The Indian Lockdown

Experience (2020)
Data-Driven Print Design For Textiles

By Pankti Patel

Department of Textile Design

National Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai
Year: 2020-2021
 “ The next revolution in
data-viz? Human data as
narrative storytelling. ”
-AIGA Eye on Design about Accurat

2
Name of Department: Textile Design
Series No. :

UDC No. :

Name of Document: The Indian Lockdown Experience

(Data-Driven Print Design for Textiles)
Name of Student: Pankti Patel

NIFT, Mumbai
Year of Study: 2017 - 2021
Series No.

Cover design by Pankti Patel

Copyright 2021
National Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT:
All rights reserved: no part of this book may be
reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted
in any form by means of electronic, mechanical, photo
copying, recording or otherwise without prior permission
from National Institute Fashion Technology, Mumbai,
except by a review/reader who wishes to quote brief
passage in connection with a paper review/essay written
for inclusion in a periodical, newspaper or broadcast.

25th May 2021

Mumbai
JURY CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Pankti Patel, student at National Institute of Fashion
Technology, Mumbai has completed her Graduation Project titled ‘The
Indian Lockdown Experience: Data-Driven Print Design for Textiles’
within the specified time frame of January 11, 2021 to April 30, 2021.

The Jury has evaluated the work of the student and found the work
up to the mark and recommended that the student be awarded with
Bachelors of Design (Textile Design).

Jury Members:

Subsequent remarks and follow up if any:

Dr. Mohammad Javed

Centre Coordinator - Textile Design

Dated: June 21, 2021

The Indian
Lockdown
Experience
(2020)
Data-Driven Print Design for Textiles

A Graduation Project submitted in partial

fulfilment of Under-Graduate Programme
in Textile Design at National Institute of
Fashion Technology, Mumbai.

Name of Student: Pankti Patel

Faculty guide: Dr. Reena Aggarwal

Department of Textile Design

National Institute of Fashion Technology
Mumbai
Year: 2020-2021
Acknowledgement
This project and document is a consolidation and
culmination of my learnings from various periods of my
life. I owe many thanks to everyone who has supported
me, had faith in me, and contributed to my being where
I am today.

Having to complete almost half of my undergraduate

studies during a global pandemic was not something I
had ever imagined. However, I am thankful for everyone
who made this experience an innocuous one ( and I do
say this with utmost awareness of my privilege).

I take this opportunity to express immense gratitude to:

• My mother and father for their unconditional love,

support, and efforts to make sure I always get the
best of everything.

• My brother, Nikunj, for his constant guidance,

encouragement, and inspiration.

• My faculty guide, Dr. Reena Aggarwal. Thank you

for believing in my ideas and providing me with the
opportunity to pursue this self-sponsored project.

• The continual support and encouragement of the

Textile Design Department at NIFT, Mumbai.

• Lastly, everyone who took out some of their precious

time to participate in this project, I truly appreciate it!

I am thankful to the National Institute of Fashion

Technology, Mumbai, and my time there for all that the
institute has taught me academically and personally.

- Pankti Patel
Synopsis
This graduation project adopts and explores the
concept of Data Humanism through prints and patterns
developed using self-collected data on what has been
titled by me as ‘The Indian Lockdown Experience (2020).’

Especially in today’s world, data is a powerful tool

that goes beyond mere numbers to communicate
narratives of human nature, life, and behaviors. By
convening the world of data with textiles, one can
explore multiple ways to make data more engaging,
accessible, friendly, inspiring, interactive, and
relatable. The point at which data storytelling meets
textiles and fashion is where the human body, in
a physical sense, also becomes a storyteller.

This project revolves around the theme of the lockdown

imposed by the Government of India on 24 March 2020
to curb the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus, which
caused a global pandemic. It aims to understand how
Indian’s experienced the lockdown - how they felt,
how they spent their time, and how their relationships
were affected, to list a few aspects. The insights are
further turned into works of art with versatility as
independent artworks and repeat prints for textiles.
 Table of Contents Table of Contents

Prologue 1.1 National Institute of Fashion Technology / 02 Design 7.1 Visual Direction / 52
1.2 Introduction to Graduation Project / 03 Direction 7.2 Design Boards / 53

Premise 2.1 Data Meets Design / 06 Data 8.1 Introduction to Data Sketches / 56
2.2 Data Humanism / 08 Sketches 8.2 Sketches / 57
2.3 Literature Review / 12
2.4 Prospective Themes / 18
Visualisations 9.1 Subcontent / 62
9.2 Demographics / 63
Project 3.1 Background / 22 9.3 Final Data Prints with Key / 66
Proposal 3.2 Objective / 22
3.3. Proposed Methodology / 22
3.4 Deliverables / 22 Rejects 10 Rejects / 116
3.5 Budget / 23
3.6 Timeline / 23
Application 11.1 Introduction / 124
11.2 About Collection 1 - BINGE / 124
Theme 4.1 Introduction / 26 11.3 About Collection 2 - SCROLL / 125
Research 4.2 Brainstorm / 27
4.2.1 Defining Direction / 29 I. BINGE / 126
II. SCROLL / 134

Brief, Scope & 5.1 Project Brief / 32 11.4 Key Cards / 138
Theme 5.2 Scope of Project / 33
5.3 Methodology: Visualisation / 34
Culmination 12.1 Conclusion / 142
12.2 Reflection / 145
Data 6.1 Drafting Questions / 38
Collection 6.2 Final Questionnaire / 42
6.3 Nature of Questionnaire / 45 Bibliography 13.1 Image Credits / 148
6.4 Open Call / 46 13.2 References / 150
6.5 Collected Data / 47
6.6 Cleaning Up Raw Data / 48
6.7 Analysis Questions / 49
PROLOGUE
1.1 National Institute of Fashion Technology / 02
1.1.1 About NIFT
1.1.2 Textile Design at NIFT, Mumbai

1.2 Introduction to Graduation Project / 03

1.2.1 About Graduation Project
1.2.2 Nature of Graduation Project

1
PROLOGUE
1.1 National Institute of
Fashion Technology
1.1.1 National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is an
About NIFT autonomous institute of fashion education in India set
up in 1986 under the Ministry of Textiles, Government
of India. In 2006, NIFT became a statutory institute
governed by the NIFT Act of the Indian Parliament and
was empowered to grant its independent degrees.
With 16 full-fledged campuses across India, NIFT offers
Undergraduate, Post-Graduate, and doctoral programs in
design, management, and technology.
NIFT also works as a knowledge service provider to the
Union and State governments for design development
and positioning of handlooms and handicrafts. Former
Director-General of NIFT, Sarada Muraleedharan, says-
“Among the primary objectives NIFT charts out is to make
our textile and craft-based industries more contemporary
and relevant.”
1.1.2 The Mumbai campus of NIFT was established in 1995
Textile and is currently situated in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. Its
Design At Textile Design Department was established in 2009 and
NIFT,Mumbai currently has 180 students under its wing.
The Textile Design programme provides students with
ample opportunities to create, experiment, and innovate.
Consequently, it prepares its students for a wide range
of careers in the textile and fashion industries. Core
subjects such as Weaving, Print Design and Surface
Embellishment are paired with textile technology
subjects, thereby providing scope to students to
integrate their creative forces with technology.
In terms of infrastructure, NIFT, Mumbai’s Textile Design
Department, is equipped with a Weaving Lab, a Surface
Design Lab, and a Textile Testing Lab.
above: Entrance to Academic Block-I at NIFT, Mumbai
02
PROLOGUE
1.2 Introduction to
Graduation Project
1.2.1 The Bachelor of Design degree in Textile Design requires
About a student to undertake a Graduation Project sponsored
Graduation by export houses, home and apparel retail brands,
Project independent designers, NGOs or self-sponsored.
The Graduation Project is a 16-week project that pushes
students to apply their academic learnings in real-life
industry situations, resulting in knowledge, skills and
confidence as a textile designer.
1.2.2 This particular Graduation Project is a Self- Sponsored
Nature Of Research Project. It involves theoretical and applied
Graduation research arising out of personal interest in the chosen
Project research topic and results in work that reflects creative
freedom and exploration.
The project utilises a standardised research methodology
- primary research and data collection form the core of
this project. However, the interpretation and analysis of
said data is a process of artistic experimentation resulting
in an application in the textile design practice.
above: Steps leading to Textile Design Department at NIFT, Mumbai
03
PREMISE
2.1 Data Meets Design / 06
2.1.1 What is Data?
2.1.2 Defining Data Visualisation
2.1.3 What is Data Storytelling?
2.1.4 What is Data-Driven Art?

