VOLUME 9 ISSUE 3
The International Journal of
Visual Design __________________________________________________________________________
Influence of Movie Poster Themes on the Color Trends Used in the Shop Signs of Cities in India NANKI NATH AND RAVI POOVAIAH
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Influence of Movie Poster Themes on the Color Trends Used in the Shop Signs of Cities in India Nanki Nath, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India Ravi Poovaiah, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India Abstract: Shop signs may be considered as quintessential urban markers of business and trade in different kinds of marketplaces in a city. They allow us to unravel the fascinating dimensions of visual culture in different cities of India. There are two kinds of cities that we have identified in this research, namely traditional and modern. A total of four city shop signs data has been analyzed, of which Jaipur and Hyderabad are the traditional cities and Mumbai and Chennai are the modern cities of India. In the content of any shop sign, information operates at three levels: shop name, tag line and background sign panel that represent the morphological structure of a shop sign. As material objects of a larger visual culture, shop signs signify business identities with the aid of certain visual attributes. Of these, we could observe color as the primary visual attribute that identifies and differentiates information levels within and across shop signs. Color imbibes an art of persuasion in the visual communication of design of a shop signboard. Certain simultaneous movements or changes in one or more color characteristics against specific time periods have been identified as period specific trends of color attribute in shop signs in our study. The objective of these trends may or may not be clear. However, their nature and direction is guided by certain socio-political popular themes as well as themes that guide the visual language of color display in the eponymous movie posters in India. The color trend analysis in this paper reveals that such trends are useful resources to retrieve information about color characteristics as well as their diachronic evolution in the design of shop signs in India. Keywords: Color Trends, Popular Themes, Visual Culture, Visual Attributes, Indian Movie Posters, Morphology, Shop Signs, India
Introduction
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ndia has played a magnificent role of being a transit stop and home to thousands of trading generations. Within the realm of consumerism and commercialization, the archetypal group of business shops displays a forthright personality when it comes to advertising the wares, products and services in marketplaces. Shop signs represent themselves as eclectic commercial entities that are installed in cities to market products in the form of various visual expressions. The design attributes of color, typography and the panel form play different roles in the visual communication of the information content on the shops. Of these attributes, color endows all the form-based attributes of typography and panel form with visibility, recognition and distinction in a large group of shop signs visually competing with each other in a built space. Three layers of information, namely the shop name, tag line and background sign panel construct the morphological structure of a shop sign (Fig. 1). Any tagline serves as a temporary promotional punch and may not necessarily accompany locally well-known shop names or nationally well established brand product/service names. Therefore, we do not see any color trends in the tag lines of shop signs in the current analysis. Color has an expression1. These expressions of different color characteristics like hues, combinations, schemes and effects in shop signs change with time in each selected city. Therefore, this paper aims to tap the chronological evolution that aids in retrieving technical and subjective influences on color as the primary visual attribute of expression of our object of study, the shop sign.
1 As expressions, colors do not have true or fixed meanings in the context of representation. These meanings are subject to change (Hall 2013). Jim Hodges rightly said, “Color is for me the purest form of expression, the purest abstract reality.”
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Figure 1: Morphological structure of a shop sign with three layers of information Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
Defining Color Trends Trends and forecasts play an influential role in the way we see and identify color (Delong and Martinson 2013). They generally rule the fashion, technology and business worlds. The scope of trends is almost ubiquitous in order to accumulate mainstream pulse of any subject, social condition(s) or scientific phenomenon etc. Signboards of shops have different origins at different periods of time. This diversity in origins affects the visual language of design and its attributes such as color in a shop sign. Trend is simply a style in vogue belonging to particular or a group of color characteristics. This popular nature of color trends brings them inside the world of popular and material culture representing business identities in different cities of India. Therefore, we have reconsidered and redefined trends in the context of color attribute in a shop sign design for our study as follows: Period specific color trends are the simultaneous changes in one or more color characteristics in the design of a shop sign in a certain direction against a specific time period. Here, the objective or goal may or may not be clear for any single factor. But, the direction has some link with respect to socio-political factors or movie poster based popular themes belonging to that specific time period.
