact with street art. So, now we are designing signage for a hotel, which could have this kind of a signage. It will be interesting to see what will be the reaction or result to this kind of art form in a 'sophisticated' environment.
As students, we wanted to do everything on our own, from ideating, conceptualizing, to executing it. We planned to figure out the style, observe it, and illustrate it in the form of a range of products. If we were, say, practitioners, it would be us conceptualizing and analysing, not actually sitting and doing things by ourselves. We would have instead, formed a society of these painters and asked them to illustrate instead since it is difficult for us to learn their techiniques in a short span of time, and it will benefit them, in terms of earning and employment.
Today we were asked to ask the street artists to illustrate for products instead of us. It is a valid point but somehow, we cannot bring ourselves to do it! We don't have the money to pay the artists and it would just feel as if we have done nothing for this 2 week project. Therefore, we have decided to give only one product to these artists to paint. We will be doing so shortly.
Monday, April 21, 2008
21st April, 2008
After doing a lot figuring out yesterday with respect to thumbnails for our products and materials required, today we drew out the fair sketches for our log books and traced them for screen printing on cloth. today Aparupa and I intend on finishing thumbnails for the rest of products and start painting our tin products. The images below are the line drawings of the front and back covers of the log books to be!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Techniques and other things...
The Indian Street Artists use enamel paints which work on cloth, steel boards, walls and plywood. First they paint the entire object white, which takes one day to dry. They paint over it. Once that dries, they put another coating.Every painter goes through a year of training under the shop to learn how to paint signs and graphics. It is usually a family business but it is not necessary that it be so.
an apprentice's work in Shri Arts
They pick the fonts of their choice from a font’s catalogue which consists of fonts including Times New Roman and Ariel. Usually they stylize the fonts from these fonts. They trace these alphabets from plastic sheets that have the alphabets painted on them. They make needle thin holes on the outline of the alphabets of these plastic sheets and then trace an outline of the alphabets on the final board.
Other than that, we spoke to them about general things about their charges and what effect the print media has on them. For painting they usually charge 100 Rupees per square feet. For painting lettering, they charge 30/40 Rupees per square feet. According to Shri Arts, the new print developments did not affect them. However, Shri Rama Arts said that they shifted to printing boards and stickers because the demand for hand
painted sign boards was decreasing.We tried our best not to look like tourists; hence we did not take out our cameras. We took it out only in the end when we were friendly enough and knew that they would not be very uncomfortable.
After the trip to Yelahanka Old town, we went to the city to buy materials.
19th April, 2008.
We went to Yelahanka Old Town to find painters who paint on the walls. We found some interesting wall graphics there since the area still has a demand for hand painted graphics. We went to three art studios, namely, BS Art, Shri Arts and Shri Rama Arts.Shri Arts was the only one which undertook jobs to hand paint boards and walls and so on. The other two made stickers were more involved in vehicle art.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
18th April, 2008
The reason we settled on a range of products is because other things didn’t work out either because of time constraints or because it didn’t bring out our purpose.
From out locality we found that these painters and artists do not have shops and can be approached only through mobile phones. We tried to reach anyone who could guide us and tell more about the street graphics. However, we found it extremely difficult. Here, the main constraint was language barrier. The local people of Yelahanka New Town were reluctant to share information with outsiders.
We finally managed to contact Mr. Yeshu, who is a wall painter. We strictly did not use cameras because they make people conscious and a lot of useful information is lost. Yeshu is a wall painter and does not paint boards and advertisements. He tried to help us find some artists but did not manage.
We will hopefully manage to find someone tomorrow. Other than that, we sat and figured out basic material and skill requirement for each product. We have more or less figured everything out and will get started soon!
From out locality we found that these painters and artists do not have shops and can be approached only through mobile phones. We tried to reach anyone who could guide us and tell more about the street graphics. However, we found it extremely difficult. Here, the main constraint was language barrier. The local people of Yelahanka New Town were reluctant to share information with outsiders.
We finally managed to contact Mr. Yeshu, who is a wall painter. We strictly did not use cameras because they make people conscious and a lot of useful information is lost. Yeshu is a wall painter and does not paint boards and advertisements. He tried to help us find some artists but did not manage.
We will hopefully manage to find someone tomorrow. Other than that, we sat and figured out basic material and skill requirement for each product. We have more or less figured everything out and will get started soon!
Friday, April 18, 2008
17th April, 2008
Here we started wondering about what we want to communicate and what would be the final outcome of out project week? We thought over as many possible outcomes as we could
16th April, 2008
Street graphics in India include
- Roadside Dhabhas
- Billboards
- Advertisements
- Shops including the service sector.
- Auto rickshaws
- Trucks, public transport and other vehicles.
- Roadside Vendors
- Movie Posters
A lot of these things however, are soon disappearing from the Indian streets.
- Hand painted movie posters
- Billboards
- Everything in general.
In the big cities, especially, everything is digitalized.
WHO are the people who paint all this? How do they learn this art? What is the impact of substitution of hand work with print media on these people? Is it possible for us to track them down and find out more about them?
Street Graphics in India
Street art in India is now a dying art because of digitalization and development of print media. it is chiefly characterized by loud and solid colours complemented by textures, decorative elements, perspective, shadows and so on. It chiefly consists of, vehicle art, signboards, political posters, hoardings, advertisements, film publicity etc.
Through action research and interviews, we intend to find out more about this art and trace people who earn their living through this art. We want to find out their stories, techniques, how their business was in the past and how it is now. We also wish to explore and document as much of hand done street art as possible. Through this, we want to bring out the value of street art.
Through action research and interviews, we intend to find out more about this art and trace people who earn their living through this art. We want to find out their stories, techniques, how their business was in the past and how it is now. We also wish to explore and document as much of hand done street art as possible. Through this, we want to bring out the value of street art.
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