2.2 Data Humanism / 08

2.2.1 Definition
2.2.2 Looking Through The Lens
2.2.3 Why Data Humanism is Important
2.2.4 Practicing Data Humanism

2.3 Literature Review / 12

2.3.1 ‘Being a Millenial Adult’ by Ruta Gokhale
2.3.2 ‘Soumoud: The Thread Back Home’ by Patchil

2
2.3.3 >>Weaving Data<<
2.3.4 Giorgia Lupi for & Other Stories
2.3.5 ‘Women’s Work’ by Olivia Johnson

2.4 Prospective Themes / 18

2.4.1 Idea #1 - India: 2020 & Lockdown
2.4.2 Idea #2 - Sustainable Practices In Daily Life
2.4.3 Idea #3 - Artisan-Driven & Craft-Based Data
2.4.4 Chosen Theme
PREMISE PREMISE

2.1 Data Meets Design
2.1.1 Data, along with the fields of study assosciated with
What Is Data? it, is often perceived as scary, but defined in simple
terms, data is units of information collected through
observation. It is not always numerical, but it is, almost
always, reflective of human behaviour and human nature.
Also referred to as Information Art, Data Art is
an emerging art form that recognizes the ideal
characteristics of data that make it an exciting
medium to create art - flexibility, malleability, and
versatility. Data Art exists virtually and digitally on
screens and physically through sculptures, woven
tapestries, jewellery, and other mediums.

Data Science is a study domain wherein data analysis
serves to identify patterns and behaviours further
applied to solve real-world problems. Data Science
is a highly versatile discipline as it applies to and
brings value to practically any field of research.
However, as datasets get extensively large and
complicated to interpret and explain, data storytelling
becomes more critical for effective communication.
2.1.2 Tableau Software, an American interactive data
Defining Data visualisation software company, defines Data
Visualisation Visualisation as “the graphical representation of
information and data. By using visual elements like
charts, graphs, and maps, data visualisation tools provide
an accessible way to see and understand trends, outliers,
and patterns in data.” In other words, Data Visualisation is
the sweet spot where information meets design to result
in quick, effective and impactful communication.
How is data- Data Art differs from Data Visualisation in that it does
driven art not aim to represent and communicate data for better
different understanding effectively but, like other forms of art, to
from data incite emotions and provide aesthetics. It is important
visualisation? to note that, since Data-Driven Art is rooted in data,
a piece of Data Art has objective truth behind it and
is not solely born out of the artist’s imagination.
For instance, the following image is a work of data
art produced to promote a campaign by Tiger
Beer. It encourages patrons to create a unique
piece of data art based on the alphabets in their
name, their age, and time of day when created.

And how it Art history has proved that humans are visual creatures.
aids data And with storytelling being an essential cultural aspect
storytelling of humanity, the coming together of visual elements and
narratives greatly stimulates the human brain.

2.1.3 While data storytelling is often interpreted as effective

What Is Data data visualisation and infographics, it is more than that.
Storytelling? Data Storytelling is a combination of data, visuals and
narrative to explain, enlighten and engage an audience
with the patterns, outliers and insights gained from
analysing a particular data set to influence and drive
change. It communicates the story behind numbers and
facts and is a structured approach for communicating
insights and assigning meaning and giving context
to what one may otherwise view as mere digits.

2.1.4 In today’s world, data has become more easily

What Is Data and readily available to the general population.
Driven Art? Consequently, its versatile nature as a material
has been discovered and explored in multiple above: Data-Art for Tiger Beer’s ‘Uncage’ campaign
ways: one such form being Data-Driven Art.

06 07
PREMISE PREMISE

2.2 Data Humanism 2.2.2 Giorgia Lupi is an information designer advocating

Looking for Data Humanism who reminds us that data is
2.2.1 Formally termed and defined by Giorgia Lupi, Data Through not perfect and absolute - it is a human-made tool
Definition Humanism is described as follows: The Lens used to represent reality and a lens through which
one can understand human behavior and human
nature. The Data Humanism Manifesto, as drafted
by Giorgia Lupi, is attached on the following page.

“ What I [Giorgia Lupi] The lens of Data Humanism addresses data with
sensitivity to give clarity, meaning, and emotion to
numbers and statistics. By eliminating an impersonal

call Data Humanism is and solely technical way of understanding data,

we reconnect numbers to what they represent -
human nature. In the same way that a photograph

a new approach to the captures a small moment in time, data represents

real life and is a snapshot of the world.

world of data, where we

are ready to question
the impersonality of
a merely technical
approach to data and
to begin designing ways
to connect numbers above: Giorgia Lupi, Information Designer

to what they really 2.2.3

Why Data
Humanism Is
Data Humanism aims to engage an audience in
interpreting data by helping them relate to data. It does
so by encouraging individuals to connect different

stand for -- knowledge, Important aspects of life, understand the relationships between
those aspects, and gain better insight and understanding
of themselves and humanity. It is important to note

behaviors, people. ” that Data Humanism is not an approach that intends

to create scientific or technical breakthroughs
- it strives to for artistic experimentation.

08 09
PREMISE PREMISE

By questioning the “one size fits all” approach of

Business Intelligence tools and softwares, Data
Humanism fosters creativity and visuals that promote
careful reading and personal engagement to find more
real value in data and what it stands for. Visual artists
and designers often find ways to communicate abstract
and complex concepts; Data Humanism uses design to
result in work that communicates narratives, stories, and
messages found in and through data.

2.2.4 So, how does one adopt Data Humanism in their

Practicing practice? According to Giorgia Lupi, the key points to
Data keep in mind are to:
Humanism
• Embrace Complexity
Human nature is synonymous with complexity. By
building complex and multi-layered work, we encourage
the audience to dig deeper.

• Move Beyond Standards

Currently set standards implore DataViz tools and
softwares to create visualizations resulting from blindly
throwing technology that allows us to choose charts from
suggested lists at a problem that requires more.

• Sneak Context In (Always)

For an audience to engage and relate to work that
communicates stories, they must have context.

• Finally, Remember that Data is Imperfect.

By acknowledging that data is imperfect and embracing
approximation, data can be made to feel more
empathetic and true to nature.

Other guidelines that encourage Data Humanism include

- creating or collecting data by oneself and using analog
methods for data analysis and design.

above: Data-Humanism Manifesto by Giorgia Lupi

10 11
PREMISE PREMISE

2.3 Literature Review

This section of the document highlights five projects
that exist at the intersection of the fields of data art, data
humanism and textile design. The following projects
guide the direction and nature of this project, and its
application and purpose - to make data accessible, tell
a story, and inform in a way that makes people truly
engage and interact with it on a personal level.

The most compelling aspects of most of the following

projects are how they inspire others, support a global left: Questionnaire
cause, and highlight reasons for changing existing social and responses
systems. They tell stories with an impact and show how visualised as bar
textiles and fashion can be used with a purpose beyond graphs for Ruta
clothing for shelter and social status. Gokhale’s ‘Being a
Millenial Adult”

2.3.1 ‘Being a Millenial Adult’ is a personal project undertaken bottom: Motif-

‘Being A by Ruta Gokhale, a UI/UX designer, to explore the development
Milenial Adult’ concept of Data Humanism. By asking her friends and system for project
By acquaintances to fill out a simple survey, she created and final artwork.
Ruta Gokhale her unique dataset. These questions revolved around
personal preferences that revealed small information
about the respondent’s personality. The result is a
snapshot of millennial adults’ thoughts and preferences.

The visuals on the right present the questions that

Ruta Gokhale asked her participants as well as her
process behind the resulting artwork. In the lower
visual, each motif represents a respondent, and the
botanical elements attached to a motif correspond to a
respondent’s answer.

The artwork is not meant to pinpoint individual details

but to understand the general nature of our thoughts.
This data-driven painting says that we are all alike and
different at the same time!

>>>

12 13
PREMISE PREMISE

2.3.2 Commissioned by VisualisingPalestine, ‘Soumoud ~ The
‘Soumoud~ Thread Back Home’ by Patchil, a multi-disciplinary studio,
The Thread conceptualizes the answer to the question - “How can
Back Home’ we create compelling wearable products that tell a story
By about Palestine?”. By synthesizing data visualization
Patchil with factual historical narratives, this particular scarf is
inspired by a Palestinian exodus in 1948, causing 700,00
Palestinian Arabs to flee and be expelled from their
homes and depopulating over 500 Palestinian villages.
While this scarf remains a prototype, it addresses the role
of the human body as a storyteller and utilises textiles
and fashion to fight for social justice.
2.3.3 >>Weaving Data<< is a data object - a 2m^2 sized textile,
>>Weaving to be more specific, which visualizes data sets of future
Data<< climate scenarios provided by the Potsdam Institute
for Climate Impact Research. The textile will present
datasets of the decades from the years 2010 to 2100.
Developed by Samira Akhavan, Anna Heib, and Amelie
Kirchmeyer, the final object will be woven on a jacquard
loom to result in a data-based tapestry. Pictured below is
a prototype of the same.

left: Resulting
scard styled on
a real person.
Data-visualisation
represented as
textile print.

bottom: Original
data-visualisation

above: Prototype of data-based tapestry

14 15
PREMISE PREMISE

2.3.4 In collaboration with fashion brand & Other Stories, 2.3.5 Cross stitch, as a form of Arts & Craft, is more often than
Giorgia Lupi Giorgia Lupi designed a data-driven fashion collection ‘Women’s not labeled a woman’s hobby. In this project by Olivia
For inspired by three remarkable women in science and Work’ Johnson titled ‘Women’s Work,’ the technique of cross-
& Other their achievements. The three women who inspired By stitching is intentionally used to visualize data on the
Stories the artwork on the garments are Ada Lovelace - The Olivia discrimination of women, especially women of color, in
mathematician recognized as the first computer Johnson the workplace, and at home.
programmer, Rachel Carson - the conservationist who
helped pioneer the environmental movement and, Mae The twelve embroidered artworks, similar to the ones
Jemison - the astronaut to be the first African-American shared below, stand alone as beautiful pieces whose
woman in space. stark realities are only revealed digitally on the dedicated
‘Women’s Work’ website.
By visualizing data into patterns that can be used on
textiles and garments, this fashion collection inspires right: embroidered
women and makes data accessible in a unique way. data visualisations
alongside resulting
insights.

