Visual Diary

Theeee most difficult task is here!! Making a VISUAL DIARY !
Imagine making a visual diary on hauz khaz village ! Yes it sounds amazing and so it was. Sketching the ambience, people around us was way too fun! Quick scribbles on our visual diary helped us to notice the environment or the particular object minutely and more precisely.

I started my visual diary with the visual brainstorming of hauz khaz village. Then I included every element that we see in hkv. Starting from Deer Park, The Ruins, Slum Area, the Market Area to Street Vendors and last of all the Vehicles. 

So here's some visuals from my logbook! Hope you like it :)

Product Merchandise Board

In product merchandise board we are supposed to show what all products do we find in Hauz Khas village. First thng that came to our mind was yumyyyy fooood <3 

So we thought of sketching the products such as - food, garments, jewelry, accessories, bags, antiques, home decor, etc. 

Product Board

Our product board is still in process as few sketches are left. Though you can see a pair of shoes and a french fries bucket i.e. things we find in hkv.

Social Culture Board

Social Culture Bord

After visual board we started with the SOCIAL CULTURE BOARD in which we have to show what type of people do we find in Hauz Khas. So while brainstorming we found that we see various kinds of people, like- rich brats coming for shopping and partying, teenagers, hawkers, photographers, artists, slum residents, workers, etc.

After listing all of them we decided to depict them in three different levels. i.e. HIGHER CLASS, MIDDLE CLASS and the LOWER CLASS!

In first level i.e. the higher class people we put pictures and sketches of  the high class rich people, shop and cafe owners, designers and tourists.

In second level i.e. the middle class people we put pictures and sketches of school and college students, workers, guards and residents.

In third level i.e. lower class people we have put pictures of vendors, garbage pickers and slum residents.

We have put the higher class on the upper level and the lower class on the base, as they are somehow neglected socially. 

Visual Culture Board

Visual Culture Board

Visual culture means the ambience of the area, the things we see like- architecture, shops, streets, signs, vehicles, surroundings, etc. SO when we look at HKV we see lots of wires, the fort, colorful streets, boutiques, cafes, lake, deer park, lots of traffic and the village area.

We started with a blank mind. Grinding our mind into how to represent visual board. After few brainstorming and discussions with my group members we end up deciding to show it through symbols. We see dustbins on sides, cafes serving food and liquor, traffic, street vendors, shops, slum, etc. So we drew the symbol for all those and for base we showed the uneven streets. Then we fixed them on a thermocol sheet and made them stand with toothpick. 

HKV As A Whole

When one is in Hauz Khaz village, it sees diversification. Hauz Khaz being an urban village attracts may customers and tourists towards it. When we enter Hauz Khaz village we see jam packed traffic. We see autos and we see porche cars too. We see variety of elements in hauz khas market. 

Traffic on saturday night

Okay! So now the market area. HKV is full of creativeness. We see creative hoardings, the logo of every cafe is amusing and way too creative. Even though the interiors of cafe is breath taking and the music the play can make a person chilled out. Every cafe is made with a theme. For instance, cafe Lights Camera Action is bollywood theme based. Its menu to walls to t-shirts of the waiter, everything has a essence of bollywood.

Cafe Lights Camera Action

A board outside a cafe

Now moving to next element we see in hkv. After cafes people are attracted to the FASHION BOUTIQUES. Hauz Khaz consists of various indian designers showroom selling accessories, garments, bags and antiques too. A we know HKV is known as a 'FASHION HUB'! 

Ogaan - A designer store

We even see graffiti's on the wall. BIG HUGE COOOOOOL GRAFFITI'S <3 

One at the backside of a lane

Behind the shining street and glamorous world resides a village. Not the colorful street but 'tooti' streets. Houses made of muds, wood logs and tin sheets. The ambience was totally different than the market area. People busy in errands not caring about what's happening in market. They live in their own world. While interviewing few, we came to know that the residents do face some problems. Like the sanitation problem, lack of water, hygiene and high rents. But the best part children their go to schools. They are well educated and they can speak english too. Here are few glimpse of the SLUM AREA! 