Methodology Data Collection, Sampling Process and Classification of Cities The visual data was photo-documented from existing marketplaces per city. The year of making or installation of each and every signboard, the design, changes and materials of the craft were confirmed from the shop owners. The number of photographs of shop signs per city collected was large. In every city around six to seven small and big marketplaces were covered in the field visits. We finally selected three marketplaces making a total of ninety shop signs for analysis of color trends per city. Principle of classification of cities is based on themes. In the history of cities in India, one of the classifications divides them into major and minor provinces during British colonial rule. On the basis of provinces as orderings2 we could see a bipolar existence of genres/classes of traditional and modern groups of cities as follows in the sections continued. 2
Orderings represent a particular ontology or cosmology, i.e. a particular way of organizing or classifying the structure of being or reality (Shapiro and Hughes 1999). Refer: http://www.iath.viginia.edu/ach-allc.99/proceedings/shapiro.ht
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Traditional Cities Jaipur, the Pink City of India is also one of the planned cities of India with its urban design that was based on traditional geometry and astronomical principles. The design has sustained in the city plan since antiquity. This specialty makes Jai Singh’s Jaipur a traditional city of unique heritage value. Hyderabad, the Pearl city of India was once an ancient princely state, namely the Hyderabad State ruled by the Nizams. It came to be known as a princely state during British colonial rule in India. It still sustains this ancient identity till date with the city as its capital.
Modern Cities Chennai, formerly Madras, prominently developed at the arrival of the British East India Company. This city attained the status of a presidency city by the late 18th century. It came to be known as the Detroit of India and has been an established cosmopolitan metropolis. It has constantly evolved in form as well as function (Muthiah 2008). Mumbai, The New York of India, formerly known as Bombay that was discovered around late 18th century imbibes a rich history of the British colonial rule. The city of Mumbai in these modern times is a prominent commercial and entertainment centre of India.
Research Approach Followed for Analysis The analysis of trends in this paper applies a constructivist practice 3 by bringing forth the color expressions and styles as a thematic point of convergence between two mediums of color display, namely movie posters as well as shop signs belonging to specific time periods in India. Such an approach views color as an arbitrary 4 concept rather than one with fixed meanings. A theme has been defined as, ‘the particular subject or idea on which the style of something is based’ (Merriam Webster Dictionary, 2015). In our study, themes or particular subjects that influence color as a concept are temporal and constantly evolve in their nature and meaning. The color expressions in shop signs seem to follow a stylistic representation of similar colors used in the titles as well as the backgrounds of Indian movie posters. These movies have themes that influence color expressions in movie posters. Parallel to this, they are also present in the two information layers: shop names and background sign panels. Generally, color concepts are applied in a wide range of situations and practices. The point behind the theory of color is not prominently to capture our folk beliefs but to make sense of those situations and practices (Maund 2012). Likewise, the concept of color trends in shop signs in this study aims to involve a range of constructive situations comprised of popular themes5 in different time periods as follows: Movie poster themes are the narrative themes of these films that guide the design of the titles and backgrounds of these posters. At a social level, the early development of poster in the 19th century was closely linked to the introduction of lithography. Since then, its evolution has been bound up with subsequent advances in printmaking techniques. The access to a large public has attracted artists and designers towards poster designs. This perhaps allowed posters to be
3
Though constructivism is a learning theory, it is the application of what are often referred to as constructivist practices (Zemelman et al. 2005) in the classroom and elsewhere that provide support for the knowledge construction process. Colors in our study are signs of expressions at different time periods. Arbitrary means that there is no natural relationship between sign and its meaning or concept (Hall 2013). 5 The Indian movie popular themes considered in the study are a reflection of the social likes, dislikes and aspirations of the audience that construct the narratives and stories evolving with time. These evolutionary themes as social by-products of changing public tastes and conditions are popular themes with a strong influence over the popular color use in shop signs that evolves across time periods. 4
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harnessed for social purposes such as the dissemination of information and propaganda. This trend has also made posters as one of the significant forms of commercial art. The movie poster color expressions have simultaneous visual influences from different art movements of international origin that appear in few specific time periods. The colors, their mood and formal treatment as styles of these movements find a popular expression as part of movie titles and layers of information in shop signs appearing in certain specific time periods in this study.
Color Trend Analysis This analysis is a detailed description of popular themes and related visual styles. The popular themes influence the period specific color trends in hues, combinations, schemes and effects in the names and background sign panels in traditional and modern cities illustrated with the respective figures in the following sections.
Period Specific Color Trends of Names in the Shop Signs of Traditional Cities 1945–59, Popular Themes and Color Trends Post 1947 onwards till the late 1950s, India celebrated social realism 6 as a core theme that explored classic romantic themes in bollywood films. Parallel to this, an aftermath of the radical leftist politics internationally led many artists to adopt surrealism7. At the backdrop of this movement, a non-representational color palette of blues and greens was used to depict the world of dream and fantasy in hand-painted technique that represents the color display in bollywood movie posters as well as hand-painted shop names in the city of Jaipur (Fig. 2).
