Chronicles of Creativity
‘Chronicles of Creativity’ is an ongoing documentation of projects at CDS: by students and by faculty members. Selected results of every learning module are presented here weekly, to share what has been done. It is hoped these chronicles will become useful references for the emerging design pedagogy in the post-AI world. Do visit regularly, and let us know your comments on the work being done.
Students’ Projects
Semester 1,
Foundation Year, Batch 2023
Surface Forms
The module explored the fascinating world of paper, examining its types, properties, and creative possibilities through discussions and hands-on assignments. Participants studied renowned paper artists like Franz Zeier and Masahiro Chatani, completing three projects—Properties of Paper, Textured Tile, and Origamic Architecture—that encouraged exploration of paper’s structural potential and limitations through practical experimentation.
Analog and Digital
Developing an integral understanding about differences between analog and digital phenomena, methods and technologies. Starting with discussions over various analog and digital phenomena in and around us, students were encouraged to think, identify and understand the different natures of the Analog and the Digital.
The assignments involved following steps that were digital in essence but were done manually. The exploration included a range of assignments such as visual presentation of continuous tone B&W and colour images through digital means with increasing resolution, closed shapes and forms and interpolating that data into other shapes, as dots or as pixels, across multiple densities/ resolutions.
Joy of Drawing
Everyone draws like an artist as a child; later inhibitions build up and most of us forget natural and spontaneous expression. The focus of this module was on exploring art- what hands can do with different art media, getting messy/free and drawing fearlessly. The module was conducted by renowned artist Pradnya More. The module was part of building the visual expression capability of the students, involving both form and meaning creation. The class created their own portraits expressive of their personality.
Typography
In the age of perfection of digitally produced typographic matter, exploring creative typography with rubber stamps reveals how this technique produces unique text effects and textures that digital methods cannot replicate. The hands-on approach enables experimentation with light and dark effects as ink spreads, creating distinctive patterns and fades. Assignments focus on conveying importance and hierarchy without altering font characteristics. Emphasis is placed on mastering visual hierarchy and effective design through the strategic use of grid rules, highlighting creativity and flexibility within defined constraints. The assignment leads to a discussion of letterpress printing and its unique character.
Linear Forms
The properties of different types of metal wires were explored using basic tools such as nose-pliers and wire cutters, as well as shaping with hand. A hands-on approach was taken to understand the material’s essence and its potential for creating intricate three-dimensional structures. The challenge involved crafting these structures using only wires, without the aid of adhesives or additional support materials. This method encouraged a deep engagement with the unique characteristics of 3D linear forms.
Parametric Variation
After a basic discussion about parameters, parametric variables and range of possibilities using parametric variation, the class investigated the flexibility of parameters by engaging in an analog exploration of parametric variation using grid paper, inspired by artist Anant Kulkarni, as well as a digital exploration with tools ToolKids. These assignments were designed to challenge conventional thinking and uncover the potential and possibilities of generating diverse ideas rapidly through parametric variation.
Paper Lamps
Timed just before the Diwali break, the module celebrated the festival’s themes of light and wisdom. The task was to design paper lamps, using LED lights, specifically to avoid the bright glare that LED lights have. The project emphasized the creative challenge of light shapes, a concept typically seen as a phenomenon. Paper served as a tool to guide, shape, and diffuse light, creating beautiful patterns and reflections on the lamp’s surface, thus transforming light into a form of visual art. A range of pedant lamps were created.
3D Forms
The 3D forms module introduced traditional clay and terracotta art, beginning with basic clay handling techniques. Participants experimented with the material, allowing forms to emerge naturally rather than imposing shapes. Guided by renowned artist Prakash Patidar, who favored a flexible teaching approach, students explored their creativity beyond mere replication. The course also highlighted the importance of safe storage, careful handling, and proper firing of creations as key learning aspects.
Elements of design
The fundamentals of design, emphasizing both theory and hands-on practice, with a special focus on Optical Art (Op Art). It examined how design elements are perceived in nature and human-made objects. Through engaging activities, the transformative nature of design elements and their visual effects were explored. The course also encouraged digital experimentation, demonstrating how these elements can be creatively applied in both physical and digital formats. Overall, the module aimed to merge creative exploration with a solid understanding of design principles, providing a comprehensive approach to visual art.
Shadowgrams
The module explored the concept of shadows by measuring and analyzing them as units of weight. It involved connecting pixel data numerically and programmatically to estimate shadow weights, leading to the creation of a “shadowgram.”
