Sair e Sarkhej : A Poetical Walk-through
#Illustration #VisualStorytelling #DigitalHeritage
Overview
A series of illustrations with poetry narrating the story of a Sufi saint and his association with the architectural marvel 'Sarkhej Roza'. I was commissioned to design the visual narrative.
The complete story can now be seen on 'The Living Waters Museum'. In future it might possibly become a part of Sarkhej Roza's tourist information guide.
Sarkhej Roza - As seen in google earth (top left), a photograph (top right) and illustration (bottom).
Who is the story for?
It is designed primarily with children and adults with low literacy rates from nearby areas of Sarkhej Roza. Sarkhej Roza is a heritage site located in the outskirts of Ahmedabad. The language of the poetry is kept simple and is translated in 3 different languages along with the illustrations so that everyone can understand.
Visual style
The illustrations are in children's storybook style trying to invoke feelings of wonder, curiosity and magic. The colour palette is inspired from the site itself and reflects the elements earth and water.
Authenticity in getting the details correct was the most challenging aspect in the entire process. The illustrations had to be authentic with the era and the history of the region. Another challenging aspect was the character design and making the characters identifiable through different ages.