Figure 2. Period Specific Color Trends of Blue and Green Hues in Shop Names of Jaipur Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015 6
Social Realism was practiced in American Art in those times. “…realism arises with respect to a large number of subject matters, including ethics, aesthetics, causation, modality, science….everyday world of macroscopic material objects and their properties.” Refer: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/realism/ 7 A 20th century movement in art and literature to release the creative potential of the unconscious mind. Refer: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/surrealism?q=surrealism
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In 40s and 50s, tollywood like kollywood explored the folklore themes as the feature of the socially sensitive stories. Social in telugu cinema as a theme connoted realism and commitment to Teluguness (Srinivas 2014). This could also be seen in visual rendering styles using red and yellow-green / bluish-green colors to create a folklore charm in the film titles of telugu movie posters. This time slot is believed to be a trendsetting era of idealism8. This found popular expressions in the use of red that has been counter balanced aesthetically with mundane olive green in the shop names across marketplaces in Hyderabad (Fig. 3).
Figure 3. Period specific color trends of red and green hues in shop names of Hyderabad Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
1960–74, Popular Themes and Color Trends The themes of bollywood movies of these times celebrated some fun-n-frolic family narratives along with majority of films on relevant social issues that aimed to oppose the Nehruvian diktat of nation and nationalism. These aggressive issues find color expressions in the use of warm hues like orange, red and yellow in different visual representation styles in the film titles as well as the shop names of this period (Fig. 4).
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1940s popular social themes marked the best days of Telugu cinema, at once sensible, purposeful. They were best days for Telugu cinema with progressive outlook. 'Dharmapatni'(1941) was said to be a good film in story writing aspect [History Of Birth And Growth Of Telugu Cinema (Part 1)], http://www.cinegoer.net/telugucinema13.htm
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Figure 4. Period specific color trends of orange, red and yellow hues in shop names of Jaipur Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
The theme of teluguness9 aimed to foster linguistic unity with the emergence of Telangana (Srinivas, 2013; Gokulsing and Dessanayake 2013) conceptually influenced the colors of red and green used in titles of telugu movie posters. This complimentary scheme of reddish orange and green is perhaps a visual representation of the described opposing themes that conceptually coexist in case of Hyderabad shop signs (Fig. 5).
Figure 5. Period specific color trend of orange-red, yellow-green in shop names of Hyderabad Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
9 The local telugu native aspect or in nativity specific to the telugu local people of Andhra Pradesh since post 1960s (Maheshwari July 31, 2013). Refer: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/a-state-that-must-fulfil-a-higherpurpose/article4972173.ece
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Late 70s and early 80s movies portrayed masala themes and the overt political unrest with deliberate introduction of the underdog characters—when the angry young man10 took to task smugglers and land sharks and brought justice to bastiwalas or the generally under privileged. Commercial advertising and color broadcasting were introduced in television. This period is also known for the secessionistic 11 movements. Therefore an atmosphere of aggression and unfortunate marginalized movements depicted the popular theme of the socio-political canvas of India. We see use of warm hues like orange and yellow in the movie titles and some backgrounds of the bollywood posters and in the shop names. Parallel to this, the emergence of pop art movement influenced the use of fantastic yellows with a strong graphic vitality provided by the hardedge black under-casing provided to the movie titles as well as shop names (Fig. 6).
Figure 6. Period specific color trend of hues like orange and yellow in shop names, Jaipur Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
Parallel to masala bollywood themes, telugu movies were made with big budget and glittering stars like Rajendra Prasad and Naresh in few low budget comedies. Politics played even more aggressive role in these times of revolutions to nurture telugutanam12 concept in this post N.T.R period. This preservation of local objectives finds color expressions in the use of orange-red hue in movie titles in the posters as well as in the shop names of the same time period. In the shop names colors have been treated with visual effects of hard edge under casings, drop-shadows and bold outlines around the letterforms that have been used to visually amplify the names (Fig. 7).
10
The angry young man image was the typecast associated with the bollywood actor Amitabh Bacchhan during late 1970s and early 80s. Refer, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1945451.stm 11 Seccionistic movements were the separatist movements led by mainly Sikhs in the 80s (Chopra 2008, 192). 12 Telugutanamor teluguness was a wave introduced by intellectuals, Kodavaganti Kutumb Rao and Gudavali in The emergence of N.T.R. as the centre of Teluguness gave him a strong political authority. (Srinivasa 2009, 22).
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Figure 7. Period specific color trend of orange-red hue in shop names of Hyderabad Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
1990–94, Popular Themes and Color Trends The modern periods post 1990s present similar color trends and influencing factors in both the traditional cities of Jaipur and Hyderabad. The detailed description is as follows: India has a unique quality of a staggering fortitude and prodigious strength to bounce back after any crisis. In the 1990s with the emerging Open economy, India became well known for mixed themes in bollywood as well as tollywood. International appeal became the zing word of the times. Dr. Akkinenn Nageswara Rao (A.N.R.) was the first person to come to Hyderabad in the 90s and build a studio named Annapurna in Hyderabad (Saran, 2014). A number of Telugu films got released and were a devotional copy of the bollywood form and content to attract audience that led to a loss of the spirit of the telugu soil and identity. Therefore, we see white used in shop names depicting the fresh, stabilized and progressive economy. The new Coca-Cola generation of brands and consumerist approach as a universal theme has been captured in the white movie titles and shop names in Jaipur and Hyderabad (Fig. 8 and 9).
