Handcrafted for USA- Indian crafts for the International market

DEGREE PROJECT HANDCRAFTED FOR USA INDIAN CRAFTS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET Sponsor : Baaya Design, Mumbai

Volume : 1 of 1 STUDENT : SUBHRAJIT GHOSAL PROGRAMME : Bachelor of Design (B. Des)

GUIDE : MOHAMMED NAIM SHAIKH

2018 INDUSTRIAL DESIGN FACULTY (PRODUCT DESIGN)

Copyright Š 2018 Student Document Publication This booklet, as well as, its components are designed for private publication only.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, digital, mechanical photocopy recording or otherwise, without the written permission of Subhrajit Ghosal.

All rights reserved Edited and Designed by Subhrajit Ghosal subhrajitghosal@gmail.com subhrajit_g@nid.edu Processed and Published at National Institute of Design Paldi, Ahmedabad - 380007 Gujarat, India www.nid.edu

The Evaluation Jury recommends SUBHRAJIT GHOSAL for the

Degree of the National Institute of Design IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN (PRODUCT DESIGN)

herewith, for the project titled "HANDCRAFTED FOR USA - Indian crafts for the international market" on fulfilling the further requirements by*

Chairman Members :

Jury Grade : *Subsequent remarks regarding fulfilling the requirements : This Project has been completed in ________________ weeks.

Activity Chairperson, Education

Originality Statement I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and it contains no full or substantial copy of previously published material, or it does not even contain substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or final graduation of any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in this graduation project. Moreover I also declare that none of the concepts are borrowed or copied without due acknowledgement. I further declare that the intellectual content of this graduation project is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project’s design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged. This graduation project (or part of it) was not and will not be submitted as assessed work in any other academic course.

Student Name in Full: SUBHRAJIT GHOSAL Signature: ________________________________________ Date: ___________________________________________

Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

Copyright Statement I hereby grant the National Institute of Design the right to archive and to make available my graduation project/thesis/dissertation in whole or in part in the Institute’s Knowledge Management Centre in all forms of media, now or hereafter known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act. I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my document or I have obtained permission to use copyright material.

Student Name: SUBHRAJIT GHOSAL Signature: _______________________________________ Date: ___________________________________________

Product Design | Bachelors of Design | National Institute of Design

Content Preface Acknowledgement Synopsis 01

02

03

The Beginning

About National Institute of Design -Product Design About Baaya Design The project Project timeline

Handicrafts

08 10 13 15 16 18 21 22

Handicrafts - definition The rebellion Globalization Global market trends Handmade in India Globalization of Indian crafts Import and export Summary

25 27 28 31 33 34 36 39 41

Discovery of Crafts

43

Copper Enamelling -About the craft -About this cluster -Stakeholder -Process -Techniques -Experiments

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47 48 50 52 60 66

04

-Existing products Brass Dhokra -About the craft -About this cluster -Stakeholder -Process Steps -Experiments -Existing products Channapatna -About the craft -Process Steps -Existing products Pattachitra Painting Gond Painting Summary

95 96 99 101 103 105

The venture begins

107

E-commerce

E-commerce business Shopping habits Baby Boomers Gen X Gen Y Gen Z Possible persona Online Shopping Shipping Packaging and rest Summary

72 75 76 78 80 88 92

109 110 112 114 116 118 120 122 123 126 129 131

Research Task 05

06

Interiors and Inspiration

132

Interior DĂŠcor Styles -Bohemian -Contemporary -Shabby Chic

135 137 138 140 142

Elements of USA -Classic comfort -Oceanic drift -Citified Prospect -State legacies -Secular spirit -Nostalgic catch -Eclectic delight

145 146 148 150 152 154 156 158

Redefined Brief

160

Product Development Craft based segregation Product range Ideation Feedback and selection Sampling Product costing

161 162 163 164 166 218

07

Final Products

08

Meanwhile

09

Conclusion

Whimsical drift Technical drawings Enigmatic angles Technical drawings Glorified legacies Technical drawings

Branding and packaging Paintings Portrait in Copper Enamel Champa Tree

235 237 250 253 262 267 274 279 280 286 290 292

Craft stories Costing of craft products Evolution of Indian handicrafts Cultural Identity Overview

297 299 307 308 311 315

References Special mention

316 319

Product Design | Bachelors of Design | National Institute of Design

Preface The end of a students’ academic tenure at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad is marked by the culmination of substantial investigation in the field of design on a topic closely allied to their discipline of study. It is through the graduation project and subsequent documentation of the same that this investigation takes place. The graduation project is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their expertise as independent practitioners of design.

The project must be done with academic rigour incorporating systematic inquiry and informed design decisions. The phrase ‘systematic inquiry’ implies the presence of a structure and method by which the student must carry out his/her project. The graduation project reflects leadership manifested through creativity and innovation.

The project leads to new knowledge creation and should align with broader objectives of the institute.

This project is a attempt to understand the potential of the International market for Indian handicrafts and design products for them to increase productivity and hence improve economic conditions of the artisans for better livelihood. This initiative is taken by Baaya Design in Mumbai who wish to expand the horizons of the craft market through e-commerce.

Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

“It’s just not about creating handcrafted products, rather, it’s a co-creation system where you empower the artisans with the design process and they empower you with their artisanal aspects and experiences.”

Product Design | Bachelors of Design | National Institute of Design

Acknowledgement I would like to express my gratitude to the people who helped me at different stages of this project.

Firstly, I am grateful to my parents for their continuous and ever enthusiastic support at all times of my life.

I would like to acknowledge the National Institute of Design for allowing me to take up this project and I thank my guide Mr Mohammed Naim Shaikh for encouraging and guiding me through the process of this project.

It is all about their journey of wonderful experiences and in-depth traditional understanding of materials and crafts that has inspired us, the young craft designers to join them in exploring the rich treasures of India.

I am grateful to Mrs Shibani Dasgupta Jain for offering this live project to me and work under her guidance at Baaya Design.

I also thank our client Mrs Swati Bohra for supporting us from the International front. My heartful thanks to the entire Baaya team for helping me out at various levels especially mentioning the design team - Renu Patankar, Vidhi Parikh and Pratyush Gupta, without whom this project would have been impossible.

Special mention of few names who have played very essential roles by providing their critical feedback at stages of this project. Miss Chaula Patel, Mr Ashoke Chatterjee and Mr Praveen Nahar. I thank them all. I would also like to thank my fellow batchmates and alumni who have provided their valuable feedback for this project.

Finally, I would like to thank all the craftsmen who treated me as one of them and helped me understand and exchange the skills and designs symbiotically. Their patient process explanations and working styles helped me to be a part of their crafting process and understand the workings of the craft industry.

Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

(left to right) Shibani Jain, Swati Bohra, Mohammed Naim Shaikh Ashoke Chatterjee, Chaula Patel, Pravin Nahar Renu Patankar, Vidhi Parikh, Pratyush Gupta Sanjayji, Mandakiniji, Sureshji

Product Design | Bachelors of Design | National Institute of Design

Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

Synopsis In India to see people practicing crafts is a very common thing, to eat in crafted vessels, to open doors with craved wooden jaali, to play in the folds of amazingly weaved fabrics. Walking around one sees people wearing crafts, using crafts and living crafts, eating crafted foods and worshiping with the crafted goods.

The project is an attempt to bring these crafts with the help of the Indian artisan skills to an international platform with products that are ready to use and find a place in contemporary homes easily. Obser ving the high demand for handmade products from India in the international market, Baaya plans to expand its ventures through e-commerce aiming at the USA. Analyzing the sense of aesthetics from both the American and the Indian craft perspectives, intense research was conducted to understand all factors like the interior styling, trend analysis, market study on the export of handicrafts, shipping and packaging of goods and all other factors for sales through e-commerce.

Design is a reflection of today, its needs, its aspiration and its wants.

To design for crafts is a uniquely fulfilling experience as it allows us to make much more than just another object. Questioning several craft processes and techniques, by understanding them in depth, the project moved into its next phase. Continuous feedback from the clients in the USA along with the aspiring goals and plans of the company CEO helped to structure this project better. Setting directions and themes based on the research, products were listed that had to be designed.

and on-field experiences helped to take decisions on designs and production processes. Several problems that were encountered during sampling added to the better understanding of the craft. The cost was also a major factor that led to several discussions on the products.

Simultaneously for a trial on sales through e-commerce, a shop was opened at Etsy for which branding, packaging, tagging as well as billing was designed. Paintings aiming at the international market were also developed in the same time frame.

The products developed went through several discussions and interactions with the clients and users and were also put in the Baaya store for market feedback. Making handcrafted products manufacture in a friendly way and consistent in the quality is a task and this process keeps on evolving the products to face the market better. Crafts hold high potential for employment as well as export and foreign exchange earnings for the country. To match the demand and supply with quality, there is a requirement for greater innovation in this unorganized industry where designers have an important role to play along with experts in other fields to co-create with the craftsmen creating systems thats help them to sustain better.

A major decision was made to take up three crafts to work with which were copper enamelling from Maharashtra, Dhokra from Maharashtra and Channapatna from Karnataka. Continuous craft cluster visits

Product Design | Bachelors of Design | National Institute of Design

Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

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01

The Beginning About National Institute of Design -Product Design About Baaya Design The project Project timeline

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About Design education in India began by laying the foundation of NID, as suggested by the “India Report”, presented to the Government of India in 1958 by Eames. The report presented a problem solving consciousness that linked learning with actual practical experience and suggested that a designer could be the bridge between tradition and modernity. The report called upon future designers to re-examine the alternative growth available to the country at that time.

In September, 1961 the National Institute of Industrial Design was established in Ahmedabad as an autonomous all-India body by the Government of India with the assistance of Ford Foundation and the Sarabhai family, following the recommendations made in the India Report. By reviving the Bahaus design movement philosophy of learning by doing, NID created a unique curriculum and revolutionary education system.

Product Design The Product Design programme at NID inculcates user-centric approach and processes. Responsibility and concern towards the social, physical and ecological environments is emphasized in the process of developing innovative ideas. The product design programme assimilates inputs in diverse domains such as human factors, cognitive ergonomics, form studies, studio skills, advanced cad, research methods, design management, materials & manufacturing processes & social sciences. Emphasis is on process centric approach which shapes a student’s education through participation and teamwork.

Design projects form the core of a product designer’s education, the gradual increase in level of complexity and cover broad areas that the product designers are likely to encounter in their professional careers.

Today the National Institute of Design is internationally acclaimed as one of the finest education and research institutions for industrial, communication, textiles, IT integrated(experiential) Design. It is an autonomous institution under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. NID has been declared ‘Institute of National Importance’ by the Act of Parliament, by virtue of the National Institute of Design Act 2014.

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About As a pioneer in interior styling and bespoke art such as wall art, murals, artefacts, lights, partitions and art furniture for residential, hotels and corporate office projects, Baaya Design was founded in December 2009 by Shibani Jain with a vision to conserve traditional artisan skills through innovative design inputs.

The Baaya Design team works with over 40 art and craft forms across the country. These one-of-a-kind creations leverage the rich variety and heritage of Indian crafts, yet are innovative and contemporary. The Baaya value includes design process, quality and project management. At the store, we offer a splendid collection of cultural art from all over the country hosting different art and craft styles. The major aim for Baaya Design is to create livelihood opportunities and facilitating market access for grassroot artisans.

Baaya’s work is seen in many prestigious interiors like that of Axis Bank, Bombay House, TCS Indore, Marasa Hotel at Tirupathi, the Bangalore Airport, Aamby Valley, Nyati Spa Villa, IDFC guest house, Accelya Kale and many others.

Shibani Jain

Founder and CEO

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The Project

Baaya Design, along with its retail store and sales through website, wants to expand the promotion of Indian crafts though the company to the international market.

The brief was to design a range of handmade lifestyle and home decor products, made using Indian arts and crafts, focusing the US market. This will be made available to customers through an e-commerce website in collaboration with a US based company.

The focus will be to capture the essence of the western world using the chosen arts and crafts, highlighting the handmade skills of the artisans. The range will include personalizable and customizable products for example – wall art pieces, table top products, dinning range, etc.

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Project Timeline Jan

Feb

Mar Understanding market trends and US interiors Research on e-commerce system and shipping

Discovery of Indian Handicrafts accessible to the

Redefined brief

Introduction to project at Baaya Design along with overview on handicrafts

Jan

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Client visits from USA to begin the venture and figure out back and front ends

Feb

Mar

Ideation and concepts creation for product ranges

Apr

May

23

Planned timeline

May

Jun

Jul Studio discussions and iteration suggestions

Client’s approval on the design concepts

Directions ahead and documentation

Sampling of selected products at craft clusters

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct Executed timeline

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02

Handicrafts Handicrafts - definition The rebellion Globalization Global market trends Handmade in India Globalization of Indian crafts Import and export Summary

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Handicrafts Utilizing the definition developed by the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), earlier crafts studies as well as UNESCO frameworks, this graduation project has developed and applied the following definition of handicrafts. This is also helpful because of its breadth and depth in capturing the diversity and complexity of the handicraft sector.

1.

2.

1. Beating of sheet metal 2. Dhokra 3. Copper Enamelling

“Handicrafts are the ones produced by artisans, either completely handmade or with the help of manual or mechanical tools, as long as the direct manual contribution of the artisan remains the most substantial component of the finished product.

Handicrafts are made without restriction in terms of quantity and using raw materials from sustainable resources. The special nature of artisanal products derives from their distinctive features, which can be utilitarian, aesthetic, artistic, creative, culturally significant, decorative, functional, traditional, religiously and socially symbolic and significant.

They are made of sustainably produced raw materials and there is no particular restriction in terms of production quantity. Even when artisans make quantities of the same design, no two pieces are ever exactly alike.�

3.

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The Rebellion The Arts and Crafts Movement developed in 19th-century Britain as a rebellion against the fashion for inventive sham and over-elaborate design and as an attempt to reverse the growing dehumanization of work in society. It was based on simple forms, truth to materials and the use of nature as the source of pattern was inspired by the ideas of architect Augustus Pugin, writer John Ruskin, and designer William Morris.

The movement was a rebellion of substance as well as style.

Its power came from the conviction that art and craft could change people’s lives. Its strong social and moral purpose has ensured its continuing relevance. Many guilds and workshops were set up which had a long lasting impact on communities. For the first time women took a leading role in a major art movement as designers, makers and consumers. Both the home and women’s role in it were elevated bringing a subversive freshness to architecture and interior decoration. The Arts & Crafts Movement encouraged the involvement of amateurs and students as well as professionals through organizations such as the home arts, industries and associations.

Detail from a ticket for the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society, 1890, by Walter Crane. Copyright Victoria and Albert Museum, London, acc. no. E.4164-1915.

Pattern designed by William Morris- Textile designer (left page)

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Patterns designed

by William MorrisTextile designer

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Globalization World markets are becoming increasingly integrated as a result of improvements in technology, more competitive transportation and communication costs, and reduced trade barriers. Globalization has accelerated a trend of growing commoditization of handicraft production. At various times in history, mass-produced factory items have replaced goods that were formerly made exclusively by artisans.

As early as in the 19th century, centers like Paisley in Scotland grew around the production of machine-made versions of handcrafted textiles such as the highly prized shawls of Kashmir in India. Today, many observers fear that the advance of globalization has intensified the existence of artisan communities through increasing global competition, the mass production of craft goods, and rapidly shifting trends in fashion, cultural taste, and aesthetics.

From a different perspective, globalization has opened up significant new market opportunities for handicraft producers. The demand for handmade global and cultural goods has and will continue to grow with increased international and domestic tourism, growing interest in interior decoration, greater spending on home furnishings, and as a reaction (especially in upscale markets) to the homogenization of mass-produced goods.

Handicraft producers are being asked to adapt products to buyer requirements, offer more timely production and delivery to exact specifications, and improve production efficiency and quality. They compete not only with other suppliers in their own countries, but also with producers and whole industries in other countries, which may be receiving a higher level of direct or indirect government support.

