History and analysis of vehicle graphics in India


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Creator/Artist: Onkar Khot

Category: Mobility Design

Document: Design Research

Batch: 2017-2019

Source: India,   IDC IIT Bombay

Period:  2009-2018

Medium: Report pdf

Supervisor: Prof. Ravi Poovaiah


Detailed Description

Art and design diversity and heritage in our country are a blend of various cultures in different parts of India. Every state here has different ways of communicating in various mediums like language, literature, art, design, architecture, etc. One of the ways of communication is vehicle graphics. It has been so influential that vehicles like trucks and buses without graphics are rare. Also, people like Cartist are showcasing the Indian art culture through cars and also supporting the artists across the country to showcase their talent. Truck art is the best example of creative graphic work. It replicates the background and identity of the person in a unique way. The body is not made by the OEM; it is handcrafted to fulfil the needs and aspirations of the driver or the owner. The people who make it possible are not art or design graduates; they are people with their own styles developed by a great amount of skill sets. This report includes documentation and analysis of various types of vehicle graphics on various segments of vehicles. Different events in the country, artist contributions in vehicle graphics are studied for graphic style, typography, messages, colours, location, artist, etc., which can be further developed and adopted for more meaningful uses. The possibilities that this project provides are so wide that it is not possible to achieve them in a short time span. Since the graphics on vehicles differ from region to region within a state and also from state to state. So in a broader sense, if all these are to be documented and analysed, it will prove to be a useful exercise.