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Figure 8. Period specific color trend of white shop names in Jaipur Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
Figure 9. Period specific color trend of white shop names in Hyderabad Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
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2005 Onwards, Popular Themes and Color Trends This modern period is well known for the globalization13of bollywood posters as well as the social lifestyles and tastes of the public. This new global theme is a hybrid cultural product14 that merges modern qualities with the erstwhile narratives of India. New emerging theme is the cyber-culture as a new and vital space for public culture. There is an integration of various mediums in modern times converging in a participatory regime (Punathamberkar and Kavoori, 2012: 284). For instance, shop names in red color with white outlines follow the color combination style as seen in movie titles in bollywood and tollywood posters (Fig. 10 and 11).
Figure 10. Period specific color effect trend of red gradients, red names-white outlines in Jaipur Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
13 From the socio-psychological perspectives, the meaning of globalization is ‘an attitude of mind of living prudently and harmoniously in an interdependent world with finite natural resources contradicted by infinite sources of exploitation of nature, violence, conflicts, self-interest and a world divided…’ (Ahmed July, 2013). 14 The authors of the book Global Bollywood share that in current fusion times, ‘…corporatization and chasing crossover audience has led to the advent of a new kind of cinema, a hybrid cultural product that fuses the language of hollywood with the accent, slang and emotions of India (Punathambekar and Kavoori 2008).
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Figure 11. Period specific color trend of orange and orange-red hues in sign panels in Jaipur Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
Period Specific Color Trends of Background Sign Panels in Traditional Cities 1960–74, Popular Themes and Color Trends The background sign panels in the marketplaces of Jaipur are influenced by 1960s to 70s socio politically tumultuous times in India (Fig. 12). The warm hues subtly remind of those popular social scenarios (see description of the same in similar period specific color trend in the preceding analysis of period specific color trends in names of shop signs in the traditional city of Jaipur).
Figure 12. Period specific color hue trend of yellow background sign panels in Jaipur Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
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Another popular theme for this time period is the use of different color display with respect to layout design and grid used as syntactic devices along with color in the background sign panels. This popular style of color and layout uses many cut-paste shapes. In tollywood, movies explored themes of relevant social issues underlying the local teluguness. In this period, the technique of cut-n-paste of popular actor / actress images on two sides with discreet contours juxtaposed with other geometric shapes appear in movie posters as well as rear vehicular graphics of auto-rickshaws and trucks as part of the city’s transport. Similar color-shape juxtapositions and layout can be seen in the background sign panels across marketplaces (Fig. 13).
Figure 13. Period specific color trend of warm colors and shapes in panels in Hyderabad Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
1975–89, Popular Themes and Color Trends In 1975–89, India witnessed socio-political unrest along with a charged up creative renaissance in the arts field. This popular idiom becomes the color trend in use of orange and orange-red in background sign panels of Jaipur (Fig. 14). For the detailed description of this popular theme see the preceding analysis of similar period specific trend in the shop names of the city of Jaipur.
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Figure 14. Period specific color trend of orange and orange-red hues in sign panels in Jaipur Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
Visual art movements like the pop art brought forth the fantastic retro look and experiments with new color contrasts and forms. This can be seen in tollywood movie poster backgrounds and vinyl LP covers and in warm hues in background sign panels in Hyderabad (Fig. 15). The thematic influences are the same as in period specific color trends in shop names in Hyuderabad.
Figure 15. Period specific color trend of mostly warm hues followed by green blue in sign panels, Hyderabad Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
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1990–2004, Popular Themes and Color Trends Post 1990s after the advent of the open economy, good trade and material development happened in order to match the international appeal in facades, materials and respective color choices. Acrylic sign panels15 have been used in the sign backgrounds, prominently in red and grey hues. The same hues also form the backgrounds of bollywood movie posters (Fig. 16).
Figure 16. Period specific color trend of red and grey acrylic sheet panels in Jaipur Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
In modern 1990s until early 2000s, the development of print technology gave us a variety of colors and effects to mass-produce in a cost-effective manner saving time and labor (for detailed description of the national popular wave and related themes, see preceding analysis of period specific color trends of shop names in the city of Jaipur). The background sign panels across marketplaces in this period use fantastic primary hues of red, blue and yellow-orange mostly crafted in vinyl flex, followed by a few examples of grey colored acrylic boards. Same colors and stylistic influence of tollywood movie poster backgrounds and vinyl LP covers is seen in these sign panel backgrounds (Fig. 17).