above: (left to right)

Mae Jemison
inspired pattern
design, Rachel
Carson inspired
pattern design
and Ada Lovelace
inspired patterns.

right: Work in
progress

16 17
PREMISE
2.4 Prospective Themes
2.4.1 India: 2020 & Lockdown
Idea #1 On March 24, 2020, the Govt. of India ordered a
nationwide lockdown as a preventive measure against
the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The ongoing pandemic
is a unique time in the lives of those experiencing it.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive economic
and social disruption globally and is taking a significant
toll on individuals worldwide.
This particular idea proposes to identify and understand
various aspects of the Indian lockdown experience by
seeking answers to questions such as “How did people
spend their time during the lockdown?”, “What activities
were popularly engaged in?”, “How was mental and
physical health affected by the lockdown?” and “How
were relationships affected during the lockdown?”.
2.4.2 Sustainable Practices in Daily Lives
Idea #2 While most of us are aware of the negative
environmental impact our daily practices have on the
planet, not all of us may actively implement change in our
daily lives to reduce this personal impact. And when we
do aim to bring about a change of habits, they are usually
ones that do not highly disturb our state of comfort.
This idea hopes to explore how individuals have
implemented bringing about changes in their daily lives
to have a lower negative impact on the environment -
be it through easy swaps such as that of a shower for
bucket baths or repurposing items around the house.
Indian culture inherently carries sustainable practices.
For example, passing down an elder sibling’s clothes
to a younger sibling, repurposing old saris to make
quilts, or cutting up clothes beyond wearability to use as
dusters or mops are common practices almost all Indians
have witnessed which are also rooted in sustainability.
However, a personal belief is that a large population
also seems to have taken to sustainability as a western
concept - being vegan, thrifting, using metal straws being
some examples. This idea also hopes to understand
where perceptions of sustainability and sustainable
practices draw roots from for Indian individuals and
go a step ahead by using these insights to redefine
sustainable practices in the daily lives of Indians.
18
PREMISE
2.4.3 Artisan-Driven & Craft-based Data
Idea #3 There is more to a craft than just the end product the
process results in, and that is - community. More often
than not, the average consumer is aware of an artisan’s
presence only through brands that actively feature
them along with their work. The average consumer is
not entirely informed about the textile heritage of India,
the nation’s prestigious craft industry, and more so, the
people that form the core of it.
This idea intends to use pre-collected data concerning
socio-economic aspects of a particular craft
(undetermined at this point of ideation) from an authentic
source and primary data collected through a survey
about the average Indian’s knowledge of the craft to
create more awareness and make more information on it
available and accessible.
The execution of this idea will involve working with
artisans practicing the craft and traditional aspects of the
craft itself to communicate data and insights.
2.4.4 While ‘Artisan-Driven & Craft-based Data’ was a close
Chosen contender, the ongoing pandemic made it difficult to
Theme travel to craft clusters to pursue this project rightfully to
achieve full potential. Further, reliable statistics and data
on textile crafts were difficult to source.
Hence, ‘India: 2020 & Lockdown’ was chosen as the
theme of this project; The fact that the lockdown put in
place to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus was being
lived through while this project was shaping up made it
all the more relevant to be pursued as the project theme.
19
PROJECT PROPOSAL
3.1 Background / 22
3.2 Objective / 22
3.3. Proposed Methodology / 22
3.4 Deliverables / 22
3.5 Budget / 23
3.6 Timeline / 23

3
PROJECT PROPOSAL PROJECT PROPOSAL

3 Project Proposal 3.5

Budget
3.1 The concept of Data Humanism presents us with an PRINTING: ~INR 7,500 FABRIC: ~INR 7,500
Background opportunity to focus on human-centered art and design (25m, INR 300/m) (25m, INR 300/m)
through the unique lens of data. Pursuing a matter as
subjective as human nature through a technical medium BUDGET:
is sure to introduce and inspire new perspectives of ~ INR 20,000
seeing; Having a greater impact when communicated
through tangible materials - one such material being
textile, a medium continually present in our surroundings.

Textiles are an integral part of human lives - they provide

protection and comfort to the human body irrespective MISCELLANEOUS: ~INR 5,000
of the form in which they are present around us - be it as (printing, framing, software
garments or as home furnishings. By using textile as a subscriptions etc)
means of visual communication, there is a hope to make
data, particularly data on human nature, behavior, and
experiences, accessible, friendly, and relatable. 3.6
Timeline Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4
3.2 This project aims to develop a collection of prints/ Theme Survey Design Cleaning
Objective artwork with application on textiles, based on Research & Design & Boards & Up of Raw
data collected on a chosen theme to reflect the Questions Open Call Direction Data
concept of Data Humanism; within the stipulated
time frame of January 2021-April 2021.

3.3. 1. Building premise of research + Literature Review

Proposed 2. Theme Research + Questionnaire Development Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8
Methodology 3. Data Collection (via an open call survey) Data Data Data Work
4. Data Analysis Analysis & Analysis & Analysis & on FInal
5. Design Development - Boards Sketches Sketches Sketches Artworks
6. Design Development - Data Sketches
7. Design Development - Visualisation of Data
8. Design Validation - Viewer Intervention
9. Design Consolidation (if required)
10. Printing of Visualised Data Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
11. Documentation Work Work Work Work
12. Share, Showcase, Exhibit. on FInal on FInal on FInal on FInal
Artworks Artworks Artworks Artworks
3.4 Artwork and prints that effectively communicate the
Deliverables intended data with application versatility; They can be
displayed as individual art pieces, seamlessly printed
on fabric, presented digitally, or take form through other
applications as seen fitting by a user. Week 13 Week 14 Week 15 Week 16
Work Sourcing Printing Framing
on FInal Fabric for of Fabric of Chosen
Artworks Printing (Digital) Artworks

January 11, 2021 - April 30, 2021

22 23
THEME RESEARCH
4.1 Introduction / 26
4.2 Brainstorm / 27
4.2.1 Defining Direction

4
THEME RESEARCH THEME RESEARCH

4.1 Introduction
On 30 January 2020, The World Health Organization
declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health
Emergency of International Concern, and on 11 March
2020, a pandemic. Furthermore, on 24 March 2020, the
Government of India ordered a nationwide lockdown as
a preventative measure to curb the spread of the virus.

Since its inception, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has

caused massive economic and social disruption globally
and is taking a significant toll on individuals worldwide.
Regardless of whether individuals caught the virus
themselves or not, the pandemic has and continues to
affect everyone on a very personal level.

Many shared and spoke of mental health issues

triggered by the pandemic and its effect on every aspect
of life - family and relationships, education and careers,
physical health and nutrition, to name a few. Of course,
the pandemic also affected commerce and business
as people’s spending habits and behaviors changed - above: Mindmap of what comprises ‘Lifestyle’ above: Page 1 of brainstorming
people spent more of their income on essential goods
and saved their money for emergencies. The travel and
hospitality industries all across the globe were massively
hit as countries went into full lockdowns. On the other
hand, the use of technology and social media sky-
rocketed - to connect with family and peers, education
and work, and entertainment.

Keeping the above in mind, the secondary research on

the chosen theme of ‘India: 2020 & Lockdown’ involved
reading articles and spotting trends on a global level
focusing on how lifestyles were influenced and reshaped.
In addition, observations and notes were made on
specific and particular aspects of individuals’ lifestyles
affected by the pandemic. All fact-like statements that
were come across during the research were assumed to
be mere observations to be explored within the scope of
the Indian Lockdown Experience.

4.2 Brainstorm >>>

above: Page 2 of brainstorming above: Page 3 of brainstorming

26 27
THEME RESEARCH THEME RESEARCH

4.2.1 Once an exhaustive list of prospective topics

Defining was made, it became clear and apparent which
Direction points could be further explored and which were
a dead end. For instance, many listed points
steered towards bigger topics such as personal
space, work from home, socializing during the
lockdown, and mental health, to mention a few.

The direction provided through this exercise guided the

questions that were asked to the respondents and the
rest of the project. This “direction” is further clarified and
listed in detail in the following ‘Defined Project Brief.’