Houses in slum area

A villager

Deer Park

A quick sketch from my logbook

Deer Park is located in South Delhi also known as A.N. Jha Deer Park, named after famous Social worker Aditya Nath Jha. This place is popular for walking, jogging and weekend outings. The Deer Park comprises many subsection such as Duck Park, Picnic Spots Rabbit Enclosures etc. The Park has historical tombs of Mughal Era. The park is accessible from Safdarjung Enclave and Green Park and Hauz Khas Village. 

A lane of deer park

It is called Deer Park because it actually houses a large number of deer inside the park. There is a large enclosure in the park for deer to roam around, play with each other, have an occasional friendly fight and provide a learning and entertaining experience to the visitors especially the children. Entry to the Deer Park and the surrounding green park is free and it is open everyday from 5:00 AM to 8:00 PM during summer till October and 5:30 AM to 7:00 PM during winter.

 Besides the above the Park has a beautiful restaurant "THE PROJECT" the right place to enjoy a day trip. With 20,000 sq feet of lush green space, this bar – which opened over the weekend – at The Park Balluchi is situated inside the Hauz Khas deer park and is truly a sight to behold.

The Project

When you enter this huge space, the first thing you’ll notice are metallic deer cut-outs and a massive bar area. The interesting part is that you can spot actual deers, peacocks and more at the park next door while the staff serves you your drink! The thematic use of glass for the exterior as well as the interior adds further charm to this newbie. The sombre grey hues are offset by bright metallic bar stools and wooden tables and chairs inside, while the deck and the outside area sports 2 long bars. The one outside will be functional soon and there’s also a pizzeria right next to it, from where chefs will churn out crispy thin pizzas.

How Hauz Khas Evolved

In the old times Hauz Khas was just known for its scenic beauty. Tourists, travellers, loacalites came hauz khas for refreshing air and to get a beautiful scene of lake. It was part of Siri, the second of New Delhi’s seven cities created by the Alauddin Khilji in the thirteenth century. It was home to a reservoir, a madrassa — an Islamic centre of learning — a mosque and the tomb of Firoz Shah Tughlaq.

 

Bina Ramani

First step towards the evolution or change of hauz khas village was taken by Bina Ramani. She is a designer who in the 90s opened her fahion boutique in the tiny lanes of haus khas village. Slowly and gradually many designers set up their fashion houses and stores in hkv which now has lead to hauz khas village known as a " Fashion Hub".

Night View Of HKV

Then the Village transformed itself again. In the last few years  Hauz Khas Village has become a noisy, crowded, much less distinctive enclave that is on the bucket list of Delhiites and tourists alike. In short, to draw another parallel with New York, if Delhi had bridges and tunnels, this would mark the arrival of the bridge-and-tunnel crowd.

History Of Hauz Khas Village

Hauz Khas Fort

Hauz Khas Complex in South Delhi houses a water tank, an Islamic seminary, a mosque, a tomb and pavilions built around an urbanized village with medieval history traced to the 13th century of Delhi Sultanate reign. It was part of Siri, the second medieval city of India of the Delhi Sultanate of Allauddin Khilji Dynasty (1296–1316).

Hauz Khas Lake During Sunset

The etymology of the name Hauz Khas in Farsi is derived from the words ‘Hauz’: “water tank” (or lake) and ‘Khas’:“royal”- the “Royal tank”. The large water tank or reservoir was first built by Khilji to supply water to the inhabitants of Siri.

Undiscovered Beautiful Path

Sooo I am back! 

Lat module went safe and sound, now another bugging task to perform. But contradict to our assumptions this project is way too compulsive.

Because it's HAUZ KHAS VILLAGE!! 

HAUZ KHAS VILLAGE

Yes you read it right. For this module we have to work with group and select an area of study to which our partymind shouted for HKV . Wanna see my mates? Here we fantastic six are ;)

Now its time to look HKV with a whole new perspective. Not partying and chilling around but looking into the other side of village. So what research? Our task is to put our nose into other people's business and gather a handful of information. 

So if you are a HKV lover like me , stay tuned to my blog for more exciting and hideous facts of this cool and amusing place <3

Swatch Exploration 5

Terracotta is quiet rough surface. Using a small part of terracotta temple which gives the rough effect, I tried showing it in my swatch.

