Communication Design Project 3 Visual Guide to learn Devanagari Calligraphy Project by Devyani Gupta | 206450009 Project Guide Prof G V Sreekumar IDC seven, Pwr bombayContents = OBJECTIVE o7 = INTRODUCTION oe - EXISTING METHODS TO LEARN DEVANAGARI CALLIGRAPHY 8 ~ PROBLEM AREAS 5 ~ EXPLORATION OF CALLIGRAPHY 18 ~ ANATOMY OF DEVANAGARI 2s ~ BASIC STROKES 28 ~ THE GRID 29 = IMPORTANCE OF FINE MOTOR SKILLS 30 - EXCERCISES DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS 32 - WORKSHOP GALLERY 37 - OBSERVATION - POSSIBLE OUTCOMES - FINAL PRODUCT - MAKE YOUR OWN TOOL - REFERENCES, 46 47 48 49 50Calligraphy pontancen - Seman ZoyfObjective Before we start, one needs to know that this project aims to create a step by step guide for the teachers or the students (aged 10- 15) themselves to be able to teach/learn the traditional form and writing methods of Devanagari. Introducing them to different tools and techniques of writing Devanagari and all the other essential information a student needs to know before they learn the form in depth. ‘Target audience: Children between the age of 10-15 yearsIntroduction We all in school have learnt “Hindi” by reciting Ka, Kha, Ga... practised writing its form in our Hindi notebooks that consisted of 4 lines, two reds and two blues. Did you ever wonder from where our script derived and how it was written in the carly ages when there was no pen or a pencil? Devanagart is the script im which Hindi is written, It evolved from the Brahmi script. It is an essential and widely used script in India. It is mainly used to write Marathi, Nepali and Sanskrit languages. It is an additional script for other languages such as Punjabi, Sindhi and Kashmiri. It is written from left to right. It traditionally has a diagonal axis opposite Latin at about 30-45 . Recognizable by a horizontal line that runs along the top of full, letters. Devanagari consists of 33 consonants and 12, vowels, and three others. It is an abugida, as each consonant has an inherent vowel (a) that can be changed with the different vowel signs. Most consonants can be Joined to one or two other consonants to suppress the inherent vowel. The resulting form is called a ligature Having no case distinction. i.e. no majuscule and minuscule letters. We never knew about all the above information in school, did we? However, now that I had the privilege to learn the traditional calligraphy form and techniques of writing Devanagari, 1 took it upon myself to make it easily accessible for all students from different backgrounds. Further, you will find some brief information about the Devanagari script‘The grouping of vowels and consonants is called Swaras and Vyanjanas respectively and is done according to the phonetic point of articulation. ‘CONSONANTS ‘There is a difference in pronunciation between aspirated and unaspirated consonants. We see the exact difference between dental and alveolar (or retroflex) consonants. Hindi distinguishes between the retroflex “t” sound @) and the dental “t” sound @). The retroflex "t” is pronounced with the tongue touching the palate further back than the English “t". The dental *t” is pronounced with the tongue touching the palate further forward than the English “t"; the tongue should touch the back of the teeth. Bach of them also has ‘an aspirated version, It also distinguishes between the retroflex sound of “d” (S) and the sound of the dental “a” @), and each of these also has an aspirated ‘Suppose we want to write two consonants lumped together without an intervening vowel In that ease, one can literally chop off the trailing part of the first consonant letter and attach what has left to the second consonant for example, Thirst”) Another method of recognizing a “half” or “schwa-less" consonant is the “halant” sign which is used chiefly in words borrowed from Sanskrit,Consonants TH ka [ko] TH kha che] WT oa ge] A gha [gto] SF na FT ca [Ye] BH cha (va) AW ja (959) FR ina Cote) A ita Z ta [te] S ta (te) FS oa [de] S gna tte] OT na 7 (to) OT tha cre) Zea (de) A ana cote} Ta To pa pa] Uh pha [pe] FT va [oe] A oha [ve] A ma a ya te) To (e) WH te [0] AD va [va] MT sa (yo) T sa (fo) W sa [20] @ ha (ha) ‘Aaitional consonants (only used in lcanwords) Boe Aim T op Ta So ZF mw Hea