>>>

above: Page 4 of brainstorming above: Page 5 of brainstorming

above: Page 6 of brainstorming above: Page 7 of brainstorming

28 29
BRIEF, SCOPE & METHOD
5.1 Project Brief / 32
5.1.1 Re-defined Objective
5.1.2 Deliverables
5.1.3 Primary Research Methodology

5.2 Scope of Project / 33

5.3 Methodology: Visualisation / 34

5
BRIEF, SCOPE & METHOD BRIEF, SCOPE & METHOD

5.1 Project Brief 5.2 Scope Of Project

As a meme going around the internet during
5.1.1 To design within the time frame of January 2021 - April the COVID-19 pandemic says, “As you binge-
Re-defined 2021, about 15 artworks and prints based on data watch your entire thirteenth series or read
Objective collected through questionnaire and online survey of 100 a book or sleep to music, remember.
individuals who spent the year 2020 in India, regarding
the chosen theme of “2020 & Lockdown” while focusing
on the listed aspects: Remember that in the
• Overall lockdown mood and feelings
• How people spent their time darkest days when
• How company affected experience
• How lockdown affected health everything stopped, you
• Love during lockdown
turned to artists.”
5.1.2 Approximate 15 artworks. The user may decide on the
Deliverables application of these artworks as the prints can be used Time and time again, art and storytelling have
independently as framed art or used to create seamlessly helped humanity come together, cope and heal
repeating patterns for textiles and other suited uses. in the face of grief and loss in inarticulate yet
undeniable ways.
5.1.3 The data to be used in this project will be sourced
Primary through primary research and is self-collected data.
Research We often turn to the
Methodology Data will be collected via a questionnaire and an online
survey. The same will be shared as an open call to arts to understand
participate, and one hundred participants will be chosen
on a first-come-first-serve basis. history and learn about
5.1.3.1 1. Typeform: An online the people who lived
Tools survey building platform
- to collect data through those periods.
2. Google Suite: Google Similarly, future generations will look back at the art
Drive, Google Sheets being created at this time - be it the books being
- to store data written, the music and movies being produced,
or the illustrations being put forth- to understand
3. Adobe Illustrator: Vector what it was like to have lived through this particular
Design Software on-going COVID-19 pandemic and how the
- to create visuals sudden imposition of lockdown affected lives.

With that context,

this project aims to
document the Indian
Lockdown Experience.

32 33
BRIEF, SCOPE & METHOD BRIEF, SCOPE & METHOD

5.3 Methodology: Visualisation

As presented in the following visuals, an old-school
analog method of data analysis will be applied to render
a visual and graphical representation of the collected
data. The visuals below are from information designers
- Giorgia Lupi and Stefanie Posavec’s - book titled
‘Observe, Collect, Draw!’. describing the process used in
their popular project ‘Dear Data’.

left and above: Scan from personal

copy of ‘Observe, Collect, Draw!’ by
Giorgia Lupi and Setanie Posavec,
explaining their process.

34 35
DATA COLLECTION
6.1 Drafting Questions / 38
6.1.1 Brainstorm
6.1.2 Quantifying the Qualitative

6.2 Final Questionnaire / 42

6.3 Nature of Questionnaire / 45
6.4 Open Call / 46
6.5 Collected Data / 47

6.6 Cleaning Up Raw Data / 48

6.6.1 The need and process
6.6.2 The result

6.7 Analysis Questions / 49

6
DATA COLLECTION DATA COLLECTION

6.1 Drafting Questions

6.1.1 The four rules of Brainstorming are as follows:
Brainstorm • Focus on quantity
• NO criticism
• Encourage wild ideas and,
• Combine and improve ideas

Keeping that in mind, even before considering the nature

of questions and how they would extract important and
useful data, an exhaustive list of potential questions was
made in coordination with the chosen focusing aspects
of this project as described in the project brief.

The following list was then categorized and extensively

narrowed down to form the final questionnaire.

>>>

above: Screengrab of GoogleDoc with potential questions as a result of brainstorming

38 39
DATA COLLECTION DATA COLLECTION

6.1.2 One of the challenges of drafting the questionnaire was

Quantifying asking questions that quantified the qualitative character
The of life experiences. This hurdle made it difficult to delve
Qualitative deep into one particular topic and the project, therefore,
touches upon multiple subjects briefly.

While certain aspects of the chosen topics were easy

to turn into quantifying questions, some were not.
A solution to tackle the challenge of quantifying the
qualitative while still capturing genuine responses was
to pose open-ended questions which the respondents
could answer using their own words. These responses
would then be further categorised within umbrella topics
acknowledging the original responses.

above: Screengrab of GoogleDoc with potential questions as a result of brainstorming

40 41
DATA COLLECTION DATA COLLECTION

6.2 Final Questionnaire Q5 Which of these pandemic trends did you participate in?

What is your full name? • Bake bread (be it banana bread or sourdough)
What is your age? • Make Dalgona Coffee
What gender do you identify as? • Bang plates at the balcony
• TikTok Challenges
OVERALL LOCKDOWN MOOD AND FEELING: • Haircut at home
• Zoom Birthday Party
Q1 Which one of these emotions do you associate most to • Goa Trip
your lockdown experience? • None of the Above

• Happy HOW COMPANY AFFECTED EXPERIENCE:

• Stressed
• Sad Q6 Who did you spend lockdown with?
• Content
• Frustrated • Alone
• Bored • Family
• Optimistic • Friends/Flatmates/Roommate/Partner
• Scared
Q7 Did you get the personal space that you needed?
Q2 In the following questions, kindly rate the quarters of
2020, on a scale of 1 to 5, based on your experience: • Yes/No
1 being lowest and 5 being highest)
Q8 Would you rather:
• January 2020- March 2020
• April 2020- June 2020 • Work from Home/Remotely
• July 2020 -September 2020 • Work from Office/Studio
• October 2020 - December 2020
HOW LOCKDOWN AFFECTED HEALTH:
HOW INDIVIDUALS SPENT THEIR TIME:
Q9 Would you say you are living a physically healthier
Q3 When the lockdown was imposed, there was a lot of talk lifestyle compared to pre-pandemic?
of using the time for self-improvement and upskilling vs.
using the time to catch a break. Looking back, how did • Yes/No
you use your time during the lockdown?
Q10 How did lockdown affect your mental health?
• As an opportunity to upskill
• As an opportunity to take a breather • Positively
• Negatively
Q4 Which of these activities, if any, did you learn or pick
up due to the lockdown? Q11 Do you feel a sense of loss (in terms of time and
opportunities) due to the pandemic?
• Cooking/Baking
• Gardening • Yes/No
• Working Out
• Arts & Crafts / DIY Q11.1 If yes, What is one thing you feel the pandemic stole
• Playing an instrument from you/ you lost because of COVID-19?
• None of the above (Please limit yourself to one word/phrase.)
>>> >>>

42 43
 DATA COLLECTION DATA COLLECTION

Q12 How did you practice self-care during the lockdown? 6.3 Nature of Questionnaire
(Please limit yourself to one word/phrase.)
The final questionnaire was a mixed bag of the following
HOW LOCKDOWN AFFECTED ROMANTIC type of questions:
RELATIONSHIPS:
6.3.1 • Close-Ended Questions
Q13 What was your relationship status pre-lockdown? General Close-ended questions provide the respondent with a
predefined list of answer options.
• Single
• Dating/In A Relationship • Open-Ended Questions
• Married Open-ended questions ask the respondent to provide an
answer in their own words.
Q13.1 If Single:
• Did you try online dating? (Yes/No) • Quantitative Questions
• If yes, can you tell me more? Quantitative questions are objective questions.

Q13.2 If Dating/In A Relationship: How did the lockdown affect
your relationship?
• It brought us closer together
• It lead to a Long Distance Relationship
• It caused a break-up
GRATITUDE:
Q14 Last one! Reflect on your lockdown experience and
complete the following sentence:
I am grateful for _________________.
(Please limit yourself to one word/phrase.)
• Qualitative Questions
Qualitative questions give respondents the space to
provide detail and reasoning in their own words.
6.3.2 • Demographic Questions
Specific Demographic questions are used to gather information
about a respondent’s background.
• Multiple-choice Questions
Multiple-choice questions require a respondent to select
one or more options from a list of answer options.
• Rating Questions
Requires a respondent to select the number on the scale
that most accurately represents their response.

• Yes / No Questions
Yes / No questions allow respondents to choose either a
yes / no option to represent their response.

• Fill-In-The-Blank Questions
Fill-in-the-blank questions allow a respondent to type an
answer to complete a sentence in their own words.

above: Welcome slide of the questionnaire created on Typeform and shared with participants

44 45
DATA COLLECTION DATA COLLECTION

6.4 Open Call 6.5 Collected Data

Once the questionnaire was developed and ready As participants answered the questionnaire, their data
to be shared, an open call was put out wherein the was automatically sorted and stored in the Typeform
questionnaire was open to the public for participation. platform and a Google Sheet (the equivalent of
Microsoft Excel), thereby making the raw data easily
6.4.1 In this case, people of all comprehensible and accessible for further use.
Clauses For
Participation genders and age groups The following screengrabs of Google Sheets give a
glimpse of the raw data.
were welcome to participate.
The only requirement
being that the respondent
had spent 2020 and the
lockdown in India.
6.4.2 Links to the online questionnaire were shared via
Social Media multiple social media platforms - Instagram, WhatsApp,
Call To Action and Facebook, to be specific - supported by the
graphic attached below. The post was further shared
by friends and family, causing the open call to receive a
huge response. While the project goal was to obtain a
hundred participants, close to three hundred individuals
responded within two days!

above: Screengrab of collected raw data in Google Sheets

above: OpenCall post shared on social media to reach potential participants above: Screengrab of collected raw data in Google Sheets