Visual Exploration

After thinking of rough material, my first thought was pencil shavings. Then I found crape paper, which too gave the rough terracotta effect. So I tried using both of them and I finally decided to use orange crape paper. After arranging them in such a manner to give that rough effect, it came out to be really well! 

Material Swatch

Swatch Exploration 4

Bengal Craft Have MOTIFS!!
For the next swatch I wished to do something more with motifs. So I decided to make a motif and some more motifs in it.
Exploring this was difficult but interesting. In West Bengal the leaf motifs are very famous. Various type of leaf pattern is made on various handicrafts. So I explored the leaf motif.

Visual Exploration

For depicting leaf motif I decided to use 'supari' as my material. For more of motifs I drew motifs on supari and then arranged in a leaf patterned motif. 

Swatch Exploration 3

This exploration is about the motifs and the color of the terracotta.
I thought of using motifs which are used in terracotta products decoration and in other terracotta architecture. After looking to too many motifs I chose the flower cum sun motif. I found it interesting. So I decided to explore it with thread and for depicting colors I used photo inks.

Visual Exploration

OKAY! So the first try went pretty wrong or you can say blunder! :/

Exploration

I tried to show the flower motif using tissue on it and putting some photo inks on it. But as you can see the flower dint came out and the color too got mixed. 

After discussing it with my faculty I got to know my mistake, then I tried again. 

Then I was quiet successful with my exploration. 

Final Exploration

Swatch Exploration 2

Now I come to second exploration. Using the same Jali effect I came out to one more exploration.

The net effect have triangles engraved in it. Exploring these triangles collectively and solely I thought to place the individual triangles in random form. Using colorful paper which gives terracotta feels, I cut out triangles and placed it in some random way. Which came out looking nice. 

Visual Exploration

Material Exploration

Swatch Exploration 1

It was a tough task to start with the swatch and the visual exploration.
I started looking through my boards and visual diary for some inspirations to start my explorations.

I started with ' Jali ' effect which is used in terracotta clay stand and architecture. Jali or the net looked simple but exploring it with different materials and sketching it in various ways was quiet interesting. 

Visual Exploration

Firstly I wished to use jute as jute has a net efeect in itself. Then to show the net effect on jute piece I decided to use glue gun and make a criss cross which can show the net effect. And this was the outcome which came out really interesting. 

Material Exploration

Work! Work! Work!

This was the time when I was working day and night on terracotta. This terracotta was eating me up! Collecting stuff, compiling them and then presentation sounds easy , right? But belive me , Its NOT! Working all day on laptop then our sheets. Tough task man! 

And you can see a sincere student working ;D

Me Working

Concept Board

Concept Board? Concept Board? Concept Board?

Concept board is a form of stimulus material, consisting of visual or verbal representation of an idea of product or service , often showing benefits and idea of the research. 
We are waiting for the input for the concept board from the faculty and as soon as we get the input I"ll update the post.




Author- Harshita Jain

Material Board

What is a material board?
A material board shows all the material which is used to make the product or the material involved in the topic.

So terracotta is basically clay which is fired and glazed. So in my material board I made a pot look alike structure using sunboard and painted it red. Then to show the decoration part I used the material clay and wires used in making terracotta products.

Material Board

Author- Harshita Jain

Mood Board

Okay! So first of all, what is a mood board?
Don't worry I am not telling you to answer this because I will.

Mood board is something or collection of various pictures that depicts the "feel" of the topic or the product.

Thinking about terracotta brings me to a whole new different mood of Culture, Tradition, Coolness and Earthy feel. 
So my mood board came out to be full of brown colors and giving culture feels!

MOOD BOARD

Color Board

    

Color Board

Okay! So what is a color board? 

A color board shows the colors used in the product or the topic. 

Terracotta consist of very earthy colors which are brown, red, mustard, yellow, black and white. I drew the motifs and painting used in terracotta architecture and pottery and painted it with terracotta colors. The browns ,  hues, and reds are used in pottery and architecture. Red also shows the tradition and culture of Bengal.  Color blue depicts the coolness of terracotta products.  