15
Acrylic sheets are produced from a methyl methacrylate monomer having outstanding chemical resistant properties etc. Refer: http://www.signsbytomorrow.com/web/whatsyoursign/materials.aspx
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Figure 17. Period specific color trend of acrylic base red / yellow sign panels in Hyderabad Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
Period Specific Color Trends of Names in the Shop Signs of Modern Cities 1945–59, Popular Themes and Color Trends Films that were made in Tamil language in Chennai then imbibed freedom struggle and sacrificial heroic themes being the dominant ones. In kollywood 16 there was a celebration of melodramas like social ills, family breakdowns etc. The film titles of all these movies are in white and the shop names specifically belonging to this time period are also white (Fig. 18). Subtly white in the bold strokes of the letterforms as a popular style echoes the socio-political Dravida Nadu revolution by Periyar 17 based on the philosophy of tamil nationalism 18.
16
Tamil cinema is often referred to as kollywood, a portmanteau of the words Kodambakkam, an area of Chennai, where Tamil language feature films are produced and Hollywood. Refer: http://www.tamilfilmbox.com/what-is-tamil-film/ 17 E.V. Ramasamy is known as Periyar or Thanai Periyar is a social activist, politician and businessman who started the self-respect movement in which he proposed creation of an independent state called Dravida Nadu. He is also the founder of Dravidar Kazhagam (Mehta and Pantham 2006). 18 Tamil Nationalism was thus based on three ideologies: dismantling of Brahmin hegemony; revitalization of the Pure Tamil Language and social reform by abolition of existing caste systems, religious practices and recasting equal position of women in society (Moorti 2004, 549). Periyar’s movement aimed to uplift and win rights for the lower castes in Tamil Nadu.
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Figure 18. Period specific color trend of white shop names in Chennai Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
The popular theme of 1945–59 color trends in the names of shop signs in the city of Jaipur has been applied in the same hues of blue and green in the shop names across marketplaces in Mumbai as well (Fig. 10). The detailed theme description in the preceding analysis of period specific color trends in shop names in the city of Jaipur.
Figure 19. Period specific color hue trend of green and blue shop names in Mumbai Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
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1960–74, Popular Themes and Color Trends The bollywood movie themes of swinging 60s19 and aggressive 70s were also popular in the Tamil cinema. Neo-nativity20 in tamil movies became the theme of popular imagination in those times with the rustic hero, the village and its social milieu forming the major highlights. The kollywood movie titles in orange-reds and yellows as a popular trend can also be seen in the shop names belonging to the same time period in Chennai (Fig. 20).
Figure 20. Period specific color hue trend of orange-red and yellow shop names in Chennai Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
The same provocative hues presented above in different visual representation styles can be seen in film titles as well as the shop names of this period in Mumbai (Fig. 21). This is similar to the ones in the case of the traditional city of Jaipur, see detailed description of the theme in the period specific color trend analysis of shop names in the city of Jaipur.
19 1960sera is popularly known as the swinging sixties including the hippy movement that started in the Haight-Asbury district of San Francisco as a rejection of the material values of the 1950's (Derby Telegraph January 27, 2014). Refer: http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/Bygones-Days-swinging-60s-Vibrons-national-TV/story-20504932-detail/story.html 20 Neo-nativity thematic films included the rurality of the plot and its settings, essentially popular in the years of 60s and 70s in Tamil cinema (Kaali 2000, 170).
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Figure 21. Period specific color hue trend of orange-red and red shop names in Mumbai Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
1975–89, Popular Themes and Color Trends Parallel to bollywood movie themes of this period, Tamil movies also witnessed innovation with the introduction of new faces like Rajnikanth, Kamala Hassan, Sri Devi etc. Politics played even more aggressive role in Chennai with a strong revolution against the higher caste system monopoly in the then Tamil civilization, culture and language. This opposition was conveyed via various artistic means like poetry, drama, and literature; of which the most successful was the film medium of visual communication (Velayutham 2008). Many Tamil films portrayed rural themes at the backdrop of the popular amman21 village portraying folk-hinduism22 (Sinha 2007). Moralistic and parochial themes that upheld social order and addressed dominant values of Tamil Hindu society find popular color expressions of flaming oranges and chrome yellow in the shop names as well as the movie titles (Fig. 22).
21
The sudrahindus or the non-aryan belt of villagers in South India strongly believe in their respective village goddesses. Likewise, in Chennai town the protecting goddess is Amman and her temple is in the middle of Black Town. 22 Specific features: the privileging of mediums and trance sessions; the intimate, familiar, unmediated approach to the deity (given the absence of a religious intermediary); the ability to sense, feel close to, and talk to deities; the importance of devotion, intuition, emotion, religious experience etc. (Sinha 2007).