46 47
DATA COLLECTION
6.6 Cleaning Up Raw Data
6.6.1 As previously mentioned in the document, one of the
The Need & challenges of drafting the questionnaire form was
Process making objective the questions that sought qualitative
and genuine answers from the respondents. This hurdle
was overcome by presenting certain open-ended
questions that respondents could answer in their own
words (instead of choosing from preset options). Once
all data had been collected, the answers to these
qualitative questions would then be categorized under
broader categories that acknowledged each answer.
Furthermore, the open call aimed to reel in about a
hundred participants but managed to get close to three
hundred responses in just two days! Since that amount
of data was considered too much to handle, it became
necessary to narrow down and select only certain
participants and their answers; The first 50 men and the
first 50 women to respond made the selection.
6.6.2 The open call also did not have any restrictions on the
The Result age of respondents. So, once the final participants were
decided upon, the data also revealed age demographic
of the respondents - ranging from 19 years to 35 years
of age.
above: Screengrab of collected raw data in Google Sheets along with the categories they fall into as a result of clean up.
48
DATA COLLECTION
6.7 Analysis Questions
The questions listed below were drawn up as a guide to
lead the data art to be created in the following actions
and what each specific artwork should communicate.
LOCKDOWN MOODS AND FEELINGS:
1. Which emotion did individuals most commonly
associate to their lockdown experience?
2. How did individuals’ experiences vary through the
course of 2020?
HOW PEOPLE SPENT THEIR TIME:
3. How did individuals aim to use the lockdown period
-to take a break or to upskill?
4. What was the most popular activity learnt or picked
up due to the lockdown?
5. What was the most popular “pandemic trend”
amongst the respondents?
HOW COMPANY AFFECTED LOCKDOWN:
6. How was personal space affected depending on
whom lockdown was spent with:
• Of the individuals who spent it with their family, did
more people get personal space, or was it invaded?
• Which gender felt more invaded with their personal
space?
7. Do individuals prefer to work from home, or would
they rather work from the office? And did getting/not
getting personal space affect this choice?
LOCKDOWN AND HEALTH:
8. How was physical and mental health affected by the
lockdown? Positively or Negatively?
9. Did individuals feel a sense of loss due to the
pandemic?
10. Out of the people who felt a sense of loss, what did
they feel they lost to the pandemic?
11. How did individuals practice self-care during the
lockdown? What were the most common practices?
LOVE DURING LOCKDOWN:
12. Of the people who were in a relationship/dating, how
did the lockdown affect their relationship?
13. What was the experience of those that tried online
dating and had luck/success with it?
14. WHAT ARE PEOPLE GRATEFUL FOR?
49
DESIGN DIRECTION
7.1 Visual Direction / 52
7.1.1 Importance of Aesthetics
7.1.2 Chosen Direction
7.1.3 Creative Freedom

7.2 Design Boards / 53

.2.1 Visual Inspiration
7.2.2 Color Palette

7
DESIGN DIRECTION DESIGN DIRECTION

7.1 Visual Direction 7.2 Design Boards

7.1.1 Research has demonstrated that aesthetics play an 7.2.1
Importance Of important role in triggering responses and capturing and Visual Inspiration
Aesthetics captivating an individual’s attention. In addition, visual
appeal engages the audience, plays an important role
in forming credibility and functionality in the viewer’s
mind, and incites feelings and emotions that influence
how users perceive information. Hence, a great visual
combines beauty and functionality to achieve great
results by triggering curiosity to know what lies beyond
the compelling aesthetic.

“...the idea of making people

think, “Oh, that is beautiful.
And strange” in the first
place, and then “I want to
know what this is about!”
-Girogia Lupi

7.1.2 Keeping the above in mind, the visual research for this
Chosen project aimed to work with a simple, clean and clear
Direction to understand aesthetic with importance on a bright
and engaging colour palette and geometric forms
with a certain amount of flow to create appealing and 7.2.2
interesting visuals. Color Palette

7.1.3 An important aspect to remember about the #333333 #C8C8C8 #F1E0D7 #F1A6BD
Creative concept of Data Humanism is that it does not aim
Freedom for technical breakthroughs but is more a means of
artistic experimentation and exploration. That in itself
provides the creator artistic and creative freedom,
which is applied in this project via the motifs and
elements used to visualize the collected data. #EA2627 #EE6723 #FFCE34

#CAC22F #168944 #639FD5 #1C445D

52 53
DATA SKETCHES
8.1 Introduction to Data Sketches / 56
8.2 Sketches / 57

8
DATA SKETCHES DATA SKETCHES

8 Data Sketches
Data sketches refer to playful and freehand
experimentations drawn to explore ideas before finalizing
them. Sketching, ideation, and iteration are key elements
of any design process as they help generate multiple
initial ideas and strengthen the latter ones. Further, this
practice leads to unique designs that work specifically
for the dataset and the problems being solved.

Data sketches encourage brainstorming and

thereby better one’s understanding of the dataset
being handled. It allows one to briefly put aside the
overwhelm resulting from the size and figures of
the dataset and focus more on the organization and
opportunities for conceptualization and exploration
arising from it. Putting pen to paper helps one
understand what the numbers represent and how
they can be organized visually to gain meaning.

To quote Giorgia Lupi on how data drawings help

her design visualizations: “Drawing becomes above: Ideation | Data Sketch 1 above: Ideation | Data Sketch 2
design when you start tracing lines, symbols and
structures that help rationalize thoughts and envision
a possible solution to a design problem, drawing
becomes design when it is used as a tool in the
process of visual planning and organizing the choices
made during the development of a project.”

>>>

above: Ideation | Data Sketch 3 above: Ideation | Data Sketch 4

56 57
DATA SKETCHES DATA SKETCHES

above: Ideation | Data Sketch 5 above: Ideation | Data Sketch 6 above: Ideation | Data Sketch 9 above: Ideation | Data Sketch 10

above: Ideation | Data Sketch 7 above: Ideation | Data Sketch 8 above: Ideation | Data Sketch 11 above: Ideation | Data Sketch 12

58 59
VISUALISATIONS
9.1 Subcontent / 62
9.2 Demographics / 63
9.2.1 Number of Participants
9.2.2 Gender
9.2.3 Relationship Status
9.2.4 Age Demographic

9.3 Final Data Prints with Key / 66

9
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

9.1 Subcontent 9.2 Demographics

LOCKDOWN MOODS AND FEELINGS:
1. Which emotion did individuals most commonly
associate to their lockdown experience?
2. How did individuals’ experiences vary through the
course of 2020?
The demographics specified below are a cumulative
representation of the final participants whose responses
have been taken into account to create the following
artworks.

HOW PEOPLE SPENT THEIR TIME:

3. How did individuals aim to use the lockdown period 9.2.1
-to take a break or to upskill? Number of
4. What was the most popular activity learnt or picked Participants TOTAL NUMBER OF
up due to the lockdown?
5. What was the most popular “pandemic trend” PARTICIPANTS:
amongst the respondents?
100 PARTICIPANTS
HOW COMPANY AFFECTED LOCKDOWN:
6. How was personal space affected depending on
whom lockdown was spent with:
• Of the individuals who spent it with their family, did
more people get personal space, or was it invaded?
• Which gender felt more invaded with their personal 9.2.2
space? Gender
7. Do individuals prefer to work from home, or would
they rather work from the office? And did getting/not
getting personal space affect this choice?

LOCKDOWN AND HEALTH: 50 50

8. How was physical and mental health affected by the MEN GENDER WOMEN
lockdown? Positively or Negatively?
9. Did individuals feel a sense of loss due to the
pandemic?
10. Out of the people who felt a sense of loss, what did
they feel they lost to the pandemic?
11. How did individuals practice self-care during the
lockdown? What were the most common practices?

LOVE DURING LOCKDOWN: >>>

12. Of the people who were in a relationship/dating, how
did the lockdown affect their relationship?
13. What was the experience of those that tried online
dating and had luck/success with it?

14. WHAT ARE PEOPLE GRATEFUL FOR?

62 63
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

9.2.2
Relationship
Status
DATING/IN A
RELATIONSHIP

RELATIONSHIP
STATUS
pre-lockdown

SINGLE

MARRIED NOTE TO HELP READ THE FOLLOWING PAGES:

The following pages present the resulting artworks

and legends with the questions they answer and
the artwork in a repeating print; Accompanied by
four versions of the artwork in terms of colorways
and alternative layouts for the print.
9.2.2 AGE DEMOGRAPHIC: 19yrs - 35yrs of age.
Certain artworks do not allow for a colorway or
alternate layout for repeating print; In some cases,
they have been left out completely, and in others,
extra colorways have been presented.

Furthermore, To stay true to Data Humanism,

the concept on which this project is hinged, the
following visualizations and their respective
keys leave out specific numbers concerning
Number of Participants

individual responses. In this way, one can

acknowledge and celebrate the imperfections
of data and learn to look beyond mere
numbers and see the underlying narrative.

Age of Participants

64 65
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q1 Which emotion did

individuals most commonly
associate to their
lockdown experience?

Each triangular form represents one participant.

The visualisation represents the responses of all hundred participants.

Key:
(In order of most common answer)

content frustrated stressed bored

happy sad optimistic scared

66 67
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q2 How did individuals’

experiences vary through
the course of 2020?

Read visualisation top to bottom.

Each row visualises hundred responses.