Inspiration Board

My Inspiration Board

An inspiration board visually depicts the inspiration or the elements which led to the topic. This is the starting point what visually we think about terracotta.

My inspiration for terracotta craft of West Bengal was the culture, the tradition, the coolness of terracotta, beauty of terracotta products and jewellery, the old tradition in which Bengal resides. 

The fancy and huge structures of terracotta made ' Pandals ' and the ' diya stand ' were one great inspiration. The water ' matka ' that we use in our kitchens , decorative lamps even the terracotta architecture are amazing . 

To add a terracotta feel to my inspiration board, I added the colors of terracotta in the background of inspiration board. Now this takes me to my next board which is the Color Board!! 

About Visual Diary

Okay so those blank pages of my diary haunted me all day and night! It seemed quite a difficult task but with lots of research, ideas, creativity and hardwork I completed my visual diary.

Collage From My Visual Diary

First the difficult task was to select a topic. After finding my interest in crafts of bengal I decided to go for Terracotta Craft Of West Bengal . The earthy colours, history of terracotta architecture, jewelry designs, home decor stuff, dolls and various figures and horses were great to work upon. 

I started with the origin of craft , history, culture scenario, various stuff made from terracotta, process and tools used . Then I narrowed down into Terracotta Architecture , Terracotta Jewelry and The Bankura Horses. 

While researching I found many interesting facts. One of those was , between 12th to 14th century with the Mughal rulers the terracotta temples consists of intricate mughal motifs such as lotus, which is still present in West Bengal. 

I ended my visual diary with the description of Bankura Horses. It was very interesting to work on this topic. 

Terracotta Jewellery

While going through terracotta , I find terracotta jewellery one interesting part. The intricate designs and the splash of colour was really attractive. 

                                               

                                                        Jewelley Design

Making terracotta jewelry might appear to be a simpler form of art,  but it is a labor-intensive technique. From making the clay to molding it to desired shape and then baking it and firing it, is a long process. After the terracotta item hardens, it is then glazed for a lustrous appearance. 

Terracotta jewelry are still worn by many women .  Terracotta jewelry is fashioned to mimic kundan or meenakari jewelry with an astounding detail and finish. Tribal terracotta jewelry is very popular among teens and young adults. 

                                                                                                                                                      

             Making of terracotta jewelry 

Simple designs of terracotta with minimal details can be combined with semi-formal, ethnic wear or even everyday wear. Heavily embellished jhumkas, earrings, peandants, rings, etc are an apt accessory for teaming up with lehengas, anarkali kurtas and traditional saris. 

Heavy Jewelry


              

            In blue color 

                                                   

Introduction Of Terracotta Art

 

Mind Mapping 

Terracotta ( from the Latin word "terra cocta" ) , a type of earthenware is a clay based unglazed or glazed ceramic where the fire body is pourous. It is often used to describe objects such as figurines not made on potter's wheel.

Terracotta Art in West Bengal is the earliest form of art of Bengal. It is clay rather than stone which has been the medium through which Bengali culture has found expression for thousands of years.

Terracotta Art has been practised in West Bengal right from early days through the medival age till the 19th century. In present days it is used in the form of home decor and jewellery. Terracotta plaques depicted lives of gods and goddesses. Terracotta figures, horses, tigers, elephants and snakes as well as toys were also common.

Finally it can be concluded saying that terracotta art in West Bengal had flourished under the rule of many rulers. Terracotta artists of Bengal devoted their skill to modelling and sculpting, attaining high levels of acclaim and respect throughout India!

Everything & Anyhing

Waking up in the world of Browns ,  i saw my hands were dipped in a bowl full of 'Rosogullas' which wee palatable. To which I realised its the Terracotta magic bowl which made these rosogullas more tempting <3

                                                    " WAY OUT TO TERRACOTTA"

Then I realised i was not just about eating them but the stress eating which was eating me out!

Staring at that mouth watering bowl in my hand I all of a sudden jumped out of bed. Because HEY! I just cracked the brain-twister. And there was I with my inspiration/ research topic "TERRACOTTA OF WEST BENGAL"