Product Design | Bachelors of Design | National Institute of Design

Demand for designs

32

Contemporary Indigenous

Time

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Global Market Trends A key characteristic of today’s global home accessory market is the speed with which fashion styles, product designs, and colours change, resulting in increasingly shorter product life cycles.

Ten years ago, some products could be kept in stock for years; today, a typical life cycle is six months. As retailers strive to stay ahead of their competition, new products replace old ones with greater frequency than in the past. Producers, in turn, are forced to keep abreast of trends and constantly develop new designs and products. Because imitation is common in the home accessory industry, a company’s best competitive strategy is to continually introduce new designs, which in turn contributes to the speed with which the market changes. Market experts predict that industry changes will become even more rapid in the future because of instant communications, competition among retailers and wholesalers, and easier and faster travel. In the next 5–10 years, the product life cycle could shorten to as little as three months. This will put more pressure on all producers to deliver product samples and orders quickly lest they go out of style. For developing-country producers, this trend will be a significant challenge and will increase the importance of access to market information and the ability to comply with buyer requirements.

For at least several years to come, the market is expected to continue moving away from indigenous (also known as ethnic or traditional) designs toward more contemporary styling. Market leaders have defined the contemporary category for American consumers, creating such a demand for minimalist design that a lot of Importers, long known for its “ethnic look,” is following suit. This is not to say the market for indigenous products will disappear; on the contrary, there will always be a demand for authentic handicrafts from around the world.

Labeled as global (or world) style, the combination of contemporary and ethnic designs is considered a firmly established and growing category, one that presents new and expanding opportunities for handcrafted goods.

When enhanced by innovative product development, artisan designs, materials, and techniques can greatly improve the appeal of a contemporary item by softening its textures and creating a unique look. The growth of the high-end market in particular presents opportunities for developing-country producers to introduce handmade goods with contemporary styling—sophisticated, stylish products from artisans around the world. Rather than competing for access to the limited market for purely indigenous products, handicraft producers can adapt traditional designs and skills to complement the broad offerings of the expanding luxury market where larger profit margins and distinctive world styling often converge.

As the luxury market segment grows, consumers have shown a willingness to pay more for unique products. Retailers such as Restoration Hardware, Pottery Barn, and Crate & Barrel are certainly popular but often carry surprisingly similar products. The result is that the offerings in many stores, large and small, often tend to look alike. This trend has increased consumer appreciation in the United States, Canada, and Europe for distinctive design, with a premium placed on products that are not mass-produced and exhibit a cultural identity.

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3.

6.

1.

4.

1.Wood carved Krishna 2. Dhokra bull 3. Mojaris 4. Blue Pottery 5. Bengal Pattachitra pots 6. Ajrakh Block Printing 7. Kutcchi embroidery 8. Weaving

Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

7.

2.

5.

8.

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Handmade in India The history of Indian handicrafts goes back to almost 5000 years from now. There are numerous examples of handicrafts from the Indus Valley Civilization. The panorama of Indian crafts is a patchwork quilt of many hues and shades of meaning, reflective of interactions with social, economic, cultural and religious forces. The crafts world is full of contrast, a universe of utility products and sacred objects, articles for ritual use and ephemeral festival crafts, representing many levels of refinement- from the simplest to the most technically advanced.

The range and diversity of Indian crafts is staggering. To understand this diversity one would need to look at the numerous dimensions that include all the historical process that shaped the transformations of our society over time. Social and cultural diversity has multiplied particular forms of artifacts, each shaped by a multitude of forces leading to the vast canvas of variety that can be witnessed today.

The range and manner of using materials reflect the enormous ingenuity of the local mind in discovering appropriate applications.

Some are processed through many iterations while others are used raw, in response to an immediate need. Tools and processes are diverse to include earth, water, fire and air, elements that transform materials in many ways, each extracted from a pool of knowledge that is fast disappearing with the so-called advance modernity.

Traditional wisdom needs preservation and needs to be nurtured and used to unfold new values in a contemporary setting. Each culture has much to offer and India is full of such precious nuggets of traditional wisdom that can be applied to local uses or even global exchange.

New categories have emerged that respond to trade and professional needs of the craftsmen and now designers have joined hands to create new objects for new community of users, some in distant lands. The commercial and the spiritual are both crafted with great pride and care by sensitive hands that use centuries of tradition to inform current practice.

when one asks them about the quality of products......

“Haath se banta hai, aisey hi banega.�

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Globalization of Indian Crafts

Though history, lifestyles, social mores and technologies have changed, the form, function and techniques of crafts (what we also call as a part of the “5000 years of glorious traditions”) have remained uncannily the same. Craft is about form and function meeting a need and this should be its hallmark. Although, the two words often associated with crafts are “preservation” and “reservation”, both are overtly exaggerated for living crafts, which still have a million practitioners.

According to the statistics of the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts, 54.7% of the total production of handicrafts in 2004-05 was exported, much of it to sophisticated and demanding markets in Europe and the US. Handicraft exports have shown a robust growth during the last few years. As is to be expected in an unorganized activity of this kind, a large proportion of the value addition is appropriated by middlemen, whose hold over the artisans gets strengthened because of the imperfections of the markets in terms of capital, inputs and products. The vast majority of craftsmen live and work in abject poverty and insecurity. The sector also has to deal with the problems of a continuing depletion of its traditional skill base, lack of investment and technology infusion and inadequate protection of Intellectual Property Rights.

It is sad that very often we talk about craft sector as if it is something that needs to be propped up, kept going till India becomes fully modern or industrialized. Craft is actually a unique strength for our country, something that other countries look at with envy.

Man with wings Dhokra artefact

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Crafts in India is not generic and cannot be lumped up together. It is one of the few countries perhaps in the world, where there are equal number of people working in precious materials like gold, silver and precious stones, as there are people making brooms, jhadoos and people working with mud and clay. Each of them needs to be treated in a different way. Increasing the sale of handicrafts and handlooms in mainstream retail markets is a crucial step toward providing fulltime employment to the majority of Indian craft workers.

However, craft workers face various constraints in accessing mainstream markets. Marketing is a part of a tightly-linked continuously circling chain in which all the elements are an integral part- education, training, skills development, productivity, social mobilization, data, research, documentation, design development, proper wages, gender equality, waste management, quality control, international tariff barriers and public copy rights, the impact of globalization, social and cultural values, the state of local economies, social security and the sensitization of youth, both in urban as well as craft communities.

Globalization and liberalization have really changed the face of the Indian market and the way of thinking of Indian customers, this puts new pressures on the crafts sector and small producers. These new pressures need a new perspective. If traditional craft techniques and their producers are to survive, they cannot remain static, locked in mind sets, production systems and marketing strategies that are now outdated. Economic liberalization has helped to open up opportunities for the domestic market supplementing growth for handicraft products.

India has one of the fastest growing economies in the World, which is in turn enabling the rapid development of retail infrastructure including shopping malls and stand-alone retail outlets. The growth of urban markets and organized retailing presents an immense opportunity for Indian handicrafts to expand from niche markets and break into mainstream retail markets. There have been many notable interventions over the years aimed at infusing a new vigour in crafts headed for a certain extinction, introducing efficient production technologies, new materials and designs, adapting traditional skills to new products for emerging markets, etc.

Craftsmen themselves are to be made aware of the lifestyle of the consumers, for whom they are creating, however, this is changing due to advancement of technology. Making motifs, designs, technology, techniques, available to craftsmen is one way of making them partners and participants and helping them develop products to suit the tastes of the contemporary market without compromising their traditional aesthetic or social patterns; leaving space for individual creativity and cultural meaning, which is after all the test of a successful craft intervention.

Niche markets such as exhibitions and haats play an important role in exposing craft workers to urban markets and in helping them to sell their products. However, the sales generated by these niche markets are not adequate by themselves to provide employment to the vast number of craft workers in India. Bringing handicrafts into the mainstream is therefore, an important step in creating a sustainable livelihood for Indian craftsmen.

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The decline of crafts is due to the saturation of ideas, not saturation of demand. New marketing strategies for the sector must derive from the underlying principle that all activities will be driven by investment in the intensive design and product development. But that product development and design must be a partnership between the craftspeople and the young designers. Use the rich and varied traditional skill and design base of our extraordinary Indian traditions to create a new international contemporary aesthetic.

Extracts from Das, Shilpa. and Hasija, Nilima. (2017). Indian crafts in a globalizing world.

NID Publications.

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Import and Export The world market for handicrafts is in a state of transition. The growing influx of look-alike, low-cost, fully or partly mechanized crafts and decorative products from countries such as China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, has penetrated and thereby affected the market for traditional hand crafted products. Exports by most traditional craft products exporting nations include a variety of products across categories such as textile clothing/accessories, furnishing, stationery and other housewares/household items, which include hand-crafted, semi-handcrafted and machine made goods.

The current effective world market for crafts and decorative stands at an impressive US $235 billion. In 2003, the top 10 markets, which includes countries such as USA, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong, France, Canada, Belgium and Spain, accounted for 77.5% of the total world imports of crafts and decorative products.

USA is the largest importer of crafts and decorative products and imported US $75.8 billion worth of crafts and decorative products Despite the fact that USA is the largest market, the European Union (EU), viewed as a trading block, is fast emerging as a very attractive destination for crafts and decorative products. The 25 countries that constitute the European Union, account for 40% of the world imports.

Driven by positive changes in major markets like USA and Europe, the world crafts and decorative market has been witnessing a good growth from 2001 onwards. Currently, the USA and EU account for about 70% of the world imports of crafts and decorative products. The rising levels of consumer disposable incomes in these traditional markets together with the tendency to accessorize and re-style homes with unique articles are the major driving factors for the surge in demand for crafts and decorative products.

However, the demand is more for low price products, which are usually machine made. Exporters are at their best in delivering products low price products that match consumer preferences. As a result, the market is becoming highly price competitive in the low and medium value market segments.

China, Italy, Germany, France, Turkey, USA, India, Hong Kong, Spain and Mexico are the top ten exporters of crafts and decorative products in 2003. China’s ability to supply large volume and wide range of low-cost products has pushed in the forefront of competition.

With a whopping US $71.9 billion in exports, it controls a 30% share in the world market of crafts and decorative products.

The exporting nations can be classified in different leagues based on the value of products they export and the markets they address.

Countries like Italy, Germany, France, Turkey, USA, Spain and UK dominate the high-end market segments, and supply high value crafts and decorative products. These are mostly machine made. These countries occupy leadership positions in categories like ceramics, glassware, leather goods, furniture and lighting articles. Eastern European countries like Poland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania and Asian countries like Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea are major players in the medium value products. In the low and medium value products, China and India are the two leading competitors among Asian countries. The main factor that distinguishes product from these countries is the level of mechanization.

About 90% of products of Chinese origin are completely or partly machine-made, whereas Indian products are mostly handcrafted and exemplify a high degree of craftsmanship.

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High-end market segment Va l u e Middle market segment

Low -end market segment Vo l u m e

Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

Italy Germany France Turkey USA Spain UK Poland Taiwan Hong Kong Belgium Korea India China China India Thailand Vietnam Malaysia Indonesia

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Summary

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03

Discovery of Crafts Copper Enamelling -About the craft -About this cluster -Stakeholders -Process steps -Techniques -Experiments -Existing products Brass Dhokra -About the craft -About this cluster -Stakeholders -Process steps -Experiments -Existing products Channapatna -About the craft -Process steps -Existing products Gond Painting Pattachitra Painting Summary

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National Institute of Design

Bhopal

Gujarat

Baaya Design Alibaug

Copper Enamelling

Gond Paintings

Madhya Pradesh

Maharashtra Panchgani

Dokra at Devrai Art Village

Karnataka Channapatna Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

Channapatna craft

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Craft clusters Odisha Raghurajpur Pattachitra Paintings

The greatest benefit of working in Baaya is to directly connect and experience grass-root artisanal works at their clusters all around the country. Crafts being the core of Baaya as well as this project, an intense study of crafts was necessary. The clusters that were accessible to the company were listed and plans to visit them were made.

The project required at least 3 different crafts and some painting styles to be studied and utilized for the development of products. Copper enamelling craft practiced at Alibaug, Maharashtra, Dhokra, the lost wax casting craft at Panchgani, Maharashtra and Channapatna at Channapatna, Karnataka. Few Indian painting styles were also listed naming Pattachitra from Odisha and Gond from Madhya Pradesh.

Each of these crafts had strong potentials of new possibilities and varieties which led to further experiments.

Craftsmen have their own take on the crafts that they have been working with for several years. It is that core understanding which can help develop and further sustain the craft. The aim was also to share the design aspects for the project so that they can provide inputs from their end as well.

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Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

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Copper Enamelling About the craft

Principal enamelling techniques -

Enamelling is a process of firing a vitreous, glass- like coating on to a metallic base. In India, the tradition is centuries old and has been used for creating both precious art objects as well as utilitarian items.

The art was brought to Varanasi by Persian enamellists around early 17th century during the Mughal era.

Basse-Taille In this, the metal surface is carved in varying depths of low relief using etching, engraving, chasing or other techniques. The low relief surface is covered with transparent enamel so that the design is revealed through it. Several thin layers of transparent enamels are then fired over this base, giving the enamelled object a brilliant tonal quality.

In the past, enamelling was practiced in many centers in India, with each region specializing in its own particular style and technique. In Lucknow, the minakars specialized in the blue and green enamelling on silver, while in Banaras the dusky rose-pink or the gulabi mina was the dominant colour. The craft was also practiced in kangra, Kashmir and Bhawalpur. It was only after the introduction of the Gold Control act in India- which compelled the minakars to look for a base material other than gold that copper was introduced.

The artisans follow the process of fusing special coloured powdered glass and copper wire. The process requires a lot of patience, experience and concentration to understand the right stage of heating. This technique leaves behind its process history on the product in the form of its burnt marks which add to its beauty.

Champleve In this, portions of the surface of the metal are cut away, creating troughs and hollows, separated by raised lines of metals that form the outline of the design. The hollows are then filled in with colours.

Cloisonne Thin strips or wires of copper are soldered/fastened on the base metal in order to produce a closed cell (cloison) design. These cells are then filled with enamel colours and fired.

Plique a jour Metal strips or individual wires are used to create the design, and are often used to create the structure of the object itself, such as a vessel or a jewellery. These wires or strips are soldered to each other, rather than to the base metal, thus creating a network of metal for the enamellist to work upon. Here the enamel doesn’t have a backing but is held together by the metal structure.

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About this cluster

In the midst of a Konkan village called Bhaimala, which is in the Raigarh district close to Alibaug, Maharashtra, lies this small workshop of copper enamelling under the supervision of our master craftsman Mr Sanjay Patil.

A gentleman, Mr Babu Mhatre happened to travel to Spain in the late fifties and learnt the craft under the world renowned enamelist Sr. Sol de Villa in Barcelona. On returning to India he started exploring indigenous methods to work on this craft. He worked with Bhulabhai Memorial Institute on the Warden road in Mumbai during 1959-1960.

Eventually he gained popularity for the craft and started doing a lot of commission works. During the same time he started a small workshop in Alibaug where he produced small lifestyle accessory products. He trained the locals in this craft who later branched out on their own to work independently. Mr Sanjay Patil is amongst one of the people who was trained by Mr Mhatre.

With more than 40 years of experience in this field, Mr Sanjay Patil is the master craftsman of the workshop today. Along with a team of 5 other craftsmen and some members of his family, he has been instrumental in pioneering this artform and striving for its popularity.

The workshop, which is located right beside his house, is always accessible to him. In his tenure till date, Mr Patil has experimented a lot with different products in copper and enameling and is open for new experiments. Apart from the workshop oriented works, Mr Patil has his own farm which is also an alternate source of his income. The workshop produces several products that reach a lot of customers through retail stores and online sales. The workshop runs on all days round the year for 10-11 hours daily.

Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

It takes around 3.5 hrs by road route or 3hrs by water route via Mandwa to reach the workshop from Mumbai. Since the place is inside the village, it is recommended to either have a personal vehicle or a rented autorickshaw for internal travelling. Food and stay is taken care at Mr Patil’s house which is exceptional considering it to be in a village. The best part of this workshop is its accessibility from the place of stay that helps us work till late night without any inconvenience.

House and workshop of Mr Patil at Bhaimala, Alibaug * Inside the workshop (right page)

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Stakeholders

Shri Sanjay Patil Master Craftsman Age - 58 years Experience - 26 years Specialized in all parts and process of the craft but due to parkinson’s disease and old age, he is now limited to few activities like cutting basic shapes and filling in the colour. He is responsible for all order fulfillments, delivery and client contacts along with management of the workshop and its production.

Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

Vikrant Patil Son on Sanjay Patil Age - 22 years Experience - 5 years With his keen interest in the craft form,Vikrant is a fast learner and meticulously fills in colours. He is specialized in filling a very even layer of colour over copper. Apart from this he also knows the firing and other finishing techniques and is also picking up the skill of wire bending.

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Other craftsmen

Milind Vartak Age - 40, Experience - 20 years Wire works for designs

Baburao Naik Age - 50, Experience - 22 years Copper cutting and bending

Ashish Patil Age - 40, Experience - 20 years Colouring and finishing

Avdhut Age - 25, Experience - 5 years Copper shaping and soldering

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Process Steps 1. Shaping of copper

Copper, being a malleable material, can be beaten or shaped into several forms. The craftsmen worked with copper plates and wires and so, our creations were mostly in the form of plates and domes.

Special dies are created to shape the copper plates and then the plates are beaten using wooden hammers and tools.

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2. Cleaning the surface

Copper plates go through a lot of erosion and chemical reactions whenever left in open air. It causes blackening of the plates. Before enameling, all such surfaces need to be cleaned. Hence the copper is dipped into Sulphuric Acid for some time and then washed using clean water. Then the plate is buffed using a copper brush for final smooth polish.

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3. Adding flux

A layer of transparent glass powder is added over the piece of copper wherever enameling is going to take place. A layer of dilute paper glue is applied first, followed by the powder using a strainer.

It is a controlled process since the glue dries off fast and the flux gets uneven with slight contact with other surfaces or movement.

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4. Bending copper wires

According to the designs required over the surface of the copper plates, copper wires are bent to create shapes. This also acts like a neat boundary for the colours to not spread around during firing.

Copper wires are bent using nose pliers and cutters.

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5. Placing the wire shapes

The copper wire shapes are gently placed over the fluxed plates without disturbing the evenly spread flux powder. It is easier to set the designs on flat surfaces than on curved ones since they do not stick without heating. When heated at high temperatures, the flux melts and sets the copper wire shapes on it and sticks them to the copper plate when cooled.

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6. Heating the flux

After adding an even thin layer of flux on the copper surface, it is heated at a very high temperature so that the flux melts and sticks to each other as well as on the copper surface forming a transparent layer. The leftover copper areas create a black thin layer over itself which can be later washed.

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7. Colouring

The coloured powder is first soaked in water and then applied over the copper surfaces using a paint brush. The colours need to be applied very gently since they do not stick to the copper surface unless heated and might come off if disturbed.

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8. Final firing

Once the pieces are coloured, they are fired at around 850°C till the time all the coloured particles melt and set on the copper surface.

Thicker layers of colours and darker colours take longer time to melt. Extra heating might lead to change in colour as well as chipping off from the copper surface once cooled. Overheating can melt the copper pieces as well. Precautions need to be observed to prevent dirt falling on the molten colours.

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Techniques

1. Even layer of enamel

The flux layer, added over the copper sheet before placing the wired designs over them, needs to be evenly applied. Also the layer needs to be of the right thickness, otherwise there are possibilities of white patches to be formed instead of the transparent layer which may chip off after the final firing. Also to achieve even colours and gradations, a tool is developed which is basically a pipe with a strainer at the end which helps in applying the enamel better.

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2. Finishing

After firing each time the copper pieces turn black due to burning of the top layer which needs to be removed before buffing. The pieces are dipped in an acid solution for sometime after cooling the pieces. They are then dipped in water followed by the final finishing.

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3. Wired designs

There are few designs that can be made using this very simple process and hence can be easily mass producible. These designs are mainly squares and circles. They are made by winding copper wire over square or circular rods of different sizes followed by beating the wire with hammer to take the perfect shape around the rods. This is followed by cutting the whole spring type piece into individual squares and circular pieces.

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4. Refined shapes

Due to the demand of intricate and complex designs and high value of copper enameled products, compromise on precise shapes cannot effect the designs. With thicker wires detailed designs were difficult to make. By using different thicknesses of copper wires, variations in designs were made possible which gave better definition to the surface works.

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5. Polish and buffing

There are two types of buffing done. The matte finish is mostly done using the wired buffing wheel on surfaces after removing it from the acid. It basically removes all the stains of corrosion and burnt marks on copper and gives a smooth surface finish. The mirror finish is generally done for utensils and surfaces which do not require lacquering. Though the mirror finish can bring out all the dent marks on copper, but if done perfectly, it creates the best finish. The process is slightly time consuming and also requires cleaning several times in between the buffing process.

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6. Soldering

Soldering process involves joining two metal pieces by heating the solder placed between the preheated copper joints. The heated solder melts and then gets fixed between them, when cooled. The soldering process leaves black marks on the surface, giving an untidy finish.

These marks can be either buffed to an extent or the whole copper surface can be oxidized to get an even tarnished look.

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Experiments 1. Etching

Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface, to create a design in the metal. Using Ferric Chloride solution, copper can be etched into the desired shapes. The surfaces to be protected are covered using Black Japan pigment and then the copper plates are dipped into the solution for a long time. Longer the time the plates are kept in the solution, the deeper the etching will take place.

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2. Enamel on both sides

Enamelling on both sides of a copper sheet would prevent the copper from coming in contact with atmosphere causing no tarnishing. An organically cut bowl was experimented upon, where first one side was enameled and fired and then the other side was done in the same manner. Although, due to improper heating the piece turned black from some parts, the process is very much possible. The only thing that has to be taken care of is while doing the second firing the opposite enameled surface should not come in contact with any other surface to avoid removal of enamel.

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3. Colouring

It is easier to colour inside the copper wired shapes and they look neater. Chances of colours moving into other shapes is reduced and thicker layers of coloured powder can be applied which gives an evenly coloured surface. It becomes a more difficult task to add coloured powders without wired boundaries. The process is the same, just done more gently. Colouring the background or larger surfaces become risky since by the time one part of the surface gets coloured the other coloured powders get dried and start wearing off or mixing on other colours.

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4. Colouring

Colouring on deeper surfaces is similar to the experiment of colouring without borders. Due to such depth, wired designs cannot be placed and hence provides a very unfinished look. The chances of colours falling over each other during firing is higher with the depth. The reason for etching was to create depth for better colouring. But the depth created is not enough to hold the colours in place and hence the colours fall out creating an untidy look.

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5. Stencil

Designs cut out on MDF could be used as stencils for the process of copper enamelling. An experiment of using stencils and adding only flux on copper surface was carried out where the copper surface was later oxidized to enhance the flux covered surface. Seamless gradations and coloured based explorations can be done using the same concept.

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Existing Products A short study on the existing products made by the artisans of the workshop was done to identify the potential areas of intervention.

The products carried a very strong Indian look along with elements like Ganpati, Om, swastik or floral motifs which, according to Mr Patil sells better. The products also showed the unpredictable quality of the craft which is a major concern for a high end market.

The products are made for several years in the same fashion and are put into the market in rounds, every alternate year. This according to the Mr Patil, the master craftsman is a market strategy where he creates a demand for a product by not putting it in for a year and sell it better the next year.

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Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

1. Wall plate 2. Ash tray, Agarbatti stand, candle holder * Regular products (right page)

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Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

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Dhokra

About the craft Dhokra is a non-ferrous metal that is cast into various products by using the lost-wax casting technique. This sort of metal casting has been undertaken in India for over 4,000 years and the same method is still being used. One of the earliest known lost wax artifacts is the dancing girl of Mohenjo-daro. Dhokra is the oldest form of metal casting and popular because of its simplicity. It is the specialty of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and several other states of India. It is a very important handicraft because of it labour extensive and largely exclusive folk character.

Dhokra crafts are made manually by casting of brass and bronze metal with the help of wax vanishing technique. The Dhokra craft has been discovered in the relics of the Mohenjo-daro and Harappan civilizations, which proves the historical and traditional importance of the industry. It is this continuity of tradition, coupled with the intrinsic starkness and vitality of the art form, which makes Dhokra products coveted collectors’ items in India and abroad for connoisseurs, scholars and laypersons alike.

Process

There are two main processes of lost-wax casting: solid casting and hollow casting. While the former is predominant in southern India, the latter is more common in central and eastern India. In solid casting, instead of a clay core a solid piece of wax is used to create the mould; hollow casting, on the other hand, is the more traditional method and entails the use of the clay core.

The entire process can be broadly divided into the following five major parts: -Modelling -Moulding -De-waxing -Casting and -Finishing.

Raw Materials

The basic raw material used for making Dhokra articles is brass, which is procured in the form of used brass utensils or any other brass scrap. The other raw materials required are: -Aari Mitti/Chikti Mitti (Black Soil) -Bhoosa (Rice Husk) -Rui Mitti (Riverside Soil) -Mome (Bees wax and Paraffin wax) -Tar -Carpur (Camphor) -Jalawan (Fire Wood) -Koyla (Wood Coal)

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About this cluster

In the midst of the hills and valleys of Panchgani, Maharashtra lies this splendidly structured Dhokra craft cluster named as Devrai Art village. Under the sensitive supervision of Mrs Mandakini Mathur and Mr Suresh Pangati who together initiated this NGO, the cluster grew from 5 to 40 craftsmen today.

One has to keep climbing up and down to enjoy every glimpse of the craft. Right on top of the hill lies the house of Mrs Mandakini which is also extended to a gallery exhibiting dhokra products.

Panchgani being a prominent tourist spot, has no issues of stay and food which is generally a major concern for cluster visitors.

Devrai Art village, began under the old tree of Ficus Glomerata (Umbar) that stands in the middle of land of Devrai. Its spreading branches almost touching the ground create a natural cave of green dappled light. This magical space was an invitation and inspiration to sit under the tree and soon a platform was created. It is a non profit initiative to connect with nature and celebrate creativity. A core group of highly skilled Adivasi craftsmen and artists from the Gadchiroli region in Maharashtra are working in Panchgani to produce quality artifacts suited to contemporary needs and tastes.

When necessary, these products can be mass produced back home, thus generating employment there as well. Interested people in Panchgani are also being trained. Panchgani, Mahabaleshwar has the unique distinction of being both a biodiversity hotspot and a pressured tourist destination. Devrai art village tries to marry these two concerns and pave the way for eco-tourism in this area. Local people are exposed to the skills of adivasis from Chandrapur/ Gadchiroli, Maharashtra and for the adivasis, it means new designs and better marketing possibilities.

It takes around 6 hours by road route to reach the cluster from Mumbai. Mapping this place is not very difficult due to its popularity amongst the people of the region. The workshops lie on a hill and is structured in a very interesting manner where different steps of the process happen at different levels of the hill.

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Workshops at Devrai * Panchgani view from the workshop(right page)

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Stakeholders

Mrs Mandakini Mathur Chairperson Mandakini is the founder and lead designer of Devrai Art Village.

She did her M-phil in cinema from Sorbonne, Paris. She has been making feature and documentary films on issues of environmental concern, Indian culture, spirituality and on child centric themes.

Her vision for Devrai Art Village was to connect with Nature and celebrate creativity. The inspiration for this endeavor also stems from her strong belief of the necessity to sustain adivasi livelihood and support a heritage, rich in indigenous art and highly skilled craft.

Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

Mr Suresh Pungati Co-founder An Adivasi himself, Suresh is a highly decorated craftsman. He won the best craftsman award at the international fair in Edinburgh in 2002 and was selected to represent Indian tribal craft in an expo in Milan. He has a passion for enabling his community to progress and for his efforts was given the “Adivasi Sevak Puruskar� by the state government.

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Process Steps

1. Preparation of core

The inner shape/core of the desired design is first made using clay that provides most of the mass to the piece. This clay is prepared using rice husk and fine soil mixed together in appropriate proportions.

After creating the core shape, the pieces are left to dry till the top surface is completely hardened for the next step.

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2. Preparation of wax

One of the core elements of this craft is the wax making. The wax is made by heating a mixture of bees wax, paraffin wax, tar and camphor to the right temperature where none of the elements burn. After heating, the molten wax is poured over water through a muslin filter to avoid impurities. The consistency of this mixture and the heating needs to be perfect to achieve the desired details and shaping quality of wax.

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3. Wax for details

The wax created is then collected in the shape of a dough and pressed through a strainer, which turns the wax into thin threads.

This process is carried out with consistent surface heating. Once the threads are prepared they are left to dry before using them for the next process.

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4. Shaping with wax

The core clay pieces are coated with a uniform layer of wax and then further details are also added using the wax threads. The process requires continuous heat supply because of which the craftsmen have to site near a bowl with burning coal while carrying out this process.

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5. Clay coats

The final wax model is coated with a layers of rice husk mixed clay.

After complete drying of that layer a second layer is also added which becomes the final coat before firing. The layers of clay coat may vary from 2-7 layers depending upon the size of the piece. Each layer is made with a tunnel till the wax layer which becomes the path for wax to flow out and molten metal to be poured in.

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6. Pouring and firing

After drying the clay coats completely, the pieces are then put into the kiln where the wax melts out due to the heat. Simultaneously another kiln is set to melt the scrap brass pieces. Once the molten metal is ready to be poured, the pieces are brought out of the first kiln and the metal is poured in and left to settle and cool.

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7. Breaking

Once the molten metal has cooled down which takes around an hour, the pieces are gently broken to remove the clay coats. In hollow Dhokra technique, the inner core clay will also be broken which makes it further light weight.

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8. Soldering and Finishing

The pieces are soldered using brass if required. All unnecessary casted residues and rough surfaces are finished using grinding and buffing machines. Finally the objects are buffed to a matte or mirror finished look. Due to demands some pieces are also oxidized to achieve an antique look.

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Experiments

1. Free flowing forms

Free flowing forms are made after all the pouring is done. The molten metal is dropped on the uneven mud floor of the workshop and left to settle and cool down. Later they are joined using soldering to create desired shapes if required.

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2. Organic Casting

Objects that can be burnt by heating like seeds, fabric, vegetables, etc are coated directly with 2 layers of clay and fired in the kiln.

Very interesting forms are created when the casting of these pieces is complete.

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3. Rock Dhokra

In the Rock Dhokra process, the shape of the end product is created in bees wax around an appropriately chosen rock. The rock is then fused with molten brass in a high temperature kiln during the casting process. This breakthrough discovery has also been patented by Devrai Art Village.

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Existing Products A huge variety of products are being made at this cluster where they take inspiration majorly from nature and prefer keeping the raw and rustic look on brass giving it a more handcrafted look. Dhokra being a single time mould casting technique, cannot have two exactly identical products, no matter how precise one gets in making the mould which also adds to its value.

Stone Dhokras have an added weight of the stone in them whereas the hollow Dhokra is lighter than usual products due to lack of inner extra metal mass. With these properties in mind, the products can be designed to serve its purpose.

1. Stone Dhokra turtle artefact 2. Hollow Dhokra Pen stand * Stone Dhokra Cow artefact

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Channapatna About the craft

Raw Materials

Situated 60 Km southwest of Bangalore, there is a town called Channapatna, in local parlance it is often termed as ‘Gombegala Ooru’ meaning Toy-Town. Channapatna is a lathe turned wood based product making craft form which is known for its naturally coloured and lacquer finished look. Vegetable dyes are used in the colouring process to ensure that the toys and dolls are safe for use by children.