Emphasis was placed on understanding how pixels convey information through their blackness and density, highlighting the significance of visual phenomena in both numerical and digital contexts. The module examined how each pixel’s color and density information could be used to craft tangible forms that respond dynamically to the direction and intensity of light sources.
Digital colors
The module explored color theory’s psychological aspects, influential artists, and the Bauhaus movement’s impact.
Students learned the Processing coding language, focusing on functions like stroke, fill, and 2D shapes. They created generative art by modifying code snippets and incorporating randomness and interactivity with mouse events. Highlighting the vast possibilities of digital color combinations, the course integrated theory with practical skills, empowering students to produce diverse generative digital artworks, including images and animations.
Semester 2,
Foundation Year, Batch 2023
Form in Nature
An introduction to the investigation of nature and its diversity, through documentation and digital exploration, students will explore various natural phenomena such as symmetry, fractals, tessellations, growth sequences in nature. Moreover, students will be exposed to the concept of biomimetics through a set of case studies and discussions.
By understanding the intricacies of nature, designers can create works that evoke the feeling of being in harmony with the natural world. The course includes lectures, field trips, and creative projects. Upon completion, students will have developed sensitivity toward nature’s complexity and the ability to co-create with it. The course’s multidisciplinary approach is aimed at developing a holistic understanding of nature and its relationship to design.
Liberal Arts
The Liberal Arts module aims to nurture individuals as critical thinkers and free-minded individuals. This course exposes students to the Principles of Islamic Designs, including sacred geometry and its influence across various creative domains such as graphic design, architecture, art, and artifacts. It delves into the processes and methods for form generation, rooted in Islamic metaphysics and philosophy. By understanding these principles, students are encouraged to explore and develop their own motifs, patterns, and tessellations. They leverage digital processes to create unique illustrations and artifacts, blending traditional inspirations with contemporary techniques to produce innovative and meaningful works.
Visualization through Generative AI
India’s long legacy of image-making emphasizes the visualization of ideas through detailed verbal descriptions, enhancing the clarity and depth of the visual representation. This course explores the intersection of traditional Asian visualization techniques and modern Generative Artificial Intelligence technologies.
Students choose themes to express verbally, meditate on the essence of their ideas, and describe them in detail. Using generative AI tools, students translate their detailed verbal descriptions into visual forms, creating visuals never seen before.
Learning Environments (SPPS)
This project aimed to create a rich learning environment for children aged 8 to 12 in classes 1 to 3 at Smita Patil Public School, Shirpur.
In the information age, students can access vast knowledge online, with content creators providing imagery, videos, motion graphics, and AR/VR technologies enhancing learning. Additionally, physical activities like dioramas, models, toys, and informative posters can foster intuitive understanding. This project sought to go beyond conventional book learning by integrating digital and physical methods. Students were divided into groups focusing on Music & Dance, Science by Doing, Crafts & Creativity, Math, Language, and Nature & The World, and were tasked with ideating innovative ways to facilitate learning.
User Experience Design
In this module, students learn to design user-centered digital experiences by understanding the evolving digital landscape. They explore qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, focusing on users’ behaviors and mental models. Students choose individual project topics, create mind maps, and conduct research to develop fictional user personas. By empathizing with these personas, they frame problem statements and collaboratively ideated solutions. These solutions are mapped as digital services or products, with user journeys illustrated through wireframes. Using prototyping tools like Figma, students transform their concepts into interactive interfaces.
Visual Narratives
In the visual narratives module students explore various ways of expression and storytelling through visuals. This project recreates the glory of Mandu – the City of Joy’s monuments through historical and architectural research, showcasing the lavish lifestyle of its past. Students, paired for exploration of the iconic landmarks, documented these sites with cameras, envisioning the regal activities of the past.
They created visual narratives by restoring images to their historical glory and adding people and natural elements to bring the scenes to life with use of advanced generative AI tools.
Form Visualization
In this module, students creatively transformed river stones from the Narmada River into unique forms. These sedimentary rocks, shaped by river currents, have abstract patterns and colors from collected silt and minerals. Their journey smoothens their edges, giving each stone distinctive features. Students observed each stone’s unique characteristics and, with minimal intervention and by creating a context through framing, revealed its inherent form by visualizing possibilities from different angles.
Typography
The typography module introduces students to the basics of typography, covering the history and evolution of type, typesetting, and printing technologies, along with the contributions of various countries and their regional scripts.
Through lectures and assignments, students learn about grid systems and how to adapt them for creating content across various formats. These assignments help develop a keen sense for typesetting, hierarchy, composition, and meaningful communication. Additionally, projects involve creative and dynamic exploration of letter forms using modern digital tools.