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Figure 22. Period specific color hue trend of orange and deep red shop names in Chennai Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
With the emergence of pop art, prominence of fantastic orange / orange-red with graphic vitality of hardedge black under-casing given to the movie titles as well as shop names connote the local identities and sentiments prevailing in the popular social themes of this time period in Mumbai shop names like those of Jaipur shop names (Fig. 7). But, there is a slight difference in appearance of black names and movie titles in Mumbai. Jaipur shop name letterforms have black under-casing. However, in the same period in Mumbai black fills the entire letterforms of the movie titles and shop names (Fig. 23). See the description of these themes in the preceding period specific color trend analysis in shop names of Jaipur.
Figure 23. Period specific color hue trend of orange / orange red shop names in Mumbai Source(s): Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
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1990–2004, Popular Themes and Color Trends Preminda Jacob’s essay on the history and use of banner advertisements in Tamil cinema is a testimony of a unique art form of creating visually and physically imposing painted / printed figures of the movie stars in urban spaces. This connects with more tech savvy audience that prefers an international appeal in visual form and representation of identities (Jacobs 2008). Therefore, we see the applications of globally popular color combinations such as red and blue or red with blue and green together in the shop names. This depicts a modern taste, globalization along with the preservation of deep saturated tones of red, blue and green combination colors as an established identity of the southern visual cultural color display (Fig. 24). The same global theme affects the culturally different cities of Jaipur and Hyderabad (relative to Chennai as a cosmopolitan city) shop names color display (see descriptions the preceding analysis of similar period specific color trends in shop names in the cities of Jaipur and Hyderabad). However, this effect and influence exists for these traditional city shop signs in the recent period of 2005 onwards. Few depictions of shop names in red and yellow subtly connote the passionate drive of present day youth of India.
Figure 24. Period specific color combination trend of red, blue and green shop names in Chennai Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
We can see white and silvery white in shop names depicting the fresh, stabilized and progressive economy. This popular theme influences the style of white shop names in Mumbai (Fig. 25). Though, there are a few depictions of red in the shop names as well. The detailed description of the theme and related styles is in similar preceding color trend analysis of Jaipur city shop names.
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Figure 25. Period specific color hue trend of orange / orange red shop names in Mumbai Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
2005 Onwards, Popular Themes and Color Trends With the new digital color production techniques in modern times, both the bollywood in Mumbai and kollywood posters in Chennai use the same colors and simulation in the movie titles. Therefore, the Tamil movie poster title colors deeply influence and regulate similar color display and treatments to represent modern brand image for all shops. For instance, the drop shadow effect has been used in modern logo designs, film titles as well as the shop names of this period (Fig. 26).
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Figure 26. Period specific white color hue and simulation effects trend in shop names in Chennai Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
Modern globalized brand display can be seen in the name color trends of Mumbai shop signs from 2005 onwards (Fig. 27). The detailed description of the theme and related popular styles has been given in the period specific color trends of Jaipur shop names in the preceding analysis.
Figure 27. Period specific color hue trend of white, darker blue / black shop names in Mumbai Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
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Period Specific Color Trends of Background Sign Panels of Modern Cities 1960–74, Popular Themes and Color Trends In India, this time period was socio-politically most tumultuous of all. Limestone white and few withered yellow panels occur in this period. The warm hues occur in the vintage bollywood movie poster backgrounds (Fig. 28).
Figure 28. Period specific color hue trends of withered white and yellow shop names in Mumbai Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
1975–89, Popular Themes and Color Trends India witnessed political unrest in society along with highly charged up creative renaissance in the arts field in this time period. Hence, color trend of warm hues like orange, yellow and deep earthy brown in the background sign panels representing artistic quality in orange/yellow and unrest in disturbing and mundane tints of dull browns (Fig. 29). For the description of this popular theme, see the preceding analysis of similar trend in Jaipur shop names.
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Figure 29. Period specific color hue trend of orange, yellow and brown sign panels in Mumbai Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
Comparative View The detailed analysis of shop signs from both kind of cities reveal global as well as local popular themes of movie posters and brand identities that influence the visual language of color in the two information layers. Comparisons here are the similarities and distinctions in the trends within each city kind and across the kinds as follows:
Traditional Cities: Hyderabad and Jaipur Color Trends Similar Period Specific Color Trends of Shop Names 1990–2004 period specific color hue trend of white: The themes of international appeal, globalization and increased contemporary issues portrayed in the bollywood and tollywood movies are alike (Fig. 30 and 31). With the need to project a universal identity in the current westernized culture, white shop names and movie titles are representative of the contemporary times in India. 2005 onwards, period specific color combination trend of red and white: The characteristic contemporary form of globalization appears in present cyber culture times. Internet revolution has increased competition leading to importance of a brand image building than ever before. The effect seems to emerge in form of more dynamic combinations, visual effects and identity design using bold forms with an equally effective color palette (Fig. 30 and 31).