Ivory/Hale/Milk wood The wood needs to be seasoned through either the chemical or natural process through adequate ventilation for 2-3 months.

Home to over 5,000 artisans, Channapatna’s journey to becoming the “toy town of Karnataka” is believed to have begun nearly 200 years ago under the reign of Tipu Sultan. The then ruler of Mysuru is said to have been gifted a lacquered-wood toy from Persia in the 18th century. Impressed by the craft, he brought artisans from Persia to train local artists in the craft. Bavas Miyan is the father of Channapatna Toy. He adopted Japanese technology for toys making and helped the local artisans improve their art.

For nearly two centuries, ivory-wood was the main wood used in the making of these toys, though rosewood and sandalwood were also occasionally used.

Screw Pine leaves A very necessary element for all accessories in lacquer-ware.

Lac Deposits by the insect Technadria lacca, found in the trees of Kusum in several parts of India, lac used for turnery based products are available in 3 major colours-golden, brown and black.

Various other colours can be mixed with using the heat process.

The toy city saw instant money in the ‘golden era’ that broke down in two decades when the European traders procured napkin rings at half the price from Chinese markets. This ‘faded’ the art of lacquering that demands shades of tonal gradations. Over the last 4 years, many new companies and social enterprises have been reviving the Channapatna craft to suit modern tastes.

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Process Steps 1. Shaping of wood

The wood which is seasoned for 1-3 months, is cut in different sizes according to the need. These small pieces are mounted on lathe machine and with the help of different types of chisel the wood is shaped in spherical, circular or oval shapes as per the design.

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2. Lacquering process

Once the wood is shaped in desired form the lacquering process starts. The artisans press the lacquer stick against the wooden piece while it is still on lathe and due to the heat produced by friction lacquer gets applied on the wood. The applied lacquer is spread uniformly over the surface with the help of dried palm leaf. This also gives shine and luster to the product.

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3. Final Fixtures

Once the product is made it is detached from the lathe and further surface embellishment or assembling of different parts (if the product is made of 2 or more parts)is done. Other decorative works on the surface of product are also done at this stage.

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Existing Products Channapatna is known to make toys for years and may be that could be a reason why the cost of these products could never be placed too high. The products had to placed better in the market, for which addition of better utility and a little bit of formal look could be beneficial. The identity of the craft is it’s vibrant colours and turned products which had to be maintained to keep the craft exclusive.

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1. Tray stands 2. Toys 3. Existing products

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Gond

About the craft

Painting style

The Gonds, are the largest Adivasi Community in India and are Dravidians whose origin can be traced to the pre-Aryan era.

They are mainly found in Madhya Pradesh and its surrounding States. The word Gond comes from Kond, which means green mountains in the Dravidian idiom.

Gond paintings can best be described as ‘on line work’. The artist makes sure to draw the inner as well as outer lines with as much care as possible so that the perfection of the lines has an immediate effect on the viewer. Lines are used in such a way that it conveys a sense of movement to the still images. Dots and dashes are added to impart a greater sense of movement and increase the amount of detail.

The Gonds traditionally painted on mud walls of their houses.

Starting in the early 1980s, certain talented Pardhan Gonds who traditionally served as professional bardic priests began transforming their ritual performing arts into a new tradition of figurative and narrative visual art: using a variety of modern media (including acrylic paintings on canvas, ink drawings on paper, silkscreen prints, and animated film) they have created unprecedented depictions of their natural and mythological worlds, traditional songs and oral histories. Rich in detail, colour, mystery and humor, these tribal artworks brilliantly employ modern means to evoke the premodern psyche. Jangarh Singh Shyam was the first Gond artist to use paper and canvas for his art. His talent was soon recognized, and his work was exhibited all over the country.

Another very striking facet of Gond paintings has to be the use of bright vivid colours such as white, red, blue and yellow. The paints are usually derived naturally from objects such as charcoal, coloured soil, plant sap, leaves and even cow dung.

According to the Gond belief system, each and everything whether it is a hill, river, rock or a tree is inhabited by a spirit and, consequently, is sacred. So the Gond people paint them as a form of respect and reverence. Gond paintings are a reflection of man’s close connection with his natural surroundings.

Painting by Venkat Shyam (left page)

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Pattachitra About the craft

Process

Pattachitra style of painting is one of the oldest and most popular art forms of Odisha. The name Pattachitra has evolved from the Sanskrit words patta, meaning canvas, and chitra, meaning picture.

Pattachitra is thus a painting done on canvas, and is manifested by rich colourful application, creative motifs and designs, and portrayal of simple themes, mostly mythological in depiction.

The creation of the Pattachitra paintings is a disciplined art form, and the chitrakars maintain rigidity in their use of colours and patterns, restricting the colours to a single tone. Limiting themselves within the boundaries of some rules, the chitrakars come up with such remarkable paintings depicting stark emotional expressions that it is a surprise, shading of colours is a taboo.

Some of the popular themes represented through this art form are Thia Badhia - depiction of the temple of Jagannath; Krishna Lila - enactment of Jagannath as Lord Krishna displaying his powers as a child; Dasabatara Patti - the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu; Panchamukhi - depiction of Lord Ganesh as a five-headed deity.

More than anything, the themes are clearly the essence of the art form, conceptualizing the meaning of the paintings.

Making the patta is the first thing that comes in the agenda, and the painters, also called chitrakars, go about their work in preparing a tamarind paste, which is made by soaking tamarind seeds in water for three days. The seeds are later pounded with a crusher, mixed with water, and heated in an earthen pot to turn it to a paste, which is called niryas kalpa. The paste is then used to hold two pieces of cloth together with it, and coated with a powder of soft clay stone a couple of times till it becomes firm.

Soon as the cloth becomes dry, the final touch of polishing it with a rough stone and then a smooth stone or wood is given, until the surface becomes smooth and leathery, and is all ready as a canvas to be painted on.

With the passage of time, the art of Pattachitra has gone through a commendable transition, and the chitrakars have painted on tussar silk and palm leaves, and even created wall hangings, showpieces and several applications on products. However, this kind of innovativeness has never proved to be a hindrance in their customary depiction of figures and the use of colours, which has remained intact throughout generations. This constancy is the key factor that has maintained the effervescence of Pattachitra, backed with the fact that the setting up of some special centers for the art form in Odisha speaks volumes for its popularity.

Preparing the paints is perhaps the most important part of the creation of Pattachitra, engaging the craftsmanship of the chitrakars in using naturally available raw materials to bring about indigenous paints. The gum of the kaitha tree is the chief ingredient, and is used as a base for making different pigments, on which diverse raw materials are mixed for diverse colours.

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Summary

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The Venture Begins Baaya collaborated with the International clients who were residents of USA and owned an online shop called Homenjoyed on Etsy through which they wanted to begin this venture of introducing Indian crafts to USA. The team from USA was lead by Mrs Swati Bohra who is an architect and has her expertise in the subject of interior design.

Their future plans were to eventually move into Amazon and finally their own website based on the success of the sales and reviews. The collaboration was with the design team of Baaya who would design and curate products that fit the interiors of the International home decor market and finally develop a market of Indian handmade products that can be personalized and customized for the clients.

E-commerce meeting at Baaya Design studio between Mrs Shibani Jain, CEO Baaya Design, Mr Vipul Jain, co-founder Baaya Design, Mrs Swati Bohra, client from USA and the design team. * Mrs Swati Bohra at Baaya store(left page)

Baaya would also develop its backend and front end systems for the sales through e-commerce which would include the packaging, shipping, order fulfillment, content writing, website development and finance. The clients would figure out the marketing end by themselves, for them being a part of the market that was being targeted at. To attain a clearer understanding on e-commerce, few weeks were spent to analyze all aspects of it along with strong comparison based study of brands with similar line of work.

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On being asked “Sanjay ji, why don’t you train more craftsmen so that you can increase your productivity?”

“Today I have more orders to fulfill so you are asking me to hire more men, but two months from now in off season those guys will become a liability to me.

How do I pay them then?”

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04

E-Commerce E-commerce business Shopping habits Baby Boomers Gen X Gen Y Gen Z Potential persona Online Shopping Shipping Packaging and rest Summary

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Stages of online purchase journey Awareness

1

Triggers and influencers

4 Evaluation

2 Consideration

Product and company research

Experience and feedback

3 Conversion

Where and when to buy

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E-Commerce Business There are few major factors that need to be kept in mind before starting an e-commerce based business. These factors help to create a good foundation for the startup and get itself recognized in the market they are aiming for.

Branding Unique designed logo, well utilized social networks like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn presence are very helpful for good brand recognition. Running multiple display advertising campaigns telling people what the company have and does. Showcasing testimonials, reviews and feedback across the site and networks and actively participating in Q&A answering all brand related queries.

USP USP stands for unique selling points. A buyer usually spends a good time in researching about factors like price, quality, deals and offers and reviews.

Customer Retention A business is never going to be a success without the army of Loyal Customers. Customer retention is helpful to get more sales and to build the brand. A loyal customer not only buys from the brand but also spreads the good words in his network. Also less effort is required to sell something to existing customers again. They’ve already used the product and they won’t be affected by FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubts).

Multi-Channel Marketing An ideal marketing strategy should focus on number of marketing channels. You can use email marketing, SEM, affiliate marketing, referral marketing, social media and offline campaigns to diversify the reach. Thus it’s not dependent on a single source and they’ll also bring regular amount of buyers. All it needs good and specified targeting and regular data-driven optimization.

Store Experience A user friendly store is essential for better conversation. High speed surfing and better e-commerce platform is a must. Offering multiple features help but too many options also confuse users.

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Shopping habits Market place

Large retailer

Spend $488 annually Web-store

Category- specific

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Where and what Americans buy online 44%

Books, movies, music

43%

Clothing, shoes, home accessories

34%

Computers, electronics

29%

Health, beauty products

28%

Books, movies, music

47%

Clothing, shoes, home accessories

32%

Computers, electronics

24%

Health, beauty products

15%

Books, movies, music

27%

Clothing, shoes, home accessories

15%

Computers, electronics

18%

Health, beauty products

21%

Books, movies, music

30%

Clothing, shoes, home accessories

19%

Computers, electronics

19%

Health, beauty products

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Factors influencing the American’s decision to purchase online 87%

Price

80%

Shipping cost and speed

71%

Discount offers

71%

Variety of options in stock

68%

Trustworthy review

68%

Flexible or free returns

67%

Brand reputation

64%

Simple site navigation

53%

Tailored selection of products

46% 45%

Mobile friendly web page Loyalty/rewards program

42%

Friends and family

39%

Top search engine results

23%

Social media recommendations

21%

Advertisements

Why is it necessary for this project?

-target the audience precisely -knowing what their expectations are -numerous factors that determine shoppers’ buying habits -most important is the generation gap.

-different generations develop distinct shopping habits due to cultural and social circumstances There are 4 major generational demographics as distinct markets to study the shopping behaviors in the US. Baby Boomers, GenX,  GenY(Millennials) and GenZ - each of which is unique in their perspectives on marketing tactics and purchasing preferences.

Each generation has its own defining political and cultural traits that have characterized their coming-of-age and shopping habits.

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passionate dedicated

respect to be respected

independent

team players

work-centric believe in manners

golden generation

tolerant

goal-oriented

self-sufficient resourceful

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Baby Boomers Born 1946 to 1964 - age 53 and above

Shopping habits

They are hitting retirement and hence want products that will make their lives simpler. They appreciate value behind your product without paying much attention to prices. That’s what makes them the highest value consumers. Once they find a brand that meets their needs, they will remain loyal to it.

- want convenience above all else.

- too stressed for shopping trips - only 37 percent of Boomers reporting that they would be likely or willing to explore a store for new products.

- aversion to browsing - very comfortable browsing and shopping online with 85 percent of surveyed Boomers reporting that they research products on their web browsers.

- aren’t opposed to taking a leap of faith to purchase products online either as 66 percent of Boomers reportedly make regular purchases via web devices.

- by far prefer the personal engagement of traditional stores when making actual purchases.

- high expectations of customer service.

- place immense value in brands based on their interactions with sales associates, and retailers can capitalize on this by offering the experience through digital channels.

- social web store features and clienteling apps have become vital tools in engaging the Boomer generation and catering to their reliance on associates’ recommendations.

- more selective on what sources they trust for brand recommendations before shopping.

- interest sparked by the reported popularity of a brand when purchasing a new or unfamiliar product. This suggests that brands with bold and consistent omni-channel engagement are likely to perform better among the Boomer demographic due to their suggested popularity.

Shop instore - 33% Shop online - 28%

Where they shop online Marketplace - 51% Large retailer - 66% Web store - 30% Category specific - 44%

Time spent online 2.5 hours per week

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assertive time-management

practical

require stability

mistrust instructions

effective

neo-liberal

objective-oriented

gender-deconstruction

adaptive

accept diversity work-life balance

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Generation X Born 1965 to 1980 – ages 38 to 62 They are highly systematic and love comparing products before they make a final decision. They don’t prefer to follow current trends and are less likely to be influenced by the innovations on the market.

This generation responds to the quality and they don’t mind if the product is expensive as long as its quality matches the price.

Shop instore - 59% Shop online - 41%

Where they shop online Marketplace - 59% Large retailer - 74% Web store - 42% Category specific - 39%

Shopping habits - managed to fully embrace the idea of online shopping.

- produce 31% of total US income despite representing 25 % of the population.

- tend to shop more conservatively than other generations.

- more skeptical about marketing tactics, which means they won’t be won with flashy advertising but with practicality and proof of performance.

- won’t purchase a product until they’ve researched it thoroughly, which is why they make extensive use of search engines, online reviews, and social media networks before making a purchase.

- prefers honest explanations of product usage and trusts clienteling techniques that cater to their own habits.

- critical to make products and services especially visible and accessible online by using SEO strategies to optimize their research and an active social media presence to demonstrate a personable and authentic brand image.

- email is one of best channels for reaching out to this generation.

- respond well to personalized offers based on their previous purchases.

- rely on quality customer service for brand loyalty

Time spent online 4 hours per week

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celebrate diversity love a change

optimistic

techno-savvy

innovative thinkers

optimistic

resourceful

determined

collaborative

adaptive

entrepreneur self-oriented

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Generation Y Born 1981 to 2000 – ages 18 to 37 They are the most price sensitive generation. Among all factors like product quality, availability and reliability, price plays a fundamental role in their buying decisions. They believe in developing strong sense of social awareness prefers buying from brands that “give back to the community,” such as H&M that provides free school supplies for refugee children, BoxLunch that gives a free meal for every $10 you spend and TOMS, which offers another pair of shoes to children in need for every pair you buy.

Shop instore - 44% Shop online - 56%

Where they shop online Marketplace - 56% Large retailer - 76% Web store - 49% Category specific - 37%

Time spent online 6 hours per week

Shopping habits - use web while shopping in stores.

- 68 percent demand the convenience of omnichannel accessibility during their shopping journey, which means having an integrated experience that can effortlessly transition their consumer data from their smartphone, to laptop, to local store, and back again.

- seeing shopping as a social activity - enjoy shopping - see it as fun and relaxing activity to be shared with friends and family.

- shop with other people at least half the time, and 60 % consider advice from their friends when deciding what to buy.

- 68 percent of Millennials admit to being strongly influenced by social media posts while 84 percent say user-generated content has at least some influence on what they buy.

- social media is extremely important because even though they value the opinions of family and friends, they seek out the experiences of other consumers above all.

- 90 percent research product reviews online, most tend to rely on other consumers’ reviews on retailers’ sites over those of people they know.

- 82 percent of Millennials say word-of-mouth is a key influencer of their purchase decisions.

- prefer authentic interactions with sales associates who happen to also be consumers of their retailer’s products.