Common conjunct consonants Foie A je Wie Tm ZF wo T ta Tae Edda AW ta ZF cha Gabha Fo dma AT hma BW hye Special ra forns Bu Bao tm Toa = te [ne] [ne] [ne] [ne] [me]VOWELS In English, the pronunciation of unstressed vowels is changed to an “uh” sound, known as reducing a vowel sound. In Hindi, English speakers must constantly be careful not to reduce these vowels, significantly not to reduce the final “ah” sounds to “uh.” This can Iead to misunderstandings about grammar and gender. Every consonant letter by itself automatically includes a short “a” vowel sound unless otherwise specified. This short “a” sound is like the “a” in English “about” or “career.” In Inguistics, this sound has a unique name: “schwa”, Each vowel letter has two forms: ‘The dependent form (matra) indicates that a vowel (other than schwa) is attached to a consonant. ‘The independent form implements when the vowel occurs alone. at the beginning of a word, or after another vowel. In other words, the independent form is used whenever there Is no consonant for the vowel to attach, Hindi vowels can be nasalized; a nasal quality adds to the vowel sound. The sign for nasalization is a tiny dot placed above the “clothesline.” For example.#*1°). It is pronounced like the French word "main" Chand’) In some words containing long vowels (e.g. 3 and 3), the nasalization dot is accompanied, by a small moon. This sign is called “Chandra indi". For example, #{(¢am’). It is pronounced like “hoo”, with the vowel nasalized.te . TMs es FT RUCICMAHAHe at *H aoa ot f uw @ e @ oc a an ah am 7 Ce] fa} Ci] Ce] Cul Cu) Ce] Ce] fo] Co] Can] Cen) (&) Cr) . ; 5 Trt tT TT tart oe a 7 pe pal = po pausparh ss pah spam opr pa pa plopExisting Methods to learn Devanagari Calligraphy ‘There are mai y ways a person ean le devanagari calligraphy which commonly Includes the following: WORKSHOPS / COURSES: A lot of respected and renowned artists like Achyut Palav, Delhi Doodler, Chaitanya Gokhale, Amritanshu Das, and many more have taken the initiative to bless us all with thelr knowledge of calligraphy through online and in-person workshops, a few of which include the following: ‘Teaching basic strokes Holding the tool Formations of letters and words VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE: Tutorial videos are one source readily available on the internet where one can follow the steps and look at the various ways of Devanagari calligraphy. PRACTICE BOOKS: Books that can help students learn Devanagari calligraphy alone can consist of illustrations: some might have graphs with wr mainly consisting of written practical knowledge. ‘en letters, Information about tools and ink ean also be available in a few books.aaa ad eee cs a e G4 eee abate Sia =e fesag ( BUT AAA TaAaw SE ess Es TA MAAA eeITAT AA pascrceorsase stones SU SUSTTIRO feraaiecous eesAnatomy of Devanaga: With its immense and limitless character set many moving parts, and complex shapes, the Devanagari seript can feel intimidating to someone new to it, S. V. Bhagwat is usually credited with doing the first graphical analysis of Devanagari Ietterforms, albeit these were handwritten and not typographic. In his study from 1961, Bhagwat divided letterforms into categories based on their construction and shape and created a scheme for anatomy. A more fine-tuned version of the same approach is seen in the work of Bapurao Naik, author of the monumental three-volume work ‘Typography in Devanagari, published a decade later in 1971. Naik put the basic Devanagari letters into five categories based on their vertical stem and how it interacts with other strokes. These categories are a full bar with attached strokes, a full bar with loose strokes, a short bar, a bar in the centre, and without a bar. Both Bhagwat and Naik’s schemes highlight terms used for vowels and other signs. The next notable attempt to formalise type anatomy was by Mukund V. Gokhale. An exciting aspect of his work is that he roughly used the human body — in conjunction with, the thickness of a pen stroke — as a reference to define the vertical metrics of Devanagari letterforms. ‘The vertical metrics he defined were: Urdhvarekha (upward or top line) Shirorekha (headline) ‘Skandharekha (shoulder line) Nabhirekha (navel