Colour Key: Position Key:

(represents rating) (Represents quarters of 2020)

5; Great January - March

4; Good April - June
3; Okay July - September
2; Bad October - December
1; Terrible

For the most part, participants seem to have been okay through 2020 - not
great but not terrible either. As lockdown was imposed, in the second
quarter of the year, their experience of a ‘great quarter’ dramatically reduced
along with an increase in an experience that was labeled bad and terrible.
Eventually, though, by the end of 2020, that feeling settled down, and more
participants felt that they had a great or good last quarter of 2020.

68 69
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Colorway 1 Alternate
Layout 1

Colorway 2 Alternate
Layout 2

left: Inverted flip of

the original print
design layout

70 71
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q3 How did individuals aim to

use the lockdown period -to
take a break or to upskill?

Each cross represents one participant.

The visualisation represents the responses of all hundred participants.

Key:

to take a breather

to upskill

72 73
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Colorway 1 Colorway 3

Colorway 2 Alternate
Layout 1

left: Criss-crosses
in place of a
common check
pattern.

74 75
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q4 What was the most popular

activity learnt or picked up
due to the lockdown?

Cooking / Baking

Working Out

Arts & Crafts

None of the above

Playing an
instrument Gardening

The visualisation represents the responses of all hundred participants.

This question allowed respondents to choose more than one answer.

76 77
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Colorway 1
Alternate
Layout 1

Colorway 2
Alternate
Layout 2

78 79
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q5 What was the most popular

pandemic trend?

The visualisation represents the responses of all hundred participants.

This question allowed respondents to choose more than one answer.

Key:
(in order of most common answer)

Haircuts at home

Zoom Birthday Party

Baking Bread

Made Dalgona Coffee

None of the Options

Bang Plates at the Balcony

Tik-Tok or Instagram Challenges

A Trip to Goa

80 81
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Colorway 1
Alternate
Layout 1

Colorway 2 Alternate
Layout 2

82 83
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q6 How was an individuals’

personal space affected by
the lockdown?

Each triangular form represents one participant.

The visualisation represents the responses of all hundred participants.

Key:

female male
participant participant

no texture: spent the

lockdown with family

dotted: spent lockdown with

friends/flatmates/partner

striped: spent the lockdown

living alone

indicates that the participant did NOT get their

personal space during the lockdown.

84 85
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Colorway 1 Colorway 3

Colorway 2 Colorway 4

86 87
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q7 Do individuals prefer to
work from home, or would
they rather work from the
office? Did personal space
affect this choice?

Each unit represents one participant.

The visualisation represents the responses of all hundred participants.

Key:

prefers Work from Office

prefers Work from Home

indicates that the participant did NOT get their

personal space during the lockdown.

88 89
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Colorway 1 Alternate
Layout 1

Colorway 2 Alternate
Layout 2

left: The
placement of
elements in
this particular
arrangement
is dependent
on the order
of particiapnt’s
response time -
first come, first
represented.

90 91
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q8 How was physical and

mental health affected by
the lockdown?

Affected
Unhealthier* positively

Phsyical Mental
Health Health Health

Affected
Healthier* negatively

* compared to pre-lockdown

The visualisation represents the responses of all hundred participants.

92 93
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Colorway 1 Alternate
Layout 1

Colorway 2 Alternate
Layout 2

left: Polka Dot inspired

94 95
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q9 Did individuals feel a

sense of loss due to the
pandemic? If yes, what is it
that they feel they lost to
the pandemic?

Key:
(in order of most common answer)

Work Opportunities

College Experience

Travel

Mental Health

Social Life

Love

Independence

A Family Member

Did Not Feel Loss

Each unit represents one participant.

The visualisation represents the responses of all hundred participants.

96 97
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q10 How did individuals

practice self-care during
the lockdown?
Music
Reading

Therapy

Journaling

Cooking

Skincare

“did not
practice it”

Sleep

Taking a
break when
needed

Mindfulness
/ Meditation

Physical Activity

The visualisation represents the responses of all hundred participants.

The more darker the colour and thicker the stripe, more common the answer..

98 99
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Colorway 1 Alternate
Layout 1

left: Vertical Stripes

Colorway 2 Alternate
Layout 2

left: Matted weave

interlacing effect

100 101
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q11 Of the people who were in

a relationship/dating, how
did the lockdown affect
their relationship?

Each unit represents one participant.

The visualisation represents the responses of the 42/100 participants who were dating or
in a relationship when the lockdown was imposed.

Key:

Brought us closer together

Lead to a Long Distance Relationship

We broke up

102 103
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Colorway 1 Colorway 3

Colorway 2 Alternate
Layout 1

104 105
VISUALISATIONS forward to meeting her again. VISUALISATIONS
Also, when we met, she fell asleep
while watching a movie.

Q12 What was the experience Serendipity.

of those that tried online

dating and had luck/ e speak everyday and video call each other We speak everyday and video ca
success with it? t haven’t met yet. Dying to meet. We share
erything. Music very often. But I feel the He fell in love. I got scared.
but haven’t met yet. Dying to mee
everything. Music very often. But
ark is dying now, as he's getting impatient spark is dying now, as he's getting
cause I'm not cool with meeting yet. because I'm not cool with meeting
We speak everyday and video call each other I talked to a lot of
but haven’t met yet. Dying to meet. We share
everything. Music very often. But I feel the He fell in love. I got scared. nice people, and
spark is dying now, as he's getting impatient e kept in met two people We kept in
because I'm not cool with meeting yet. uch in-person. We're still touch
I talked to a lot of rough in touch, but I guess through
I found love! I foun
nice people, and cial media I wasn't really social media
We kept in met two people nce March looking for anything since March
touch in-person. We're still d met in more than people to and met in
through in touch, but I guess talk to.
I found love! ctober. October.
social media I wasn't really
since March looking for anything
and met in more than people to Spoke to many, met few after Spoke to man
October. talk to. restrictions ended. Cooking restrictions en
together is a thing now. together is a t
Spoke to many, met few after
restrictions ended. Cooking
together is a thing now.
We matched on Hinge and kept in
touch through Instagram. I’m looking
We matched on Hinge and kept in forward to meeting her again.
touch through Instagram. I’m looking Also, when we met, she fell asleep
forward to meeting her again. while watching a movie.
Also, when we met, she fell asleep
while watching a movie.
Serendipity.
Serendipity.

e speak everyday and video call each other We speak everyday and video ca
Each unit represents one participant. t haven’t met yet. Dying to meet. We share but haven’t met yet. Dying to mee
The visualisation represents the responses of the 9/56 single participants who tried erything. Music very often. But I feel the He fell in love. I got scared. everything. Music very often. But
online dating during the lokdown and had luck with it. This is what they had to say about ark is dying now, as he's getting impatient spark is dying now, as he's getting
cause I'm not cool with meeting yet. because I'm not cool with meeting
their experience with online dating during the lockdown.
I talked to a lot of
nice people, and
Key: e kept in met two people We kept in
uch in-person. We're still touch
rough in touch, but I guess through
Shared by a male participant. cial media
I found love!
I wasn't really social media
I foun
nce March looking for anything since March
Shared by a female participant. d met in more than people to and met in
ctober. talk to. October.

Spoke to many, met few after Spoke to man

restrictions ended. Cooking restrictions en
together is a thing now. together is a t

We matched on Hinge and kept in

touch through Instagram. I’m looking
forward to meeting her again.
Also, when we met, she fell asleep
while watching a movie.
106 107
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Colorway 1 Colorway 3

Colorway 2 Colorway 4

108 109
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Q13 Looking back at their

lockdown experience, what
are individuals grateful for?

Family

Time

Privilege

Friends

Health

Pets

The visualisation represents the responses of all hundred participants.

The bigger the unit, the more common the response.

110 111
VISUALISATIONS VISUALISATIONS

Colorway 1 Alternate
Layout 1

left: Flower
inspired
arrangement
leading to
interesting
negative spaces.

Colorway 2 Alternate
Layout 2

112 113
 REJECTS
10.1 Reject 1 / 116
10.2 Reject 2 / 117
10.3 Reject 3 / 118
10.4 Reject 4 / 119
10.5 Reject 5 / 120
10.6 Reject 6 / 121

114
10
REJECTS REJECTS

10 Rejects 10.2 Question intended to be answered: How

Reject 2
Acceptance and rejection and success and failure are
two sides of the same coin; One cannot occur or exist
without the other. Within the context of art, design and
research, rejected work (or work deemed a failure) is an
essential and inescapable part of the process because it
leads to re-evaluation and successful outcomes.
The following concepts worked on paper as sketches;
However, upon attempting to actualise the ideas, these
concepts did not work as they failed to communicate the
necessary data clearly and effectively.
did individuals aim to use the lockdown
period -to take a break or to upskill?
This concept was rejected because: The idea behind
this concept was to play with color proportion in a
manner that allowed the viewer to note the more
common answer more easily due to more percentage of
the color in the artwork. However, in this visual, it is not
as effective and as it needs to be.

57% 43%
10.1 Question intended to be answered: Which
Reject 1 emotion did individuals most commonly
associate to their lockdown experience?

This concept was rejected because: When

placed together, the individual motifs merged
into each other and were difficult to distinguish
at first glance, even if they had different colors.
Furthermore, the fine lines in the motifs did not
fit in well with the other prints for a cohesive
collection. Hence, it was rejected at its inception.