- likely to interact with brands and retailers through social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook

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skeptical disruptive

self-reliant

sentimental

social circles

multiracial

career oriented

speedy

trendy

sophisticated

insecure global

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Generation Z Born 1998 to 2010 – 17 years and younger This generation is beyond the boundaries of quality and pricing.

A major part of their purchase is due to peer influence but also is updated with the best online available goods.

Shop instore - 33% Shop online - 67%

Where they shop online Marketplace - 48% Large retailer - 76% Web store - 46% Category specific - 29%

Time spent online 6 hours per week

Shopping habits - Internet is the foundation of their buying process.

- uses Google resources to compare prices, styles, availability, and ratings of products to make the most educated purchase possible.

- savvy with price-checking tools makes them more selective when making big expenditures - buying products only when they’re on sale or even delaying gratification by waiting for newer products to become available.

- likely to contribute to consumer-generated content for brands by voicing their comments and concerns online and by seeking out interactions with brand representatives.

- companies should encourage Gen Zers to share photos and videos with their purchases, create polls and contests on social media and, most importantly, listen and respond to their feedback.”

- providing consumer-generated content is crucial for retailers - 40 percent of Gen Zers give online reviews “very often,” which in turn encourage others within their generation to purchase products.

- consumers sharing brand content on social media can easily be considered unofficial brand ambassadors.

- technology drives Gen Z’s shopping experience- an established social media presence - Online, retail sites should interact with and promote usergenerated content to provide a seamless shopping experience across the average Gen Zer’s many juggled web devices.

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Potential persona Using a report made on user segmentation of the population of USA based on the common characteristics by Mosaic USA, a list of 19 such categories were made. 7 out of those categories showed active online shopping behavior with the right customer characteristics that the project was aiming at. These 7 categories together added up to 36.88% of the total US population which is a good number to begin with.

Thriving boomers

5.13%

Young city solos

2.01%

Upper middle class baby boomers Comfortable lifestyles Settled in town and exurban homes Practical shoppers Comfortable shopping online

Power elite

6.13%

Flourishing families

4.42%

Single and starters

8.83%

Booming with confidence

5.34%

Suburban style

5.02%

Wealthiest Households Exclusive neighborhood Affluent lifestyle Prodigious user of digital media

Affluent Middle-aged families and couples Prosperous incomes Comfortable and active lifestyle Serious media users

Prosperous established couples At peak in their careers Suburban homes Sophisticated tastes Solid media users

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Younger and middle aged Singles living in metropolitan areas Active and energetic lifestyle Influent consumers- boutique shoppers Web-savvy

Young singles, some families Diverse urban communities Ethically mixed, workoholics Active and aspirational consumers Active technology users

Middle aged Ethically mixed Suburban families and couples Upscale income Fashion-forward consumers Active digital media users

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Online Shopping To understand the market of e-commerce better, the existing websites that sell similar range of products were studied. It gave us some insights on what people prefer buying in the range of interior decors as well in what price range they prefer buying.

The residents of US were asked to provide us with a list of websites that they generally prefer for buying online. The websites that were studied are - www.etsy.com - www.potterybarn.com - www.onekingslane.com - www.pier1.com - www.crateandbarrel.com - shop.nordstrom.com - www.amazon.in - www.williams-sonoma.com - www.westelm.com - www.alibaba.com After the cost analysis it was concluded that, for gifting people would generally buying in the range of 50$-70$ and for personal use they go for range of 150$ to 200$. It was also evident that people were ready to pay greater price range for products that looked more exquisite or unique and had an added value to it.

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1. Dinning set 2. Wine range available for online shopping

1.

2.

Price range for common lifestyle product categories online in US dollars Product group |Product type |Anthropologie |One King’s Lane |Pier 1 Paintings 100 - 500 50 - 100 50 - 350 Mirrors Wall art 150 - 500 75 - 250 70 - 450 Tapestry 100 - 500 100 - 350 Wall hooks Miscellaneous 25 - 200 10 - 75 10 - 80 Picture frames 20 - 50 25 - 55 5 - 50 Table top Candle holders 10 - 50 10 - 100 Vases 10 - 100

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|Pottery Barn 100 - 600 50 - 550

|Etsy 100 - 600 50 - 550

|West Elm 75 - 150 50 - 150

20 - 120 10 - 100

20 - 120 10 - 100

5 - 15 10 - 35

20 - 50

20 - 50

10 - 50 10 - 25

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Lifestyle Products Wall organization Paintings Metal wall art murals Mirrors Decals Clock Tapestry Message boards Wall decor and accents Masks Frames Wall hooks Pulls and handles and hardware Glass art Glass mosaics Stained glass panels Front door dĂŠcor Table top Decorative objects - balls, etc Picture frames Candles and Candle Holder T lights Vases Catchalls and Tray Bowls/ jars and canisters Boxes Sculpture and Figurines

Office Desk accessories Personalized Journals, Carved Leather binders, purses, etc Bookends Clocks Lighting - lamps Bedding Pillows covers Throws and Quilts Kitchen, Dining and Entertaining Napkin rings Wine holder Coasters Bar accessories – wine holder Cheese platter Bowls and plates Baby and Kids Wall art Sculptures Toys and games Storage and Organizational Jewelry boxes Decorative baskets

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Shipping It’s the point where the product begins its journey to reach the customer in person, and it can also represent a major expense in the business, depending on shipping strategy.

Set shipping rates and methods Offer free shipping However, shipping is never free. Someone always has to pay. To make free shipping work, there are few options.

Increase product prices to cover costs for shipping (customer pays).

You pay the full price of shipping out of your margins (we pay).

Increase prices of products slightly to cover partial costs of shipping (you and your customer pays).

Offer a discount code to certain customers for free shipping.

Charge real-time carrier rates Another effective shipping strategy is to charge real-time carrier rates for shipping. E commerce platforms like Shopify integrate in real-time with various carriers like USPS and Canada Post (among others) to generate shipping options and live pricing from various carriers. This allows customers to choose and pay for the exact service they want.

Charge a flat rate The best practice for this option is to try and make sure that the company doesn’t drastically undercharge or overcharge the customers.

Flat rate shipping works best when there is fairly standard product line of items that have similar sizes and weights.

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Calculating shipping costs All shipping couriers base shipping rates on a variety of factors including: Package size Package weight Origin country Destination country Consider your margins Mapping out all costs associated with getting the products into the customers’ hands is important. Many e commerce entrepreneurs are shocked by how quickly the little charges add up.

Here is an example of how the net price could be calculated.

Cost of product $10 Packaging $0.50 Shipping costs $7.50 Customs/Duties $0.00 Credit card fee $2.50 Profit margin 50% Total price $30.75

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Shipping being an essential and unavoidable part of e-commerce, Baaya Design decided to partner with one of the regular shipping companies that would help reduce the cost factor as well as define a structure to the process. The common companies that expertise in shipping goods to USA were contacted and a range of costing was shared by them based on the weight of the goods to be shipped. The weight of packaging that will be considered for the cost, will be based on either the volumetric weight or the actual total weight after packaging(depending on whichever is more).

Weight(Kg) 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 5.50 6.00 6.50 7.00 7.50 8.00 8.50 9.00 9.50 10.00

| Blue Dart 1,421 1,857 2,295

| Aramex 650 925 1,065

| DHL Express 828 951 1,074

| FedEx 848 968 1,096

2,733 3,171

1,205 1,345

1,197 1,320

1,224 1,352

3,507 4,092 4,500 4,675 5,100 5,261

1,485 1,625 1,765 1,905 2,045 2,194

1,443 1,566 1,689 1,812 1,935 2,155

1,654 1,783 1,921 2,041 2,170 2,222

5,525

2,343

2,375

2,325

5,845 5,950 6,375 6,800 7,225 7,650

2,492 2,641 2,790 2,939 3,088 3,237

2,595 2,815 3,035 3,255 3,475 3,695

2,428 2,530 2,633 2,736 2,839 2,941

8,075 8,500

3,386 3,535

3,915 4,135

3,044 3,147

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Few other features like the delivery time, import duties, tracking possibilities, pickup timings, etc were also shared by the shipping companies which helped to compare them better. The company representatives also presented their other offers for long term bussiness and services, after which Baaya decided to go ahead with DHL Express for the service.

Today’s customers are always on the go and want their products faster and cheaper than ever before. Global interconnectedness is growing. That’s why there is a need of a powerful, international network to manage the supply chain. With 360,000 people in over 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL is reaching more people than ever and simultaneously preparing for logistic challenges in future.

Features Delivery time Weight Packaging Import Duty Tracking Account activation Pick-up

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|Blue Dart

|Aramex

|DHL Express

|FedEx

7-10 Bussiness days 5 Kgs No additional packing

4-5 Bussiness days No restrictions No additional packing

3-4 Bussiness days 3-4 Bussiness days No restriction No restriction DHL box for each good Option of box upto 3Kg

At actual Limited tracking

At actual Manual

No duty required 24x7 online tracking

At actual 24x7 online tracking

1.5 weeks Daily

1-2 days Daily

1-2 days Daily

1-2 days Daily

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Packaging and rest As the world of e-commerce develops so do the expectations of customers who buy online. Years ago, packaging and shipping was simply a way to receive a product purchased online, but more and more people are looking for shipping, packaging and presentation as part of the e-commerce experience.

Labeling your packages Many new e commerce entrepreneurs start off by writing the shipto and return addresses on the package by hand. Although this can be a great way to start, it tends to be time consuming, tedious, and not scalable as the business grows.

This expectation means that for many businesses, outside of selling commodities, competing effectively means going above and beyond to impress customers and exceed their expectations by delivering an experience, not just a product.

Insurance and tracking Depending on what the selling and its value, shipping insurance and tracking can offer a great deal of security. With most carriers, insurance and tracking is relatively inexpensive and provides a recourse should one of the packages get lost or damaged. Some shipping services like UPS and USPS Priority Mail offer complimentary coverage for up to $100, and that coverage can be up to $200 in some cases.

In a world where sealed factory bags and a black-and-white order receipt are considered standard, it’s the small details like this that go a long way in making an exceptional impression on customers.

Today, some of the most successful and interesting brands are those using packaging to delivery an unboxing experience that goes beyond the product.

Keep it light and small Because the cost of most shipping options is based on size and/or weight, it is recommended best to keep the packaging as small as possible. This will not only help to save on the shipping costs and what the customer paid for shipping, but will also keep packaging costs from eating away the profit margin.

Depending on the business and product line, consideration on carrying a variety of package sizes and packaging materials can be done.

Customs declaration and forms If shipping is for outside the country, there is a need to include the proper customs documentation. These are available online through Shopify or at local post office or shipping retail location. These forms tell the customs officers at the country of import what is in the package, how much it costs, and whether it is a gift or merchandise.

Tariffs, taxes and duties If there are any additional customs fees due when a package reaches its destination, the customer will be responsible for them at the time of delivery. It’s always a good idea to make sure to include this information in shipping policy page so that the customers aren’t surprised by unexpected fees.

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Companies that consumers trust most have in common Make it easy to contact people in the company

51%

Are open and honest about negative news or events

43%

Lets consumers control how their data is being used

41%

Educate consumers about their products

41%

Ask consumers how to communicate with them

39%

Are transparent about the use of consumer’s info.

35%

Are socially responsible

27%

Send personalized communications

23%

Are transparent about subsidiaries/affiliations

17%

Have credible spokespeople

17%

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Summary

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2.

1.

1. Gond Painting Tree of life 2.Gond Painting Horses 3.Gond Painting Bull 4. Pattachitra Tree of life 5. Copper Enamled plates 6. Dhokra Figures 7. Dhokra Tree of life

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3.

5.

6.

4.

7.

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Research Task Images of paintings and products in different Indian art and craft styles were shared with some US residents to understand their opinions and inclinations. This was also to know what they relate to and what decor styles do they generally prefer. Three of such reviews are documented here.

#1

Name- Laurie Profile- Caucasin Smart shopper- looks for deals and very well versed with internet shopping for décor/something of a hobby. Has a picture of a cow at home(black and white painting).

Loved the birds figure and thought some figures were whimsical.

Did not like the roots and had a tough time with the tree trunks being curved. Also thought the tree trunks were too broad for the proportions of the paintings. Thought trees need to be free flowing, not in defined shape. Did not like gold colors/ shiny finish in objects– would prefer other finishes.

Said that each product needs to tell a story, how they are made, where the art and artisan came from, etc.

Loved the copper enamel plate and would like to see trays, bowls etc in the same material which could be used like jewellery tray, key tray, etc. She would like to see something along the wine range. There were certain colours that she completely could not relate to, like the pink and orange combination. Initially hesitant about metal paintings but then became a bit more open about them.

#2

Name- Elis Profile- Chinese origin from Indonesia Likes to shop mainly in brick and mortar stores. Careful shopper.

Loves window shopping. Her design style/choices are Contemporary Liked Simpler designs with brighter colours. Would like a painting/art that represent something special. Would like natural looking shapes in trees, etc. Product needs to be unique to command better pricing according to her. Else not too much inclined to shop.

Mostly liked the range with brighter colours in paintings and demanded more natural or simpler designs.

#3

Name- Gabrielle Profile- Caucasin ( second generation) Moved from Sweden Likes clean, not fussy designs. Her design style/choices is inclined towards Scandavian. Existing décor and paintings are Spanish. Prefers wrought iron décor, paintings with a lot of details.

Would like to buy art works with landscapes(French) in pastel colours. Normally gives wines as gifts. She might consider kitchen stuff, ceramic trays etc for shoppings too- Davis and Bryan (next to crate and barrel).

Thought the Tree of life was a concept from James Camerson movie - Avatar and did not like the single tree paintings. Did not like mix media. Would like to see pastel colours and more happy looking painting.

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Discussing craft based products with US based customers at Baaya Store

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05

Interiors & Inspiration Interior DĂŠcor Styles -Bohemian -Contemporary -Shabby Chic Elements of USA -Classic comfort -Oceanic drift -Citified Prospect -State legacies -Secular spirit -Nostalgic catch -Eclectic delight

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Art deco Interior style

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Interior Décor Styles Just like a person’s clothes give away insights about their personality, home décor is also a window to their personal style. Just like the various tastes, there are diverse décor styles that cater to ones sensibilities. These styles are used by designers and experts in space and interiors to provide better solutions. People in urban are living in smaller apartments and condos, so a minimalist aesthetic is more appropriate- even necessary- for the size of their spaces.

“Contemporary- style” furniture tends to feel more open and less bulky, and is known for being ‘livable’, which translates to both comfortable and stylish. Urban areas are also the prime location for the industrial aesthetic, with tons of converted lofts and newer buildings mimicking the loft-feel.

Out of these Victorian was searched in 10 states, Bohemian in 9 states, Contemporary in 7 states, Industrial and Shabby Chic in 6 and 5 states respectively. The top 3 searches were then selected and studied to create the initial mood boards which would help us design products for the interiors.

10

-Victorian -Bohemian -Contemporary -Industrial -Shabby Chic -Traditional -Mid-century -Art Deco -Transitional -Western -Coastal -Modern Farmhouse -Vintage

9

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Research was conducted to find the most popularly searched interior décor styles in the United States of America. The most commonly searched ones are -

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Bohemian It is a popular style for home design as well as fashion. It reflects a carefree lifestyle with little rules, except to follow your heart’s desire. Bohemian homes may include items found in widely varied sources including flea markets and during one’s travels. Here’s how the style breaks down: Colours Bohemian interiors feature creative application of vibrant colour palettes and patterns, especially those with red or purple tones.

Composition-wise, boho chic loves textile, wood, animal hide, and metallic accents.

Furniture It’s not uncommon to spot floor pillows and comfortable seating spaces when incorporating the bohemian style. Within the Bohemian style, there’s a laissez-faire attitude where anything goes as long as you love it. Vintage furniture are also very common in this style.

