A plan for the content of the magazine issue is important to monitor the production process. This will help me to track and strategise the content. Well-defined magazines already have determined the length and placement of each department in the magazine well before the actual production process begins.
I’ve been researching on artisans and handicrafts in India, there are more than ten thousand of them. I feel like to narrow down my research question, I need to focus on a particular set of artisans and crafts.
During my tutorial with Andrew, he told me about Forbes Watson who was a British reporter who carried fabric samples from India to England and how they were remade in the UK after that . And there are many crafts that have been globalised now who’s origins are not recognised like the Chintz design (https://artsandculture.google.com/event/g11fhrj5bpd)
Since I’ll be in London and have the access to the research resources like the there like the V&A, I want to draw strands to the European fashion landscape. I’ve been reading about how luxury fashion brands almost never give recognition to Indian artisans who do embroideries. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/style/dior-saint-laurent-indian-labor-exploitation.html
I’ve narrowed the topic down and framed this :
Restoring the cultural identities of Indian heritage crafts in the European fashion landscape through an interactive online magazine platform that utilises emerging digital technologies. I reckon the European connection will be very interesting to explore in post globalisation narratives as I have so much to access in London in museums to do ethnographic research!!!!!
I really like the idea of having more videos inside a video. This exhibition seems very exciting as there is more to discover on every screen! I tried to create a mock up on SketchUP of a hand crafted bag and screens at the back with content that show the inspiration and creation of the bag.
I tried scanning a small vanity bag an dit turned out to be much better after my tutorial today. This took more than two hours to render!
I used a bed sheet instead of placing the object on the marble floor like last time. The glare distorted the scanned model.
the part which was exposed to sunlight is vivid and much better than the shadowed area. The quality of this scan is much better than my first one but I still need to work on taking better photos in better light to add the appropriate texture. i am very happy with this though!! Like finally I feel confident enough to use photogrammetry to scan accessories and add them to 360 degrees videos to highlight them. I am going to learn how to use Blender as it has a better interface on applying textures and I need to highlight the details on the accessories.
As it is always sunny in Mumbai, the objects that I want to scan have harsh shadows. This part is distorted because of the shadows.
I really like how explorative this video is. It lets the viewer see what they wish to see and explore for themselves. Using mixed media like 360 degrees video, motion graphics and photogrammetry can be a great way to show the processes of creating handcrafted accessories (just an example). I can shoot in the workshop and have a 3D scanned model of an accessory and illustrations that tell the story of the creation. So, they can be interactive and educational at the same time.
This is a mockup : to show the process of creation at the same time allow the viewer to explore a 3D scanned model of the accessory.
After my tutorial with Vicky, I started thinking about whats missing in my MA project proposal. the plan for the magazine seems to be coming together well but I am trying to find a way to use the progressive technologies in fashion media with heritage crafts and cultures. I want to explore more softwares and use them to create mixed reality. I had a tutorial with Elliot on Metashape and I am going to try scanning another object today. Really hope it works out.
I was thinking about modifying my research topic from – An interactive magazine that promotes Indian artisans and sustainable fashion using the glocal strategy to
An interactive magazine that draws a connection between the future of fashion and cultures by reinvigorating heritage crafts. or
How can the future of fashion and cultures be connected by reviving heritage crafts?
After having a word with Vicky she recommended – Sustaining Indian artisan culture through an interactive online magazine platform that utilises emerging digital technologies to showcase heritage crafts aimed at global fashion brands.
I am focusing in Indian artisans as the first issue will be inspired by India. so…..
Sustaining Indian artisan culture through an interactive online magazine platform that utilises emerging digital technologies to represent heritage crafts.
This website is a test which will be sent to the sample for feedback and improvisation while conducting further research
Prakruti is a journalist presently studying MA Digital Humanities in Chicago. She has worked as a journalist in one one the leading newspapers in India.