>>>

116 117
REJECTS REJECTS

10.3 Question intended to be answered: How did individuals’ 10.4 Question intended to be answered: How did individuals’
Reject 3 experiences vary through the course of 2020? Reject 4 experiences vary through the course of 2020?

This concept was rejected because: The idea of a graph This concept was rejected because: This concept was
worked on paper, but when individual graphs were put rejected because while it provided effective visualization
together to create a constellation-like layout, the data of an individual’s experience, it did not present the
became illegible and difficult to extract for a viewer. collective answer at a glance.

118 119
REJECTS REJECTS

10.5 Question intended to be answered: How was physical 10.6 Question intended to be answered: An overall view of
Reject 5 and mental health affected by the lockdown? Reject 6 relationships and how they were affected during the
Positively or Negatively? lockdown.

This concept was rejected because: Though this matrix This concept was rejected because: The legend for this
made for a compelling visual, it would be extremely particular artwork became too complex, compared to that
difficult for a viewer to understand the data being of other prints, to be taken forward.
represented without the axis - an element that would
have to be dismissed if the artwork was to be repeated.
Circles also began to overlap and hide smaller circles.

120 121
APPLICATION
11.1 Introduction / 124
11.1.1 Textiles As A Medium Of Communication
11.1.2 Versatility

11.2 About Collection 1 - BINGE / 124

11.3 About Collection 2 - SCROLL / 125
11.3.1 A Note On The Prototypes

I. BINGE / 126
I.i Fabric Specification
I.ii Costing

||. SCROLL / 134

11.4 Key Cards / 138

11
APPLICATION
11.1 Introduction
11.1.1 As aforementioned, textiles are an integral part of
Textiles As A human lives and often go beyond their most obvious
Medium Of function of shelter and protection of the human body.
Communication We, as humans, are constantly surrounded by textiles,
whether we are aware of it or not and in a more everyday
scenario, we often use textiles to reflect ourselves and
our personality as a byproduct of the clothes we choose
to wear, how we choose to accessorize ourselves and
how we choose to decorate our homes. In that regard,
textiles communicate stories and transform the human
body into a carrier of that story - the storyteller. So
why not go a step further and use the same medium 11.3 COLLECTION 2 - SCROLL
to communicate stories that go beyond first glance -
stories of personal and shared experiences in today’s
world? This project allows for that and aims to inspire
individuals to share anecdotes of their experiences;
hence, the designed prints’ application is split up into
two collections - distinguished primarily by function
and display. The titling of the collections also aims
to draw attention to the rise of social media usage
and reliance on technology during the pandemic.
11.1.2 Before jumping into detailed descriptions about
Versatality each collection, it is also worth acknowledging
the versatility that lies within this project’s scope.
The fact remains that these artworks are a digital
asset; thereby, allowing for their presentation to
be solely digital while also harnessing their ability
to exist in a tangible form of the user’s choosing.
Hence, in this particular scenario, the artworks have
been presented through the medium of textiles. 11.3.1
A Note On
Prototypes
11.2 Collection 1 - Binge
The first collection comprises running meters of
fabric printed with the designed data-artworks
and is titled ‘BINGE,’ meaning to consume in
plenty - similar to the way the fabric presents
to the audience the artwork in plenty.
Why Running Metres Of Fabric?
The advantage of presenting running meters of fabric to
potential buyers, customers and individuals is that they
are not restricted to pre-defined products. It leaves the
persons on the other end with the free will to create with
this fabric what they find needfuçl and valuable - be
124
APPLICATION
it garments, fashion accessories or home furnishing
accessories. Beneficial aspects that may be
added to this form are print-on-demand services,
consequently reducing dead stock and waste
and print-on-demand on the base fabric of the
user’s choice based on their intended use.
Furthermore, since the designed patterns are
unisex and do not cater to or favor one gender
over another, they provide all potential buyers,
users, and individuals complete freedom.
SUB COLLECTION - PAUSE
The second collection is a series of framed art
pieces intended for public and personal spaces
and is titled ‘SCROLL’ as each artwork is viewed
independently while also contextually belonging
to a collective whole. In addition, certain artworks
within ‘SCROLL’ fall under a subcollection titled
‘PAUSE’ intended for personal spaces.
‘SCROLL” aims to inspire conversations between
individuals that help them share their personal lockdown
experience - Was it similar to what is represented in
the artwork, or did it differ? If it differed, how so?
The selective art prints that comprise ‘PAUSE’ serve as
gentle reminders of gratitude, self-care and the need to
take a breather and pause in life when one needs to.
Due to the circumstances that arose from the acute
second wave of COVID-19 that hit India, ‘Scroll’
could not be actualized as a collection; Hence, the
following pages present mock-ups of the collection.
Furthermore, these prototypes have been visualized
on a plain and neutral coloured wall to represent a
universal wall and setting - public or personal, as per
the viewer’s choosing. Since the sub-collection is
more specifically aimed to belong to personal space,
the three artworks that comprise ‘Pause’ have been
presented in a setting that reflects the same.
Why Framed Art?
Framed art provides boundaries to work being
presented within the frame, making it easier for
the viewer to get utterly specific with details
and understand the work more effectively.
125
I. Binge
APPLICATION APPLICATION

128 129
APPLICATION APPLICATION

130 131
APPLICATION APPLICATION

I.i Fabric Specification

The base fabric for printing used for the samples
featured in this document is Poly-rayon fabric. It provides
a lustrous look, lifts the colors that make up the prints,
and has a weight that allows it to be used for apparel,
fashion accessories, or home furnishing accessories.
However, as previously mentioned, the project does
not limit the application of these prints to any particular
fabric; Poly-rayon fabric was chosen solely for this
specific round of printing.

FABRIC: Poly-Rayon (75% Polyester | 25% Rayon)

GSM: 120 gsm

I.i.i Furthermore, the fabric swatches displayed in the

Printing photographs have been digitally printed.

I.ii Costing

132 133
APPLICATION APPLICATION

II. Scroll

134 135
APPLICATION APPLICATION

A reminder to practice gratitude, take a breather when needed and to

Sub Collection: Pause practice self-care; Self-Preservation is important in difficult times.

136 137
APPLICATION APPLICATION

11.4 Key Cards

Both collections -’Binge’ and ‘Scroll’ are accompanied by
cards that communicate the legends and keys to read
the prints.

With context to ‘Scroll,’ these cards may be presented in

public places with the key cards placed as placards to
help a viewer effectively understand the artwork.

above: Key Cards for ‘Pause’

138 139
CULMINATION
12.1 Conclusion / 142
12.1.1 Spending Time In Lockdown
12.1.2 Lockdown Moods and Feelings
12.1.3 Health During Lockdown
12.1.4 Company Affects Experience
12.1.5 Love During Lockdown
12.1.6 Lockdown Gratitude

12.2 Reflection / 145

12
CULMINATION
12.1 Conclusion
12.1.1 As the first lockdown was imposed in India, on March 24,
Spending Time 2020, the country was forced to pause, and everyone
In Lockdown was ordered to stay home. In this unprecedented time,
individuals were compelled to make the most of their
time. There was much talk of using the pause as a time
to upskill for when the world opened up again to the
new normal; On the other hand, people also advocated
for embracing the pause and using it to catch a break
from the hectic nature of everyday life before lockdown.
The results of the survey reflect that more individuals
chose to, like nature, take a breather (57%) rather than
use the time to upskill (43%); To each their own.
However, this did not mean that people did not learn or
pick up new skills and activities due to the lockdown.
For example, considering that everybody was forced to
stay home and most businesses were closed, everybody
was forced to cook at home; and for some, this meant
learning to cook from scratch. This basic human need
made cooking and baking the most popular activity that
was learnt due to the pandemic, followed by workouts
- another activity actively pursued to meet basic human
needs to fitness and physical activity for good health.
When it came to popular pandemic trends, the
most popular trend was celebrations over video call
services such as Zoom, followed by self-cut hair.
However, again, these trends are a result of the
fact that they met the human needs of socialisation
- which could not, at that point, happen in person-
and basic grooming necessities. These two trends
were followed by ‘Baking Bread’ and ‘Dalgona
Coffee’, both of which match the tune of cooking and
baking being the most popularly learnt activity.
12.1.2 Upon looking at the results of the question, which asked
Lockdown respondents to rate the different quarters of 2020 based
Moods And on their personal experience, it was a pretty obvious
Feelings conclusion that, for the most part, the respondents had
an ‘okay’ year - not great, but also not terrible. Not to
say that the participants did not face hardships through
the year, but the fact that things worked out to be
okay on the whole, is also reflective of the privileged
backgrounds of the participants of this project. This
conclusion is further supported by the fact that the
most commonly associated emotion with the lockdown
experience was ‘Content’ (23%). However, of course, that
142
CULMINATION
is not to overlook that the second and third most popular
emotions were frustration (21%) and stress (20%), but
boredom was also expressed by 17% of the respondents.
121.3 The ongoing pandemic has played a very impactful
Health During role in every individual’s life on the planet right now,
Lockdown regardless of whether or not they caught the virus.
Having to stay cooped up in houses, businesses shutting
down, having to adjust to a new way of life and worrying
news from all across the globe, to name a few of the
anxiety-inducing aspects of the pandemic, leaves one
with a feeling of overwhelm, restlessness and anxiety.
On the contrary, however, the pause that was brought in
by the lockdown also gave individuals a chance to get
in touch with themselves and re-evaluate things in their
life. For 55% of participants, the lockdown affected their
mental health positively, while the rest felt the opposite.
The onset of the pandemic, considered one of
the worst ones to be faced by humanity, led to
hopelessness about normalcy and anxiety about the
present and future. And to cope with these feelings,
self-care became more important than ever. As a
result, most participants used physical activities
to let out pent-up energy and emotions, followed
closely by individuals who took to mindfulness
and meditation to cope. Participants also learnt to
draw boundaries as they realised the importance
of taking a break when needed and getting rest.
However, it is extremely difficult to not think about
the what-ifs of the pandemic never occurring. Many
felt a loss of great and important opportunities such
as the experience of college and further education
and work experiences, followed by social life.
Of course, it was not only mental health that was largely
affected by the lockdown. One of the biggest aspects
of life that came under focus due to the pandemic and
re-evaluation of one’s life was good physical health and
its importance. As people started to eat homemade
meals more often and shifted their physical regimens
to at-home workouts, a majority of respondents
also felt far healthier than before the lockdown.
12.1.4 It is a well-known truth that the people we are
Company surrounded by influence our being and experiences.
Affects On the same note, consequently, when sharing a living
Experience space with other people, it becomes a necessity to draw
143
CULMINATION CULMINATION