Fabrics Almost all types of fabrics are used for their textural aspect and inherent neutral hues. A lot of patterns and layers are used to create a warm ambiance. Animal hides and rough wood with metallic accents are often seen.

Lighting This eclectic style can incorporate an ultra-glam chandelier paired with a mid-century chair. Candles and natural lighting in various forms are a part of this look.

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Contemporary Contemporary style encompasses a range of styles developed in the later half of the 20th century. Pieces feature softened and rounded lines as opposed to the stark lines seen in modern design. Interiors contain neutral elements and bold colour, and they focus on the basics of line, shape and form. Here’s how the style breaks down: Colours Contemporary interiors feature tone-on-tone colour palettes relying heavily on brown, taupe, cream and pure white. Shots of colour are sometimes found on a single wall, in a striking floor rug or in a special piece of art.

Furniture Pieces feature clean lines and smooth surfaces without any carving or adornment. Silhouettes are slim without being dainty. Furniture is made of light-coloured woods such as maple and birch, frosted or clear glass, stainless steel, nickel and chrome.

Fabrics Natural fabrics such as silk, wool, linen and cotton are used for their textural aspect and inherent neutral hues. However, bold colour or geometric pattern may be brought into the design with pillows, a rug or a throw.

Lighting The lighting design is used as an artistic statement in a contemporary interior. Floor and table lamps have straight lines and sleek metallic finishes; colour might be introduced with a special shade.

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Shabby Chic Shabby chic is vintage-inspired style, but compared to Bohemian and other styles, tends to be more feminine, soft and delicate.

Shabby chic decor emphasizes vintage elements to recreate the antique flea market look. Here’s how the style breaks down: Colours Colour palettes include white, cream and pastels. Light light fixture and wall hangings may be ornate and continue the feminine vibe of shabby chic design. Though orthodox shabby chic colours are white, ecru and pastel, some vibrant colours are also seen in the collection.

Furniture The furniture are characterized by their aged appearance, with distressed wood composition covered in sanded milk paint to show signs of wear and tear. Shabby chic furnishings are often either distressed or appear that way; paint tends to have antique-style finishes.

Fabrics Decorative accents should be soft and opulent, often with an affected feel, in order to bring the overall interior design to a contemporary standard. Generously introduce linen textiles for added style.

Lighting This cottage-inspired look includes weathered white-painted furniture, painted motifs, floral prints in muted colours, white slipcovered sofas and vintage accessories.

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Elements of USA Based on the final brief given, some inspiration boards were created with the help of our clients from USA, keeping the context of US homes in mind. These elements were relatable to the residents, their living interior styles, lifestyle, economic background, age groups, etc.. The boards suggested colour palettes and material possibilities.

These inspiration boards were approved by the clients and also became a starting point to design new ranges of lifestyle products.

The themes were made keeping some words in mind creating the visual appeal and then named accordingly.

- Classic comfort - Oceanic drift - Citified prospect - State legacies - Secular spirit - Nostalgic catch - Eclectic delight

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Classic comfort

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Oceanic Drift

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Citified prospect

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State legacies

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Secular spirit

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Nostalgic catch

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Eclectic delight

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Redefined Brief Following the experiments and the observations done, the team came down to a conclusion that to stand as a visible and trustable brand selling handcrafted lifestyle products which also could be personalized and customized, the brand had to have enough products in the general category with good selling and review points.

The products must show its artisanal qualities and process stories along with its quality to be innovative and unique.

Several factors were looked at like cost and pricepoints, packaging and branding, look and feel of it being handmade, possible materials and crafts that could be immediately worked upon and developed to reach the demands of the e-commerce market, finally creating the redefined brief.

The brief now proposed to design ranges of handcrafted lifestyle products that would fit the interiors of USA based on the selected inspirations and themes. Present stories of them being true handmade products considering all other necessary factors for e-commerce sales as well.

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Product Development Product range Ideations Feedback and selection Sampling Product costing

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Craft based segregation

Based on the study, a list of products was made using which the brand wanted to enter the e-commerce market. Further segregation was done of their feasibility in a particular craft based on the study done earlier and also all other material related factors like strength, durability, food safety etc.

All these were utility based products which could be used as table top, wall hanging or shelf setups.

Shipping being one of the major concerns and also considering the starting point of the business, the band took a call not to make products using glass or ceramic, for them being highly fragile and difficult to package and ship.

Sr. no. | Product List 1 Picture frames 2 Wall hooks 3 Brackets 4 Candle/T-Light holder 5 Trays 6 Bowls 7 Plates(decorative) 8 Box with lid 9 Book ends Napkin rings 10 Coasters 11 12 13 14 15 16

Trivets Cheese Platter Shakers Jars Trinkets

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| Copper Enamelling ✓

| Dhokra

| Channapatna

✓

✓

✓ ✓ ✓

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✓ ✓ ✓

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✓ ✓

✓ ✓

✓ ✓ ✓

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✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

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Product Range Product ranges are created by brands as a marketing strategy to capture sales of consumers already buying from the brand. The operating principle is that consumers are more likely to respond positively to brands they know and love and are willing to buy the new products based on their positive experiences with the brand. Product ranges can vary in colour, size, quality and price. This is also used to gauge trends, which helps them determine which markets to target.

Following steps are used to create range of products -Determine the specific needs of customers in each high-priority market segment.

-Identify the product bundles (groups of features) that would be most attractive to them.

Create a unique value proposition for the proposed line extensions and decide how to position the product in the market segments that have been identified.

Determine the sales and distribution channels that will achieve the highest penetration of your target market segments for example packaging and shipment discounts, etc.

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Ideation By grouping the products based on crafts using the same strategy and comparing them to the pre-decided themes created for inspiration, the themes suggested materials that could be used to design products.

These materials were to be made in either of the three crafts in combination with some other material or finish. Nine such concept ranges were then listed that had to be designed for the themes.

Concept range 1 Theme- Classic comfort, Material- Copper ProductsPicture frame Tray- 2 sizes Candle holder T-light holder Trinket Concept range 2 Theme- Classic comfort, Material- Brass ProductsShakers Candle holder - 2 designs Plate Coasters - set of 6 Napkin ring Concept range 3 Theme- Oceanic drift, Material- Copper ProductsPlates - 3 designs Coasters - set of 6(3 designs) Trivet

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Wooden box with copper lid Bowl Trinket - double layered Concept range 4 Theme- Oceanic drift, Material- Brass ProductsCandle holder Bowl Wooden box with brass lid Wall hook Concept range 5 Theme- Citified prospect Material- Copper ProductsPicture Frame T-Light holder Tray Wall plates- 3 designs Concept Range 6 Theme- Secular spirit, Material- Copper ProductsPicture frame- 2 designs Plates - 2 Designs Coasters - set of 4 Candle stand Wooden box with copper lid

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Concept range 7 Theme- State legacies, Material- Rubber wood ProductsShakers Jar Bowl Napkin ring Concept range 8 Theme- Nostalgic catch, Material- Rubber wood ProductsShakers Jar Bowl Tray Napkin ring Concept Range 9 Theme- Eclectic delight Material- Rubber wood ProductsCandle stand T-Light holder Book end Brackets Wall hooks

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Concept range 1

Theme- Classic comfort Material- Copper Finish- Enamel and lacquer coat ProductsPicture frame Tray- 2 sizes Candle holder T-light holder Trinket Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

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Feedback and Selection Concept Range 1 | Classic comfort | Craft - Copper Enamelling Factors |Company |Client |Craftsmen |External Design Like the clean and black Try reducing the number Leave border of 3-4mm Keep the diameter of the patch but not sure of filled in diamonds to on all designs to prevent curved corners same to about the overall tilt and give it a more randomized cracks and breakage avoid random tilts. roundness look Use dark polished Material and finish Has to be absolutely Lacquer the surfaces Will have to use thinner wood to match the perfect with mirror finish completely to avoid wires to achieve sharper look on rest of the copper areas blackening of copper corners and edges Manufacturing

Sample out all the products

Sample out all designs Make the frame sizes regular to picture sizes available in US

Difficult to mass manufacture but will try managing it.

Sample and then figure out

Packaging

Needs extra attention to package these product.

Inner layering required

Package needs to be presentable from within as well

Will personally deliver at store. Beyond that it is company’s responsibility

Figure it out later

Shipping

Weight is light, but due to extra packing, volumetric might be a concern

Depends on final weight

Not a concern

Figure it out later

Final feedback- Go ahead and sample out all products

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Concept range 2

Theme- Classic comfort Material- Brass Finish- Brass with oxidized finish ProductsShakers Candle holder - 2 designs Plate Coasters - set of 6 Napkin ring Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

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Feedback and Selection Concept Range 2 | Classic comfort | Craft - Dhokra Factors |Company |Client Design Have to achieve the flow Make sure its hollow of the form right from within to make it light weight

|Craftsmen

|External

Will try adding a layer of Looks visually very heavy wax over fabric to achieve the right form How will they achieve similar fabric flow always in this craft?

Material and finish

Mirror finished with fine Metal needs to be pure flow of the fabric. Figure to be used for food out if the material is food- related products grade or not.

The brass used is recycled and hence will not suggest to make the shakers

Manufacturing

Sample out one

Sample out one

Difficult to mass Sample out one at-least manufacture due to fabric’s flexibility but will try one

Packaging

Can be packed in corrugated boxes

Package needs to be customized for individual products

Will ship it from Figure it out later Panchgani to store in bulk corrugated boxes

Shipping

Weight will be a major factor here

Final weight may be too much than the product cost

Ship to Mumbai by bus

Figure it out later

Final feedback- Sample out only one first

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Concept range 3

Theme- Oceanic drift Material- Copper Finish- Enamel and lacquer finish ProductsPlates - 3 designs Coasters - set of 6(3 designs) Trivet Wooden box with copper lid

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Bowl Trinket - double layered

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Motif 1

Motif 3

Motif 2

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Feedback and Selection Concept Range 3 | Oceanic drift | Craft - Copper Enamelling Factors |Company |Client Design Try to achieve the right The colours are very gradation of colours and contemporary and try develop techniques for it to keep it as organic as if required possible

|Craftsmen

|External

Best designs to make since they are so organic that they don’t have to look identical

Try to achieve the layered look of water on glass

Lacquering need not be done on surfaces with just colour.

Use dark polished wood to match the look

Material and finish

Needs full lacquer coat to prevent blackening

Texturing must be done to bring the coral effect on the products

Manufacturing

Sample out all the products

Sample out all the products. Can be easily mass Try out a both sides manufactured in lesser enamelling as well amount of time

Sample out all the designs

Packaging

Needs extra attention to package these product.

Inner layering required

Package needs to be presentable from within as well

Will personally deliver at store. Beyond that it is company’s responsibility

Figure it out later

Shipping

Weight is light, but due to extra packing, volumetric might be a concern

Depends on final weight

Not a concern

Figure it out later

Final feedback- Go ahead and sample out all products

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Concept range 4

Theme- Oceanic drift Material- Brass Finish- Patina and lacquer finish ProductsCandle holder Bowl Wooden box with brass lid Wall hook

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Feedback and Selection Concept Range 4 | Oceanic drift | Craft - Dhokra Factors |Company |Client Design The designs are too Try lighter patina organic to be identical colours if possible. The so the craft is used to its suggested ones are too advantage. dark for USA

|Craftsmen |External Hollow dhokra technique Looks visually very heavy will require some holes in between to break out the clay from inside Try gradations of patina finish on few products

Material and finish

Patina with antique finish will look better

Patina finish is in trend these days for metals like brass and copper

Need to lacquer the products after patina finish

Manufacturing

Sample out one

Sample out one

Can be mass manufactured Sample out one at least but all will look slightly different

Packaging

Can be packed in corrugated boxes

Package needs to be customized for individual products

Will ship it from Figure it out later Panchgani to store in bulk corrugated boxes

Shipping

Weight will be a major factor here

Final weight may be too much than the product cost

Ship to Mumbai by bus

Figure it out later

Final feedback- Sample out only one first

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Concept range 5

Theme- Citified prospect Material- Copper Finish - Enamel with lacquer coat ProductsPicture Frame T-Light holder Tray Wall plates- 3 designs

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Motif 1

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Motif 2

Motif 3

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Feedback and Selection Concept Range 5| Citified prospect | Craft - Copper Enamelling Factors |Company |Client Design A good breakout from Try more patterns for the regular circular plates extending the range. A creating interesting different colour option patterns and not sure could be good too about the tray and the frame designs Material and finish Needs full lacquer coat to The pieces must be prevent blackening and completely made out also add a hook behind of copper and no new the plates to hang in all material should be directions added Manufacturing Sample out all the Sample out all the products products.

May add wooden handles and support to tray

|Craftsmen

|External

Reduce the number of lines in the plus motif and require a bent edge everywhere to prevent cracks

Can pick motifs from rug and fabric patterns Motifs can also be mirrored to create interesting looks

Will use a thicker gauge copper to avoid bending surfaces

Make sure the alignments of all copper wires are close to precision to give out the right pattern Sample out all the designs

Colours like orange are made by mixing red and yellow hence ratio of mixing is important

Packaging

Needs extra attention to package these product.

Inner layering required

Package needs to be presentable from within as well

Will personally deliver at store. Beyond that it is company’s responsibility

Figure it out later

Shipping

Weight is light, but due to extra packing, volumetric might be a concern

Depends on final weight

Not a concern

Figure it out later

Final feedback- Go ahead and sample out all products

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Concept range 6

Theme- Secular spirit Material- Copper Finish- Enamel and lacquer coat ProductsPicture frame- 2 designs Plates - 2 Designs Coasters - set of 4 Candle stand Wooden box with copper lid Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

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Motif 1

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Feedback and Selection Concept Range 6 | Secular spirit | Craft - Copper Enamelling Factors |Company |Client |Craftsmen |External Design Try doing a half black and Too Indian for the US Black and white are Try out other options as half white in the motifs. market, not sure if it will difficult colours to well on black Not sure about the offfit the US interiors. Might maintain while colouring, center design. be Bohemian hence difficult to make.

Material and finish Needs lacquer coat and a Try not to have too Will use the thinner wires Use dark polished wood to match the dark teak wood finish. much of contrast overall for the designs. Not too look satisfied with the offcenter bit.

Manufacturing

Sample out all the products

Make the frame sizes regular to picture sizes available in US

Can be easily put into mass Sample out all the designs production once dyes are made for the octagons

Packaging

Needs extra attention to package these product.

Inner layering required

Package needs to be presentable from within as well

Will personally deliver at store. Beyond that it is company’s responsibility

Figure it out later

Shipping

Weight is light, but due to extra packing, volumetric might be a concern

Depends on final weight

Not a concern

Figure it out later

Final feedback- Go ahead and sample out all products

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Concept range 7

Theme- State legacies Material- Rubber wood Finish- Naturally dyed and wax coated ProductsShakers Jar Bowl Napkin ring

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Feedback and Selection Range 7 | State legacies | Craft - Channapatna Factors |Company |Client |Craftsmen Design Cute looking products Tray doesn’t work well, Can be made easily Can expand on this range neither will it sell. Other Will work good for all can also be put as sets Christmas too

|External Alter the size of the balls according to the grip required in the product

Material and finish

Check for food grade coat Make sure the colours for products like shakers. are natural.

Cannot compromise on quality and colour.

Will use lighter wood like milk-wood to give better contrast to red

Make sure the colour coat done on the balls are thick enough that they don’t crack

Manufacturing

Try sampling the shaker first and lets decide the rest based on that.

Keep it as handcrafted as possible.

Not sure of the sizes specified and tray will not be possible on lathe. Rest can be made.

Sample out one at least.