line) Zanurekha (thigh line) Padrektha (Foot line} Talrekha (bottom line)Leners Common Letiers Common Letters Common element element element aaa Fandor? | O57 o jamais « Ta(wa) ct (#) | esezeH = lug Tr waq t)ezgiag = | a aaa aq a |35 3 WHIT Fors Mss - Groups based on graphical similarity one of the st grouping systems for letters by S V Bhagyat« chanting ictal cont pianoBasic Strokes Horizontal Line 45 Degree AngleThe Grid A—Upper Matra line Batra line c Head line D—Uupper Mean line ——Lower Mean line F—__Base line G—Lower Matra line ‘The guide lines which are common and have been delineated by all are: + Upper Matra line, Matra Line, 3828 (topmost line) + Shiro-rekha, Head line, Pre thead-tine) + Initial ine, Upper Mean line, #ear (shoulder line) + Lower Kana line, Base line, $28 (foot line) sLower Matra line, Rukar line aaa" (extreme bottom line)Importance of Fine Motor Skills in students Fine motor refers to the group of skills involved in the ability to manipulate smaller objects with the hands and fingers, for example, grasping, holding and pinching. ‘They are also critical for the development of emergent writing, Writing is a complex process that requires the development of language, visual information, grapheme knowledge, word knowledge and concepts of print, to name a few. The motor control to produce text through drawing, ‘mark-making and symbolic representations of letters is vital in the communication of the message. Fine motor development is essential in developing the ability to mark-make and write effectively, so that a message can be ‘communicated. In order to hold a pencil with fingers a child first need to be able to isolate his/her fingers from their palm. As they have more experience with fine motor activities, children establish more control over their fingers, This is what allows them to hold their pencil with their fingers and eventually develop a dynamic pencil grasp. ‘Two essential steps for better motor skills are: + Finger and Hand Control Messy play is a great way to help with hand awareness, Sand, shave foam and finger pai - Playdough - Construction toys + Pre-writing skills, Pre-writing skills are the things a child needs to be able to do before they are ready to write. ‘This includes being able to colour and trace inside lines, and to draw certain shapes.Exercises designed for students After the study of basic strokes and calligraphy of devanagari my self, I realized that the only way a student can learn the art of calligraphy was by consistent practice and good understanding of basic strokes. Keeping all the study and practice in mind I came up wth a few set of grids and exercises for the students in order to understand the progress and rellablity of the exercise for the final product. ‘The first set is named as “The Doodle’ two sheets which have zig zag, cursive , horizontal and vertical, circular lines for the students to trace upon with the help of two peneils stuck. together, in order to understand the thin and thick lines with the movement of hand on a constant angle. Other tools like highlighter could be used too, Set two " The Singles" consist of Part A and B. Part A - Strokes of alphabets to be filled in with the help of finger, crayons, flat brush and Ink. Part B - Monoline alphabets to be drawn over with the help of highlighter, the wood stick tool or a carpenters pencil Set 9-* The Grid” has head line and base Une as a grid, Alphabets are in a high to low opacity. Here the students practice directlty with ink and tool.‘THE DOODLE Kindly refer the below links to view the process: https://youtu.be/_RO-hH2vOhe https://youtu.be/1T7NM3wm-ve https://youtu.be/ksCeZnoYPhe‘THE SINGLES Set A- Strokes of alphabets to be filled in with —__ttps://youtu.be/yNhOCdkwspg the help of finger, erayons, flat brush and Ink, https: //youtube.com/shorts/ Kindly refer to the below links to view the NgAPHJsZnj¥Pfeature=share process: Ittps://youtu.be/OJBqLCasw‘THE SINGLES Set2 B-Monoline alphabets to be drawn over with the help of highlighter, the wood stick tool or a carpenters pencil Kindly refer to the below links to view the process: Inttps://youtube.com/shorts/h- rOqMpAERS?feature=share https: //youtube.com/shorts/ ZmOUxbQ4MLAPTeature=share hips: //youtube.com/shorts/ NYahMUVqkoI?feature=share https://youtube.com/shorts/ CojTrnVIkCAPeature=share TseTHE GRID Sel 3 —" The Gris” consists of * the head line and base line as a grid. ‘The sheet size is a4.Alphabets are in a high to low opacity. The first alphabet has the guidelines as to which stroke is to be drawn. frst. The alphabets have been divided according to the stroke similarity, rather than varndmala, to make it easier for the student to grasp the form of the alphabet. Kindly refer to the below links to view the process: https: //youtube.com/shorts/ ezbyDPOUIASMfeature=share ‘The GridWorkshop with students ‘The exercise sheets were surveyed with th students of a the initial practice was for them to se on heets in different motions for their hands to beWORKSHOP GALLERYObservations PROS ~ Easy when guided properly or with specific written or verbal instructions. ~ Activities involving paint or any new material were found interesting, - Students were more interested in solo participation. - Storytelling and explanation were a better medium of understanding. Instruments like the compass “D*, whe shown physically, made the students grasp over the 45-degree angle, = Willingly practised sheets to do from home Explanation about the traditional Devanagari calligraphy intrigued students to learn more and gather information from the internet or by talking with their parents, ‘cons - Faced difficulty writing consonants without a headline and baseline. - Sheets became boring, which had no verbal or written guidance. - Confusion was evident when explained about a 45-degree angle without visuals.Possible outcomes 1. A tracing guide with a written instruction journal for students to practice calligraphy. 2. A few recorded videos of “Do it with me" sessions where students will be able to download the reference files (Tracing sheets and grids on A4 paper) for practice and to learn calligraphy. The session will also introduce the students to the tools of Devanagari 3, A redo textbook which would have reversed embossed letter forms of Devanagari for better eye and hand coordination where the students can practice with the help of invisible ink, making it reusable and for repeated practice. A three-dimensional groove design. During writing, the students will use a pen filled with invisible ink to follow paths and different strokes. The calligraphy will gradually fade away after drying, An excellent way to enhance basic motor skills. Note: All the above three ideas will have step. by-step instructions for the students per the product's requirement.Final Product A guidebook consists of dedicated pages for fh letterform where the letters are divided {ter hand and ey ery simplified form. be readily available school or the teacher can download them and get them printed on an ad I find thReferences ‘Anatomy of Devanagari Inttps:/ /wwwnw.type-together.com/devanagari-type-anatomy ~ http://www. ide-tith.ae.tn /resources /dt-jan-2009 /Anatomy%2001%20Devanagart pal - Bagwat S V, Phonemic frequencies in Marathi and their relation to devising a speed script, Deccan college Pune,1961 https: /www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/phonemic-frequencies-in-marathi-and-their- relation-to-devising-speed-script-old-and-rare-book-nam748/ ~ https://books.google.co.in/ - Typography of Devanagari, Volume 1 Bapurao S.Naik Fine Motor SI and Handw1 -https:/ /www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood /professionals/learning/ecliteracy /emergentliteracy/ Pages /finemoto.aspx Devanagari Script ~ https: / www dsource.in/case-study /designing-stencil-font-devanagari-script/introduction= https://dsource.in/sites /default/files/resource /history-devanagari-letierforms/downloads/ file/70_122_history_devanagari_letterforms_New.pdf https: //www.lingvozone.com/Hindt - https: / /groups.google.com/g/googlefonts-discuss /c/XRYMYHZpUVe/m/_mLQWbr8rp8J?pll=1 ‘Academic Learning Among 11-13 Year Olds https: / /www.scholastic.com/ parents /family-Iife ereativity-and-eritical-thinking/ development. milestones /academic-learning-among-11-13-year-olds.html https: / /www.education.vie.gov.au/childhood /professtonals /learning /ecliteracy /emergentiiteracy/ Pages /finemoto.aspxThank You! 1206450009 | DEVYANI GUPTA | 2022