Distinct Period Specific Color Trends of Shop Names 1945–59 period specific color trend of hues green and blue: Green and blue shop names trend exists prominently in Jaipur (Fig. 30). However, in Hyderabad signs the shop names have earthy red with same green instead of blue. The themes of social realism, romanticism, Indian mysticism and a classicist approach imbued in the hues of mystic and vivid greens, blues and reds in the movie titles and shop names of both cities signify the igniting expressions and artistic idioms of new and changing India post-independence (Fig. 30 and 31). Hyderabad, though a
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princely state, witnessed a lot of state level revolutionary movements. In 1956, southern India got divided on linguistic lines with the strengthening of visalandhra 23(greater Andhra region movement) leading to a communion of Telugu-speaking districts of Hyderabad with Andhra state (Gokulsing and Dassayanake 2013). This linguistic duality within the state presented a social expression of dual co-existence of cultures that found suggestive color trends in the shop names and tollywood movie poster titles (Fig. 31). 1960–74 period specific color trend of orange-red and yellow hues: The trends are based on the similar cinematic themes of fun-n-frolic and social issues that were family oriented, mystery and drama local issue based (Fig. 31 and 32). The distinction lies in the associations of these hues with the culture of the city. In Jaipur, influence of same themes and hues from bollywood movie titles on the shop names exists (Fig. 30). While, in Hyderabad similar aesthetic expression posits a slight social distinction since the issues and aggressive tumultuous struggle portrayed in these hues directly connect with the native Telugu rural issues of those times. Here, cine-populism i.e. a deliberate collaboration of telugu cinema stars as faithful protagonists of the telugu sentiments and philosophy appear at the backdrop of this color trend (Fig. 31). 1975–89 period specific color trend of warm hues yellow and orange-red: In Jaipur, the bollywood masala movie themes become more visually rampant in flaming orange-red and yellow movie titles and shop names (Fig. 6 and Fig. 30). However, in case of Hyderabad as the capital of Andhra Pradesh, visual styles in color use have become a unique vogue due to a strong collaboration of Telugu politics and cinema to a higher degree in this time period. Tollywood movie protagonists like NTR, ANR and Chirenjeevi stood for teluguattam of the Telugu linguistic harmony, well-known as part of Jai Andhra and telangana movements. Here, these local masala themes of telugu land influence the choice of hues and their expressions (Fig. 7 and Fig. 31).
23 In this movement, people of the Hyderabad State were unanimous in their demand for the trifurcation and hoped that the outlying Telugu areas in Orissa, MP, Mysore and Madras be incorporated in the greater Andhra. Article: Post independence era, http://www.aponline.gov.in/quick%20links/hist-cult/history_post.html
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Figure 30. All period specific color trends in the traditional city of Jaipur, India Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
Figure 31. All period specific color trends of the traditional city of Hyderabad, India Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
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Period Specific Color Trends in Modern Cities of Chennai and Mumbai Similar Period Specific Color Trends of Shop Names In modern cities of Chennai and Mumbai, there are no similar popular themes and respective color trends. For instance, the hues of orange / red in periods from 1960–74 are based on distinct themes for tollywood and bollywood movie posters in Chennai and Mumbai respectively. Prominently, the national social themes represent the respective color palette in Mumbai that is an opposite of the rural and native Tamil themes popular in Chennai. Likewise, for time period of 1975–89 the same orange hue represents different themes for each of the modern cities (Fig. 32 and 33).
Distinct Period Specific Color Trends of Shop Names During the 1945–59 period, a specific color trend of white in shop names in Chennai exists (Fig. 32). However, in Mumbai signs, the shop names have no period specific color trend at all (Fig. 33). The theme of local struggle belonging to the self-respect movement to uplift socially backward classes, their issues and concerns have been the flagship of kollywood movies in those times. An aesthetic expression for the same are the white movie titles as well as shop names that represent the revolutionary mood of those times (Fig. 32). 1960–74 period specific color trend of orange and red: The shop names in Chennai and titles of kollywood movie posters celebrated social native themes of Tamil culture and lifestyle (Fig. 32). However, in Mumbai signs, the shop names and movie titles have an additional yellow color highlight. For Mumbai, this color trend is based on national popular themes of political discontent and the tumultuous socio-political conditions for India (Fig. 33). 1975–89 period specific color trend of orange-red and yellow for Chennai and orange red followed by black for Mumbai shop names: These trends are based on masala themes of local and national identities respectively (Fig. 32 and 33). For Mumbai, this color trend is based on national popular themes of political discontent, the tumultuous socio-political conditions for India (Fig. 33). In Chennai shop names, orange-red along with some black shop names and similar period kollywood poster movie titles celebrate Tamil movie cinephilia.24
24
Tamil cinema, politics and hand-painted street art are one collaborative unit of display and a continuous and dominant socio-political propaganda on a grand scale in the city of Chennai. The people of Dravida Nadu harbour strong devotion for their Tamil icons and this practice is almost a consistent visual motif or style that adorns the text in signboards, hoardings, wall art or the guirella street grafitti.