Q. Why do you think this magazine stands as a project within Digital Humanities ?
A: The way I understand digital humanity is using digital tools for humanities research. Fashion is a part of culture studies so data analysis can be used to study trends etc. Your magazine will analyse the artisans, the processes of creating arts and crafts and promote them, hence it fits. Adding a layer of technology to understand a humanities subject better. Using 360 degrees videos with VR would help readers to understand the process of creation better and create a better experience for them.
Q. Do you buy printed fashion magazines or just magazines nowadays?
A: I don’t but I still subscribe to some newspapers. I have started paying for good content on digital media. Visuals are dominating the media.
Q. Do you think that ‘text’ has lost its value?
A: I used to think it has lost its value but the more I read about the shift form text to visual, visuals alone done do much. There’s always text accompanied with the visuals.
Q. Whats missing in fashion magazines today?
A: A sense of relatability. It is for the upper monetary classes alone, and does no
work to highlight the work of grassroots fashion workers, and benefits only those
with considerable disposable income.
Q. Whats excessive and feels unwanted in todays fashion magazines?
A: Definitely the airbrushing is execessive, in this day and age, continuing to
artificially perfect photos seems highly unwanted and distasteful.
Q. What do you think about a fusion of global and local fashion from lesser known cultures to promote artisans?
A: I think that is perfect – fashion is part of a larger cultural ecosystem, and for example the
art of fabric weaving has a long history in the community. I would love to see the hands that
go behind their creation spotlighted for a change.
Q. Would you like to know more about the ‘not so famous’ native crafts and artists from
around the globe? (For example Batik printing from Indonesia or the precious
embroideries from India) Why?
A: Absolutely. I have a keen interest in giving credits and compensation to the
community from where our aesthetic sense is borrowed and while the act of being
inspired by other cultures, their colours, their prints should be encouraged, it
should not come at the cost of the IP of the community.
Q. From India, which type of artisans need more global representation according to you?
A: Definitely artisans from rural areas who are part of the ecosystem (they often
supply to bigger brands and city stores), but their work, working conditions,
knowledge are not documented.
Q. As a Postgraduate student pursuing Digital Humanities do you see a gap in the market
to appreciate the heritage crafts from various countries?
A: The world over, there is a silent tussle between online and offline heritage and the
transition to a virtual world is not as smooth as we would like to believe. Earlier,
preservation efforts were the focus point, but now, only some chosen few heritage
artefacts (especially in a country like India) receive attention and the rest is
forgotten.
Q. Do you like watching 360 degrees videos? Why?
A: Yes, but it has to be relevant. I will watch a 360 video of a geography, even of
cultural artefacts, but not of everything.
Q. What do you think about viewing the process of creating native crafts in the format of
360 degrees videos?
A: It would interesting to get a full picture – but I would wonder why the format was
necessary for the display? I personally don’t like gimmicky forms of digital
adoption.
Q. Do they help you gain a better perspective on the stories/articles? Why?
A: Not as far as I have seen.
Q. Have you come across a magazine that uses 360 degrees videos as a part of their
content?
A: Not really, but then again, with websites replacing the traditional magazines it’s
hard to answer this question
Q. Do you like the idea of an online boutique which would have the featured handcrafted
products for sale worldwide?
A: Yes absolutely. I want to consciously consume but there are not enough channels
through which I can do so.
Q. Are you interested in buying ethically created ensembles and accessories? Would you
pay more for them? How much more ? (In percentage)
A: I would not pay more than 30%, but yes, I do want to start investing in longer-
lasting, ethically produced fashion that indulge in fast fashion.
In cinematic 360° films, we can’t have different shot sizes and camera angles. The viewer decides where she/he wants to look. Creating frames means trying to guide the observer, we should instead create worlds and let them discover stories. He or she participates in a reality that is virtual and therefore can change in a blink of an eye. This means, that we should consider everything that happens in the world in the storyboard.
https://medium.com/cinematicvr/storyboarding-in-360-2ddce59d627d
I don’t have a 360 degrees camera to go to workshops and record artisans’ processes, I tried to create a virtual 3D workshop. I learned how to use SketchUp and created a 3D workshop. I am trying to figure out how to render a 360 degrees video or an interactive image. Here’s a video of the workshop :