Packaging

Can be easily packaged in light materials like corrugated boxes

Need good customized packing for all individuals

Will send bulk in 1 box to Figure it out later store for further packaging

Shipping

Weight is light, so it shouldn’t be a problem

Depends on final weight

Shipping from Figure it out later channapatna in bulks only

Final feedback- Go ahead and sample out few products first

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Concept range 8

Theme- Nostalgic catch Material- Rubber wood Finish- Naturally dyed and wax coated ProductsShakers Jar Bowl Tray Napkin ring Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

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Feedback and Selection Range 8 | Nostalgic catch | Craft - Channapatna Factors |Company |Client Design Interesting look Will surely add a new Will work in the low cost look to the expected range of products Channapatna craft products

|Craftsmen

|External

Can be made but haven’t made before, so will try.

Napkin ring looks too simple. Go ahead and sample one or two.

Try getting some lighter coloured wood for the products.

Material and finish

Check for food grade coat Make sure the colours for products like shakers. are natural.

Cannot compromise on quality and colour.

May cost some material wastage and might have to make in 2 parts to prevent it.

Manufacturing

Try sampling the jar first and lets decide the rest based on that.

Keep it as handcrafted as possible.

Tray will not be possible Sample out one at least. on lathe. Rest can be made.

Packaging

Can be easily packaged in light materials like corrugated boxes

Need good customized packing for all individuals

Will send bulk in 1 box to Figure it out later store for further packaging

Shipping

Weight is light, so it shouldn’t be a problem

Depends on final weight

Shipping from Figure it out later channapatna in bulks only

Final feedback- Go ahead and sample out few products first

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Concept range 9

Theme- Eclectic delight Material- Rubber wood Finish- Naturally dyed and lacquer finish ProductsCandle stand T-Light holder Book end Brackets Wall hooks Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

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Feedback and Selection Range 9 | Eclectic Delight | Craft - Channapatna Factors |Company |Client |Craftsmen Design Out of the box but don’t Will not work with just Can be made easily think it will work a material. Would have been nice if it was 2 very different materials

|External Drop this range

Material and finish

Should have been in two very contrasting materials

Coloured wood will look too cheap for this range

Wax coating can be done to make it look richer

Can try adding a material

Manufacturing

NA

NA

NA

NA

Packaging

NA

NA

NA

NA

Shipping

NA

NA

NA

NA

Final feedback- Drop this range of products for the project

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Sampling Due to the proximity of cluster from Mumbai and greater number of selected products in copper enamel, the first round of sampling was decided to begin at the workshop of Mr Sanjay Patil at Alibaug.

The designs had to be printed with the required colours and to-scale for the wire work.

Craftsmen prefer discussing their ideas and points of view on the designs on spot while making the products. It is always recommended for the designer to be at the cluster with the craftsmen while the samples are being made. While the sampling process was going on, the process steps of the craft that were easy like the colouring and flux adding were picked up. Several discussions on resolving products that caused or may cause manufacturing problems were done over the chai breaks which was essential part of the crafting process.

Simultaneously design specifications were also sent to the other two clusters to begin sampling and all discussion were done through phone calls and whatsapp, although it was known that this might not suffice for better outcomes.

1.

The products have been sampled several times to reach a stage where the craftsmen believe that they can be mass manufactured.

Alterations in dimensions, colour as well as design motifs are done to reach the stage.

2.

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1. Colouring plates in workshop 2. Plates of different ranges * Comparing design given to actual sample (right page)

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1. Plate before second firing 2. Plate after second firing 3. Plate before second firing 4. Plate being fired first time

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1. Adding wired design motifs 2. First firing 3. Second firing of a tray 4. Change in colour during second firing

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1. Picture frame 2. Trinket 3. T-light and candle holder 4. Mini tray * Big tray (right page)

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2.

4.

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224 First round sampling Concept range 3

1. Coasters 2. Bowl 3. Trinket and bowl 4. Box lid

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1. Plate design 1 2. Plate design 2 3. Plate design 3 4. Back view

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1. Picture frame 2. Tray trial 1 3. T-Light holder 4. Tray trial 2 * Plate designs (right page)

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1. Coaster design 1 2. Candle holder 3. Coaster design2 4. Box lid

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1. Picture frame 1 2. Picture frame 2 3. Plate design 1 4. Plate design 2

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230 First round sampling Concept range 7

1. Shaker 2. Jar 3. Jar- trial 2 4. Jar- trial 1

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Concept range 8

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231 First round sampling Concept range 2

Concept range 4

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1. Candle holder top view 2. Candle holder bottom view 3. Candle holder top view 4. Candle holder bottom view

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232 First round sampling Concept range 2

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1. Candle holder trial 2 2. T-light holder 3. Products with context

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Feedback and Selection Based on the selected concepts and further sampling done at the cluster, the company along with the clients took a call to select few product that could be put into production immediately, could be refined later and put for production, could be launched on a specific event or could be dropped out of the project. The feedback given was based on a question asked whether to approve of the products or not.

Concept Ranges |Company Range 1- Copper Enamel No. Not sure about the rounded corners and the tilt Classic comfort Range 2- Dhokra No. Forms not resolved yet Classic comfort Range 3- Copper Enamel Yes. Ready to put in store for market feedback.

Oceanic drift Look in costing for individuals Range 4- Dhokra No. Sampling not done properly Oceanic drift

|Client No for now. Will refine later and put them up Need some work on the tilt No. Need to get the flow and the weight needs to be reduced Yes. Try in Indian market first for feedback No. Need to see better pieces to judge

Range 5- Copper Enamel Citified prospect

Yes. But tray not working yet. Ready to put in store for market feedback. Launch it has diwali range. Add a mirror and a photoframe too.

Yes. Try another colour option as well. Try in Indian market first for feedback. Work out the costing.

Range 6- Copper Enamel Secular spirit

Yes. Just shift the Off center bit to center for now.

Frames are too complex. Make lamps and clocks for store too.

Yes. May work for Christmas range

Yes. Will launch it in some time.

Yes. Launch by December

No. Will have to develop the range better

No. May be later.

Range 7- Channapatna State legacies Range 8- Channapatna Nostalgic catch

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Product Costing The costing for the selected products were made by adding the company markup and packaging cost on the manufacturing cost of the product and finally converted to USD to compare with the rest of the existing online available products.

Range Concept Range 3 Copper Enamel Oceanic drift Range 5 Copper Enamel Citified prospect Range 7 Channapatna State legacies

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|Product Plate 10�

Coasters(Set of 6) Bowl Trinket Triangular plate T-Light holder Coasters(Set of 4) Shakers(set of 2) Napkin ring Bowl Jar

|Selling Price in INR 2,375 2,475 990 1,590 2,375 375 1,850 775 312 937 1500

|Selling price in USD 33 35 14 22 33 5 26 11 4 13 21

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Final Products Whimsical drift Technical drawings Enigmatic angles Technical drawings Glorified legacies Technical drawings

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Whimsical drift From the depths of the aquatic world, inspired by its cool colours, unpredictable forms and textures, presenting a range of copper enamelled products that will bring in the oceanic drift into your house with its coastal elements. Bring home this range to connect with the magic of aqua.

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238 Wall plate design 1

1. On stand 2. Back view 3. Front view 4. Close up * In reference (right page)

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240 Wall plate design 2

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1. On stand 2. Back view 3. Front view 4. Close up * In reference (right page)

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242 Wall plate design 3

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1. On stand 2. Back view 3. Front view 4. Close up * In reference (right page)

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244 Coaster set(of 6)

1. Set of 4 2. Stacked up 3. Set of 6 4. Close up * In reference (right page)

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Sample of coaster design

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248 Bowl and trinket

1. Bowl 2. Top view 3. Trinket 4. Trinket side view * In reference (right page)

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Technical drawings 26 26.06

9.81 10

78 77.91

54 54.36

63.83 63

90.52 90

36.46 36

7 7.62

Trinket

Elevation in parts

Front view

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Material - Copper with wood Finish- Lacquer coat All dimensions in ‘mm’

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Bowl

25 24.60

100 100.55

Front view

3D view

Top view

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Enigmatic Angles Inspired by the sophistication of city life with its architecture, roads, transportation and the people, interwoven in an interesting yet complex fashion, we created this range of handcrafted copper enamel products that narrate the enigmatic angles formed at every juncture of an urban life. The colours portray their blend of formal and informal lifestyle that will add the right accents to their homes.

Bring home these products and celebrate the urban life that you belong to.

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254 Coaster set(of 4) design 2

1. Top view 2. Set of 4 3. Stacked up 4. Top and bottom view * In reference (right page)

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256 T-light holder design 1

1. Top and bottom view 2. With context 3. With lit candles 4. Close up * In reference (right page)

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258 Wall plates design set 1

1. Top and bottom view 2. Composition 3. All 4 designs 4. Close up * In reference (right page)

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260 Wall plates (colour option 2)

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1. Top and bottom view 2. Composition 3. All 4 designs 4. Close up

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261 T-light holder (colour option 2)

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1. Top and bottom view 2. Top view 3. With lit candles 4. Close up

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Technical drawings Wall Plates

Design 2

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Design 4

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230 Design 3

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T-Lights Design 2

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Coaster with stand

Ø42.00

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Glorified legacy

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A range of carved wood and lac turnery products finely finished in the town of Channapatna, Karnataka, inspired by the American heritage. Its ever evolving lifestyle yet with a touch of its glorious legacies, this range depicts the memory of the past with its red accents on the edgeless form of the globe.

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268 Shakers set(of 2)

1. Isometric view 2. Top view 3. With lid open 4. Close up

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1. Isometric view 2. Top view 3. With context 4. Close up

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1. Isometric view 2. Side view 3. Side view 4. Close up * In reference (right page)

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1. Isometric view 2. Side view 3. With lid open 4. With lid removed * In reference (right page)

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Technical drawings Shakers - Set of 2

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Napkin Ring

15

50

7

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36

Front view

Top view

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Bowl 105

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20

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35 Front view Top view

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Shakers - Set of 2 150

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Top view

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Material - Peach wood Finish- Matte Accent Colour - Red All dimensions in ‘mm’

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Meanwhile......

Branding and packaging Paintings Portrait in Copper Enamel Champa Tree

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Branding Homenjoyed is online shop under Etsy, run by the clients from USA. To try out the venture planned with Baaya, the initial sales would take place through this shop. This would provide a good understanding on sales though e-commerce as well as attain market reviews for the products put up.

The clients wanted Baaya to create branding and collaterals for the brand that can be used with packaging as well as website and social media marketing. The activity had to be done in a very short period of time. A brief study of the brand and its customers was done to begin with.

About the brand -An online International platform for buying quality home decor products -Handmade, Craft-based -Relevant designs to International customers -Personalized and customized offerings -Smartly priced -Responsible - providing opportunities to local artisans & craftsmen to keep the traditional practices alive The customers Consumers living in USA, Mostly in Urban areas, home-owners or families renting medium-large sized houses. Target Age group: 30 to 60 years, Primarily women. Our consumers are educated, well traveled and are exposed to various cultures across the world. They have a taste for unique, handmade but quality goods. They are also sensitive to environmental issues and good ethics.

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Words associated with the brand -elegant -friendly -chic -sophisticated -functional -comfortable -cost-effective -ethical Brand tagline options -Joyful homes -Your home, your style -Homes with style -Handcrafted happiness -Designed to delight Unique, handcrafted, personalized – exclusive art & dÊcor for every home. Reviving local handcraft skills by innovating, modernizing and creating products for contemporary use while still retaining its distinctive style. Each product is an original work of art with a history and a story of journey of its creation.

Selected colour palatte

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Logo Options

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Final Logo

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Logo in black and white

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Package tag (front)

Package tag (back)

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Shop look on Etsy

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Bill Format

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Paintings Indian paintings have a strong demand in the international market and with the treasure of over 20 different art style that are connected to the company through various artists all over the country, an effort was made to meet that demand.

Pattachitra from Raghurajpur, Odisha was selected to begin with. The artist who agreed to work on this project is Mr Shashikant Muduli, a fine artist who is specialized in the style of Pattachitra.

The approach was not to push the designer’s understanding of the international market on the artists, rather to evolve their understanding by giving them appropriate context, so that they are able to create the new paintings for the market. This process once set in order will help the artist create further more options in the same painting style without a middlemen intervention.

The paintings developed by the artist were true representation of the particular painting style yet contemporary enough to fit into the international market very well. The theme used was nature, based on which an inspiration board was created and shared with the artist along with the interior based inspiration boards made earlier, and then the rest is clearly visible in the paintings.

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Close up of one of the paintings on silk

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Portraits During the experiment phase with copper enamelling craft, several possibilities were being tried out. One such interesting experiment was trying to create portraits on copper. Although the process remained the same but, it has not yet reached a stage where it can be carried out by the craftsmen without the supervision of a person specialized in portrait making and the craft itself. This has strong potential for the craft and a very high demanding market who will value it a lot.

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Personalized portraits, made of coloured glass and wire work infused on copper is unique and indeed a priceless product to own or gift to someone special.

This portrait is of Smt. Brinda Somaya who is a renowned architect and urban conservationist. She is also the founder of Somaya and Kalappa, which is one of the leading architectural firms in India today.

This portrait was a memento of gratitude to her for the collaborative work done by her firm and Baaya for the interiors of the Bomabay House of Mumbai and more such works in future.

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1. Before first firing 2. First firing 3. Second firing * Plate with stand

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The Champa Tree Moving away from small intricate works of copper enamel, an effort to scale up the craft from products to large size wall murals was tried out this time.

The Baaya store was getting a complete new revamp and the founder wanted a stunning magnificent tree in the store that will be unique yet easy to assemble and scalable so that it can be customized as per orders from clients.

Few variations of trees were made out of which a champa tree was selected. The tree had to fit a wall of size 6 feet by 8 feet. Since the tree had to be packaged and brought from the cluster to the store, it had to be made in parts that could be assembled easily.

Final concept sketch

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1. Copper flowers after acid cleaning 2. Cutting branch out of copper sheet 3. Soldering of brass pipes 4. Final fixtures

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1.-6. Steps to install the champa tree * Final look at the Baaya store(rignt page)

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Close up of Champa tree at Baaya store

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Conclusion Craft stories Costing of craft products Evolution of Indian handicrafts Cultural Identity Overview

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Dying craft

Around 10 years back there were 10-15 such workshops who practiced copper enamelling in the Alibaug district. All would help each other whenever required to meet demands and learn the craft from each other. One after the other all these workshops shut themselves due to some or the other reasons but basically because they couldn’t sustain themselves with the craft. Only 2 workshops are now running, with enough craftsmen to fulfill a decent order placed. When the master craftsman was asked how he was able to sustain better, he replied that he has a strategy that works well. He creates a demand of his products by taking them off the market for a year and put different products instead. After a year he would replace them with the old designs which were missing from market for a year. By alternating his product supply, he is able to get better sales.

It is a fact that craft practices are reducing and may get extinct if they are not able to sustain themselves. But the ones that are sustaining today have a lot to teach us. These crafts have adopted strategies and evolved themselves in a manner that works better in today’s context.

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Load shedding Milind sheth as we all call him in the workshop is very particular about his work space, the amount of light and a fan near him, without which he will not sit down to work. He is always informed about the power cuts that are about to happen in the village, and he would plan his day accordingly. But whenever there is an unexpected one during the regular working hours, he would just call up the authorities to find when the power supply would be fixed and announce in the workshop saying “it’s off for the day” although he knows it will return back in few minutes. He would then get up from his workspace and go for a walk which basically would halt the flow of work chain. In the next 10min the power supply would be fixed and the workshop work would resume.

These small breaks are very much needed for a work type (wire bending into design motifs) like his to keep him working for a longer time without straining his body much at a stretch.

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Unpredictable materials The raw materials bought from various vendors have impurities and difference in quality. The difference could effect the colours, the shape of the plate or melt the copper sheets while burning. This compromise is done due to lesser cost of these materials available with the particular vendors. Due to this, the regular process of enamelling gets disturbed. There have been several instances where the process was altered since the craftsmen were aware of the faults in the material. But if they are not aware, the process being irreversible causes immense loss of material and moreover production time.