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Figure 32. All period specific color trends in the modern city of Chennai, India Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
Figure 33. All period specific color trends in the modern city of Mumbai, India Source: Visual framework of color analysis of shop signs in cities of India, Nath 2015
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Conclusion Recent research has shown that visual communication is more powerful than verbal communication suggesting that people learn and retain information that is presented to them visually in a better way than verbally shared (Lester 2006; 2013). The visual language and identity of color plays a unique role in both traditional as well as modern city shop signs. This is evident in the analysis that color is the most distinctive and attractive element of visual designs across mediums of visual culture such as shop signs, display movie posters in India, LP movie Vinyl covers as illustrated specially in figures 28–31). Interestingly, time periods act as moments representative of characteristic experimentations in the form of color effects, combinations and schemes. The color visual effects unify the mediums by technological production in terms of similar printing techniques, materials and visual tools of representation. For instance, the firmly established relationship of cinema and political propaganda in southern cities of Hyderabad (traditional city) and Chennai (modern city) showcase unique visual representation techniques of cut-outs, high contrast color divisions, bold application of colors to glorify the local tastes, materiality as well as socio-political pulse of both kinds of cities (Fig. 31 and 32). In the context of arts and aesthetics, colors in combinations, schemes and effects the traditional symbolism associated with individual and combined colors comes into foreplay in shop names and movie titles in posters in both traditional as well as modern cities of India (Fig. 30–33). As can be seen in the past artistic epochs as well as the relative consistency in the changes occurring from one period to the subsequent periods, there seems to be some underlying agreement among artists as to how color should have been used. Perhaps these consistencies and agreements over color applications become established, indigenous and unique trends in different time periods in our study. For instance, the collaboration of colors with specific pictorial elements like geometric shapes and letterforms in movie posters and shop signs in southern cities of Chennai and Hyderabad are representative of a culturally established practice of color application, meaning and communication among the sign painters / makers of the shop signs and movie posters respectively (Fig. 15–17). Sometimes, there are also certain pedagogical considerations in transmitting knowledge of the craft that may dictate a certain choice or an approach to apply color on these signboards. For instance, in the traditional city of Jaipur, shop names in 1945–59, a non-representational color palette was a signature identity in the painted explorations by the artists (Fig. 2). This practice is perhaps an influence of the art movement of surrealism and the simultaneous conceptual advent of social realism and idealism as themes of popular imagination in arts as well as philosophy in 1940–50s. Likewise, in the modern city of Mumbai, shop names in 1975–89 have bold black under-casings providing visual extravagance and graphic vitality of the shop identities (Fig. 22). This seems a direct sharing of visual effect of bold black under-casings of bollywood's cinemascopic titles of movies released in the same time periods. 1970s and 80s have been well known for color broadcasting inventions, bold and overt movements like pop art and retro art that presented unique syntactic color applications and styles like bold shadows and under-casings in text to provide 3D collage look and illusionistic movements. Colors are non-verbal signs across mediums of visual display in this paper. Their simultaneous changes represent a transition in visual representation styles and techniques because of changing socio-political and entertainment ideologies in cities of India. To conclude, we can see that with time the influences of other mediums and movements representing color displays along with the movie-titles of posters emerges as a practice. It seems to confirm with the bygone classicist approach and application of colors and journey towards newer, modern and minimal design expressions in the present times.
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Acknowledgements We express our deepest gratitude to Prof. G.V. Sreekumar, Associate Professor, Industrial Design Centre (IDC), IIT Bombay and Dr. Kushal Deb, Professor, Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), IIT Bombay to share their critical insights to enhance the visual analytical description and social factors that influence the popularity of emerging trends in shop signs in this research study. Special thanks to Dr. Abhirup Chatterjee, Department of Design, IIT Guwahati for his invaluable suggestions during the final formatting and proofreading of this paper.
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS Asst. Prof. Nanki Nath: Assistant Professor, Department of Design, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Assam, India Prof. Ravi Poovaiah: Professor, Industrial Design Centre, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, India
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The International Journal of Visual Design is one of six thematically focused journals in the collection of journals that support the Design Principles and Practices knowledge community—its journals, book series, conference and online community. The journal explores processes and practices of representation and communication using the medium of the image. Areas of interest include communications design, visual arts, illustration, photography, film and video, graphic design, typography, interface design, internet design, animation and computer simulations. As well as papers of a traditional scholarly type, this journal invites presentations of practice—including documentation of visual designs accompanied by exegeses analyzing visual design purposes, processes and effects. The International Journal of Visual Design is a peerreviewed scholarly journal.
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