personal boundaries to attain personal space; And this 12.2 Reflection

gets harder to gain when one is forced to stay indoors for
long periods of time. Furthermore, Indian families have
a stereotypical reputation of lacking these boundaries.
However, this seems to have been challenged by the
participants’ responses- Most respondents (89%) spent
the lockdown with their families, and the majority of
them (59%) got the personal space that they needed.
The pandemic also coerced everyone into working
from home, whether they liked it or not; And the
participants’ results reveal that 65% of the participants
would prefer to work from the office rather than work
from home. On further inquiry whether this preference
was affected by lack of personal space, it turned out
that it was not. Presumably, the inclination towards
working from the office arose out of a need for work-
life balance, given that working from home makes
it difficult to separate work from personal life.
12.1.5 Romantic relationships often form an important part
Love During of our lives. The demographic of this project in terms
Lockdown of relationship status presents that most respondents
were single (56%), and some were dating or in a
relationship (42%) when the lockdown was imposed.
Having the opportunity to work on this self-sponsored
graduation project has been an experience of great
learning on both an academic and personal front. On
a personal level, it taught me self-discipline; Not having
someone who actively pushed me to work every day
taught me to show up for myself and put in the work
regardless of whether I was in the mood to work or not.
On an academic and professional level, this project
has opened my mind and creativity to new and unique
avenues. These new avenues are not limited only to
exploring textiles, which is my core discipline of study,
as a means of communication and storytelling. These
paths also urge me to explore how one experiences life
and the patterns we practice and exhibit while living life;
and how I can turn these stories and observations into
art - a lens through which I can look beyond the obvious
functions of textiles to see how textiles can be used
to communicate more of ourselves - be it our identity,
our story and experiences, or the world around us. It is
certainly an intriguing path to wander on and one I hope
to explore more of it further down the line.

For those dating and in a relationship, love survived the

test as most couples took to a long-distance relationship,
and some were brought closer together by the lockdown.
For those who were single, despite online dating
platforms, only a handful gave it a shot to find
love during the lockdown; And for most of them, it
resulted in a connection and spark. It must be true
what they say about love knowing no boundaries.

12.1.6 To sum it all up, when asked to reflect on their

Lockdown experience and share what they were most grateful
Gratitude for, most people were grateful for the social company
they had that helped them get through these trying
times (family, friends and pets). Individuals were also
grateful for the time that the lockdown provided - to
re-evaluate their priorities and reset - and they were
thankful for their privilege and good health. Practising
gratitude goes a long way and promotes a life that
is lived mindfully and intentionally. Knowing that the
participants acknowledged the things they valued
most in these times shows that they came out stronger
with more value for a meaningful and purposeful life.

above: My home-desk where countless days and nights were spent working on my project.

144 145
BIBLIOGRAPHY
13.1 References / 148
13.2 Image Credits / 150

13
BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY

13.1 References
BOOKS
‘Observe, Collect, Draw!: A Visual Journal’ by
Giorgia Lupi and Stefanie Posavec (2018)
WEBSITES
Data Visualization Beginner’s Guide: A Definition,
Examples, And Learning Resources | https://www.
tableau.com/learn/articles/data-visualization
What is Data Storytelling? | https://www.
nugit.co/what-is-data-storytelling/
Data Storytelling: The Essential Data Science Skill
Everyone Needs | https://www.forbes.com/sites/
brentdykes/2016/03/31/data-storytelling-the-essential-
data-science-skill-everyone-needs/?sh=4ef5832a52ad
Data Storytelling Has Birthed The Need Of
Data Culture In Organizations | https://www.
analyticsinsight.net/data-storytelling-has-birthed-
the-need-of-data-culture-in-organizations/
Giorgia Lupi for & Other Stories | https://www.
pentagram.com/work/giorgia-lupi-other-stories/story
‘Women’s Work’ by Olivia Johnson |
http://womens-work.info/
Beautiful Reasons. Towards New Aesthetics
for Data | https://medium.com/accurat-in-
sight/beautiful-reasons-c1c6926ab7d7
Seeing through Data: Visiting the Museum
with the Eyes of an Information Designer |
https://medium.com/@giorgialupi/seeing-through-
data-visiting-the-museum-with-the-eyes-of-
an-information-designer-4decce292030
Sketching with Data Opens the Mind’s Eye |
https://medium.com/accurat-in-sight/sketching-
with-data-opens-the-mind-s-eye-92d78554565

What is Data Art? A definition. | https://www.

kirellbenzi.com/blog/data-art-definition

Information Art | https://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Information_art

Tiger Uncaged - Data Art for Mobile and Print |

http://www.kultur.design/portfolio/tiger-uncaged/

Data Humanism, The Revolution will be Visualized. |

http://giorgialupi.com/data-humanism-
my-manifesto-for-a-new-data-wold

‘Being a Millenial Adult’ by Ruta Gokhale

| https://towardsdatascience.com/the-
data-is-in-the-art-b97cf2ceda7c

‘Soumoud ~ The Thread Back Home’ by

Patchil | http://www.patchil.com/portfolio/
soumoud-the-thread-back-home/

‘>>Weaving Data<<’ | https://ameliekirchmeyer.

de/weavingdata/index.html#

148 149
BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY

13.2 Image Credits

NIFT Entrance | Pg 03 3 Playpark 02 by The Old Art Studio
https://www.careers360.com/colleges/national- https://society6.com/product/playpark-02_
institute-of-fashion-technology-mumbai print?sku=s6-10888496p4a1v45

Data-Art for Tiger Beer’s ‘Uncage’ campaign | Pg 08
http://www.kultur.design/portfolio/tiger-uncaged/
Portrait of Giorgia Lupi | Pg 10
https://www.azuremagazine.com/article/
information-designer-giorgia-lupi/
4 Network Visualisation by Data Viz Project
https://datavizproject.com/data-
type/network-visualisation/
5 Polka Daubs by Ann Marie Coolick
https://www.annmariecoolick.com/polka-daubs-1

A Manifesto for Data Humanism | Pg 12 6 Wavy Retro Marble Pattern

https://bio.si/en/program/main- https://www.flickr.com/photos/
exhibition/34/data-humanism/ dennismail_2000/4255393590

‘Being a Millenial Adult’ by Ruta Gokhale | Pg 14 7 Hypothetical Poster by George Strouzas

https://towardsdatascience.com/the-data-is-in- https://veerle.duoh.com/inspiration/zurich-2012
the-art-b97cf2ceda7c?gi=e5b93ec5bb8d

‘Soumoud ~ The Thread Back Home’ by Patchil | Pg 15 All other images included in this document are scans,
http://www.patchil.com/portfolio/ screenshots and original work of Pankti Patel.
soumoud-the-thread-back-home/

‘>>Weaving Data<<’ | Pg 16
https://ameliekirchmeyer.de/weavingdata/index.html#

Giorgia Lupi for & Other Stories | Pg 17

https://www.pentagram.com/work/
giorgia-lupi-other-stories/story

‘Women’s Work’ by Olivia Johnson | Pg 18

yhttp://womens-work.info/

‘Crafting Your Visual Language’ from ‘Observe, Collect,

Draw!: A Visual Journal’ by Giorgia Lupi and Stefanie
Posavec (2018) | Pg 35 - Pg 36

VISUAL INSPIRATION: MOOD BOARD | PG 54

1 Daelim Museum D-PROJECT

SPACE by Studio Plat (2015)
https://www.behance.net/gallery/24222479/
Daelim-Museum-D-PROJECT-SPACE-2015

2 Herman Miller - A Better World by Moniker SF

https://www.behance.net/gallery/30961365/
Herman-Miller-A-Better-World

150 151
 Thank you
for your time!

Pankti Patel
Batch of 2017 - 2021
Textile Design

Behance: www.behance.net/papanktipi
Instagram: @papanktipi

152 153