With these irregularities in materials, craftsmen face several production issues that cause them to not meet delivery time deadlines and hence a lot of consignments.

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Work in collaboration Whenever a new design is sent to Mr Patil for a trial or when they are discussed with him, he prefers one of the designers to come down to the workshop, to make it together for the first time. Then it can be put into production if approved. They prefer clear discussions at the workshop due to several changes that occur during the making of products. Everything cannot be resolved over phone calls.

Collaborations and mutually discussed design decisions help creating better craft based products. Exchange of experiences happen during sampling both from the designer’s and the craftsmen’s point of view which is always beneficial.

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Chaibreaks are an essential part of craft stories and one must indulge into this with a cup of tea to become a part of the discussions and gossips that will help them open up with craftsmen better and faster.

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What makes a craft product costly?

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Evolution of Indian Handicrafts The evolution of Indian handicrafts is rooted in the lap of Indian history and goes back to 5000 years ago where the tradition of hand made items used to whirl around religious values and they were designed to impress the rulers of the time. In 3000 BC, since Indusvalley civilization, several forms of arts and crafts have originated which can be found in museums today. Since then a significant development took place in crafts like textile, stone, metal, painting, pottery and wood.

The art of making hand made items initially began as an expression of inner creativity and evolved for trade and commerce, royalty and common people, in the later course. The tradition of using hand made products flourished and evolved as per the needs of common people. Most of the handicraft and its technique have come from the land of art and craft-Iran. Different dynasties and empires witnessed different handicrafts and patronized the respective art to help it evolve and rise. One of the oldest (more than 4000 years) handicrafts of India that is still being used is Dhokra (a distinct style of metal casting). Domestic and foreign trade also played an important role in the evolution of Indian handicraft industry. Since time immemorial Indian artisans and their innovative ideas have left the people across the globe spell bound and amazed by the distinct and appealing pieces of art.

From the Vedic era to the Medieval period India saw various varieties of crafts that made its presence and became iconic because of its identity. The Medieval period of Indian history showed a marked shift from north India to Deccan and southern parts of the country.

A high amount of royal treasure used to be spent in carving the walls of temples, and the sculptors too earned a handsome amount. The finest example of stone carving of medieval times can be seen in

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Khajuraho temple of Madhya Pradesh. Rich and ornate wood and stone carving can be found in Jagannath temple at Puri in Orissa.

Under good patronage of Mughals, handicrafts reached its pinnacle of perfection. Crafts like carpet, textile, jewellery were developed into fine arts. Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan invited craftsmen from all over the world and blend their native ideas with our own techniques and skills. With East India coming to India, the volume of trade reduced but they managed to survive. England flooded the Indian market with machine made goods, which gave a tough competition to handmade goods. Gandhiji’s Swadeshi movement focused on the need to maintain the ancient craft traditions.

Indian art and craftwork during British rule had witnessed an allround upliftment, with the government of India incorporating some regulations to boom artisans. Schools and colleges and even exhibitions were formed to make art and craft work easier to common man. British hands were also involved, which made such works earn pride place in British museums. In the prolonged years of 1850 to 1875, British developed a number of art schools for training Indian artists under the aegis of the Department of Public Instruction. The schools founded included: Madras - 1850, Calcutta - 1854, Bombay -1857 and Lahore - 1875. Lockwood Kipling (1837-1911) served as Principal of the Mayo School of Arts at Lahore from 1875 to 1893.

His programmes as did the others prepared graduates as professional portraitists, lithographers, illustrators, ornament designers, draftsmen and photographers. Kipling further made a serious effort to save or stimulate traditional Indian skills in wood-carving, furniture making and metal work. The interests and general attention paid to William Morris was also had a complementary role to the interest in India for arts and crafts.

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In 1851, the Great Exhibition at London’s Crystal Palace stimulated considerable interest among the English towards Indian arts and crafts. Illustrations of Indian textiles, metalwork, woodwork, jewellery and enamels were displayed.

In 1857, the South Kensington Museum was founded and in 1899 emerged as the Victoria and Albert Museum. Within its collections was the noteworthy Indian Section. In 1875, the Museum acquired the artefacts held by the former British East India Company and thus became Britain’s pre-eminent collection of Indian artefacts.

The status of Indian art and craft under British rule was extremely promising, when English people gradually attracted towards ancient Indian finery to make it thus known to the world.

After Independence, The Handicraft Board was set up to look into the plight of the dying crafts. Slowly the demands for these items grew at homes as well as abroad.

A Goa stone manufactured in the 17th century in Goa

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A crown from the Mughal Dynasty

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Cultural Identity

Creativity is fundamental to cultural diversity, which is itself conducive to creativity. In a context of pervasive cross-border flows, cultural diversity can be preserved only if its roots are constantly nourished by creative responses to a rapidly changing environment. The creative impulse at the root of cultural diversity is essential when it comes to analyzing the present situation of the world’s cultures and addressing the imbalances they reveal. As the World Commission on Culture and Development emphasized in its 1996 report, Our Creative Diversity: ‘Today it is ever more necessary to cultivate human creativity, for in our climate of rapid change, individuals, communities and societies can adapt to the new and transform their reality only through creative imagination and initiative’.

-UNESCO World Report on investing in cultural diversity and Inter-cultural dialogue India’s rich cultural heritage and centuries of evolutionary tradition is manifested by the huge variety of handicrafts made all over the country. Handicrafts are a mirror of the cultural identity of the ethnic people who make it. Through the ages, handicrafts made in India like the Kashmiri woollen carpets, Zari embroidered fabrics, terracotta and ceramic products, silk fabrics, etc. have maintained their exclusiveness. In the ancient times, these handicrafts were exported to far off countries of Europe, Africa, West Asia and Far East via the ‘silk route’. The entire wealth of timeless Indian handicrafts has survived through the ages. These crafts carry the magnetic appeal of the Indian culture that promises exclusivity, beauty, dignity and style.

Indian Handicrafts could be broadly divided into three categories: folk crafts, religious crafts and commercial crafts. Popular folk crafts that are modified according to the demands of the market become commercial crafts.

Dhokra sculpture of a warrior riding a horse

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Dhokra of Chattisgarh is influenced by the tribal life, its people, their daily activities and the things they see around them. The motifs they use for the figurines are also derived from nature. Use of material in a particular manner also sets borders for the work of art the craftsmen create. For example the thread like wax wires they use for the ornamentation of the pieces also direct the types of patterns they will make. The mud that is used is also very specific to the craft. It cannot be replaced by some other soil from other locations. Although the craftsmen and the set up is created very homogeneously at Panchgani, Maharashtra, the clay that is used for the core and the outer coats are from Chattisgarh.

Taking this understanding ahead a range of products were designed that had a reflection of the cultural identity of the craft yet catering to the needs of the modern market.

Dhokra sculpture of a horse from Chattisgarh

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Overview Handicrafts constitute an important segment of the Indian economy as it is one of the largest employment generators. The sector employs about 75 million people directly and indirectly, which include a large number of women and people belonging to the weaker sections of the Indian society. It is a decentralized, highly labour intensive, cottage-based industry, spread across the country. Originally, handicraft started as a part time activity in the rural areas; however, it has now transformed into a flourishing economic activity due to a significant growing market demand over the years. While most of the manufacturing units are located in rural and small towns, there is huge market potential across all Indian cities as well as outside the country.

In addition to the high potential for employment, the sector is economically important from the point of low capital investment, high ratio of value addition, and high potential for export and foreign exchange earnings for the country. In fact, the industry has seen a consistent growth of 15% over the last few years and handicrafts has contributed significantly to the foreign exchequer of the country through exports. Each state in the country has been contributing through one or more crafts and has made tremendous progress during the last decade. Handicrafts also have a big potential as they hold the key for sustaining not only the existing set of artisans but also for increasingly a large number of new entrants in the crafts activity. There are more than 67,000 Indian exporters/export houses promoting regional art and craftsmanship in the domestic and global markets.

and India is one of the important suppliers of handicrafts to the world market; however, India’s share in the world handicraft exports is less than 2%. To match the demand and supply with quality, there is a requirement for greater technological support and innovation in the industry. Moreover, the handicraft sector suffers due to its unorganized nature along with additional constraints like lack of education, capital, and low exposure to new technologies, absence of market intelligence and weak institutional framework.

It is our responsibility as young designers to enter the magnificent genre of crafts and support it to stand as an organized, developed sector making handcrafted products that are ready to compete not only the Indian but also the international market.

This project has not only given me a direction to what I want to do in life but has also developed my interest in craft sector relating it with the power of design thinking to discover the possibilities that lie in the future.

However, despite the large production base, the market at an international level is still unexplored. There is a huge demand for the Indian handicraft products in both national and international markets

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References

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Ankitkumar.in. (2018). 5 Key success factors for E-Commerce Business – Ankit Kumar. [online] Available at: https://ankitkumar. in/5-key-success-factors-for-e-commerce-business/ [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018].

Cultureamp.com. (2018). [online] Available at: https://www.cultureamp. com/resources/library/ [Accessed 3 Jan. 2018].

Asiainch.org. (2018). Asia InCH – Encyclopedia of Intangible Cultural Heritage – Open educational resource on the intangible cultural heritage of the traditional arts, crafts and textiles and their practitioners and transmitters in South Asia. [online] Available at: https://asiainch.org/?PageCode=P00032 [Accessed 4 Jan. 2018].

Craftscouncilofindia.org. (2018). Crafts Council Of India | Indian Crafts Map. [online] Available at: https://www.craftscouncilofindia. org/indian-crafts-map/ [Accessed 26 Jun. 2018].

Francis D. K. Ching, S. (2018). Francis D. K. Ching, Architecture Form, Space And Order 3rd Edition: Internet Archive. [online] Internet Archive. Available at: https://archive.org/details/ FrancisD.K.ChingArchitectureFormSpaceAndOrder3rdEdition/ page/n3 [Accessed 20 May 2018].

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Utsavpedia. (2018). Getting To Know The Gond Painting: Unique Style, Art | Utsavpedia. [online] Available at: https://www.utsavpedia. com/motifs-embroideries/gond-painting/ [Accessed 3 Jan. 2018].

Tourmyindia.com. (2018). Handicrafts in Gujarat- Handloom & Handicrafts Shopping in Gujarat. [online] Available at: https:// www.tourmyindia.com/states/gujarat/handicrafts.html [Accessed 10 Jan. 2018].

Crafting Luxury Lifestyle. (2018). Heritage Indian Arts and Crafts - Crafting Luxury Lifestyle. [online] Available at: http://www. craftingluxurylifestyle.com/heritage-indian-arts-and-crafts [Accessed 15 Feb. 2018].

Culturalindia.net. (2018). Indian Crafts - Crafts In India - Indian Handicrafts - Handicrafts India. [online] Available at: http://www. culturalindia.net/indian-crafts/index.html [Accessed 3 Jan. 2018].

Lazy Loft - Blog by FROY. (2018). Interior Design Styles: 8 Popular Types Explained - Lazy Loft - Blog by FROY. [online] Available at: http://blog.froy.com/interior-design-styles-8-popular-types-explained [Accessed 14 Mar. 2018].

The LuxPad. (2018). Interior Design Styles: The Definitive Guide. [online] Available at: https://www.amara.com/luxpad/interiordesign-styles/ [Accessed 14 Mar. 2018].

Kelly, L. (2018). How Many People Shop Online? [Infographic]. [online] Retail Performance Marketing Blog - CPC Strategy. Available at: http://www.cpcstrategy.com/blog/2017/05/ecommerce-statisticsinfographic/ [Accessed 20 Mar. 2018].

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Wiesman, L., Huynh, M., Booth, J., Fitzgerald, B., Wiesman, L., Booth, J., Fitzgerald, B., Booth, J., Manak, C., O’Toole, C., O’Toole, C. and Huynh, M. (2018). Interior Design Styles Defined - Everything You Need To Know. [online] D’MARGE. Available at: https:// www.dmarge.com/2017/02/interior-design-styles.html [Accessed 18 Sep. 2018].

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Websites shop.nordstrom.com www.amazon.in www.alibaba.com www.baayadesign.com www.crateandbarrel.com www.devraiartvillage.com www.nid.edu www.nurtureindia.in www.onekingslane.com www.pier1.com www.potterybarn.com www.sherwin-williams.com www.takshni.com www.williams-sonoma.com www.westelm.com

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Books and Reports

Image References

Ranjan, M. and Ranjan, A. (2005). Handmade in India : An Encyclopedia of the handicrafts of India. COHANDS. Designers meet artisans. (2005). New Delhi: Craft Revival Trust.

Das, Shilpa. and Hasija, Nilima. (2017). Indian crafts in a globalizing world. NID Publications.

Group segment descriptions. (2013). 2nd ed. Mosaic USA. Market feasibility study and business development plan for the handicraft sector. (2005). Chennai: – A FROST & SULLIVAN REPORT. Global market assessment for handicrafts. (2006). 1st ed. USAID. The truth about online consumers. (2017). KPMG Report

Pg 28-30 http://barnflakes.blogspot.com/2013/10/notes-on-william-morris.html http://homericvalues.co.vu/post/176034003503/pagewomantextiles-william-morris Pg 34 https://www.lotussculpture.com/Wooden-Standing-Vishnu-Statue.html http://colourfulindia2020.blogspot.com/2015/12/crafts-india.html https://swantravelagents.wordpress.com/author/ tourandtravelblogblog/page/19/ http://www.qyaari.com/blog-details?id=7&title=Alluring-StoryAbout-India%27s-Block-Print---Ajrakh https://mersinler.com/blue-pottery-history/ Pg 114,116,118,120 http://www.moonfloweryoga.com/tag/seniors https://thedma.org/ https://www.agentpipeline.com/2017/09/medicare-supplementswhat-should-i-be-selling/200342113-001/ http://iluminarfamilias.com.br/category/blog/page/7/ Pg 124 in.pinterest.com/pin/462674561710724807/?lp=true http://plusarquitectura. info/?n=15+Easter+Table+Decorations+and+Settings++HGTV Pg 136-158 http://jameso.co/1920s-decor/1920s-decor-download-by-homeideas/ https://www.sherwin-williams.com/architects-specifiers-designers/ facility-solutions/2018-marketcolors https://www.pinterest.co.uk

Videos YouTube. (2018). Lost wax process Dhokra art making video with details by sushil sakhuja Kondagaon bastar INDIA. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffg07yxr_Vs [Accessed 3 Nov. 2018].

YouTube. (2018). Lost with wax | Documentary film | Nandita Anand | Vishal Bawa Vishal Tejwani. [online] Available at: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBCSC0cvMn8 [Accessed 3 Nov. 2018].

Typeface used Garamond designed by Claude Garamond Minion Pro by Robert Slimbach

Subhrajit Ghosal | Graduation Project | 2018

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Special Mention The journey is incomplete without expressing my gratitude to.....

Mruga Gandhe, designer at Baaya Design, for sharing her craft experiences that helped me prepare myself for the craft journeys.

Mr Vipul Jain, co-founder Baaya Design, for his interesting insights and the far sighted vision for the project.

Krutika Sarin, ex-design manager, Baaya Design, for initiating the project and mentoring the initial research stage.

Swasti Singh Ghai, coordinator and faculty, textile design, NID, for her all time excitement and inspiration to drive the project better.

Copper Enamelling Patil Enterprise- Mr Sanjay Patil Baimala village, Alibaug, Raigad district, Maharashtra 402209 Dhokra Devrai Art Village- Mrs Mandakini Mathur Panchgani CHS, Opposite On wheelz amusement park, Panchgani, Maharashtra 412805 www.devraiartvillage.com Channapatna Nurture India- Pratima Sinha and Somya Suresh www.nurtureindia.in For bringing our designs to reality.

Product Design | Bachelors of Design | National Institute of Design

Thank You

Subhrajit Ghosal subhrajitghosal@gmail.com PD(UG)14