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Engravings of Tiger on Shiv Pashupati (seals discovered during the Mohenjodaro archaelogical site) Pashupati means Lord of animals in         Sanskrit Language. 

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Shiva the ancient god of the Pre-Aryan society  always had a tiger beside him which is seen in visual depictions of Lord Shiva as well as 
engraved seals of Mohenjodaro. 

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The Project Ttile, speaks for itself. Making Theory.  This project literally revolves around executing an art piece in relation to our CTS 3 essay (Disseration). 
My essay revolves around the impact of the symbolisation and characteristics of a tiger in India, and how these said personifcations of a tiger align or diverge from the current state of contemporary India, mainly on aspects such as communal tensions and modernisation pressures. 

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Tigers along with other animals were worshiped in the Pre-Aryan 
society 

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Indian mythology also states the the goddess Durga uses a tiger 
as her vehicle.

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As for the Tarot cards I was thinking of it as a good representation of the spirutal traditions present in India in terms of culture, religion, society and 
superstitions. 

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 Main sources of inspiration for tarot cards were vintage match boxes from India 

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Whilst brain storming these concepts I came across an image as a product Ad on Etsy for another 
website., which immediately clicked something in my head. 

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Chess was a game orignitated in India in 600AD. Historically speaking It is rumored that the ruler of the Gupta Empire in India at the time called upon his wise men to develop a game that would teach his children to become strategically minded and 
capable future generals.

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Mythologically the significance of chess in India spins around the tale of Ravana. It is believed that chess was developed by 
Ravana’s wife so as to stop 
Ravana from indulging in physical battles by giving him a way to win them against his own mind, and without causing any bloodshed. Both these points had 
significance to my project .

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This object is ideally interpreted as a piece of plain jewellery or a bangle made of steel. However, to me; this is not just an accessory but a representation of my culture and the way I was raised. A symbol of strength and unity, Power and resilliance. it is a ‘Kada’ a bangle made of steel that represents the Sikh community in India. It can be worn by anyone regardless of their cast, colour, religion etc. On some level I didn’t necessarily agree with some of the social and cultural values the image held. For example certain people believe it also represents masculinity and also a symbol of dedication to God. To me personally, that came off as a bit of a ridiculous stereotype. As the religion preaches equality and unity but has an accesory to be worn as a dedication to God that represents masculinity, This was helpful information for my essay and approach to this project as well. 

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Chess serves as a powerful metaphor for social constructs in society, reflecting hierarchical roles, power dynamics, and the need for strategy. Just as each chess piece has specific roles and influence—from the powerful queen to the humble pawn—societal structures assign individuals different levels of power and responsibility. The movement of pieces mirrors the navigation of social systems, where strategy, foresight, and adaptability are essential for success. Even the possibility of a pawn’s promotion parallels the challenge of social mobility, illustrating how perseverance can lead to upward movement despite systemic constraints. 

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What Is Strategy In Chess? Chess strategy is the purposeful attempt to gain an advantage over your 
opponent. Unlike tactics, chess 
strategy involves long-term goals, 
usually related to king safety, pawn structure, space, piece activity, etc.
I tried to look at this symbolically with society and try to make a 
comparison that woul help build on my idea. 

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creating an oil painting on canvas to explore how the tiger, India’s national animal, symbolizes national strength, unity and resilience, and how these ideas align or diverge from the r
ealities of contemporary India, such as communal tensions and the 
pressures of modernisation. This will be visually represented by painting parts of the tiger’s face embedded within a black-and-white chessboard 

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 Scribbling thoughts and ideas while mindmapping 

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 Scribbling thoughts and ideas while mindmapping 

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Tiger Sketches made by me using pencils: 

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Tiger Sketches made by me using pencils: 

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creating an oil painting on canvas to explore how the tiger, India’s national animal, symbolizes national strength, unity and resilience, and how these ideas align or diverge from the r
ealities of contemporary India, such as communal tensions and the 
pressures of modernisation. This will be visually represented by painting parts of the tiger’s face embedded within a black-and-white chessboard 

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Rough idea of what my painting meant and looked like visually 

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Rough idea of what my painting meant and looked like visually 

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Unza is a Fine Art Graduate from 
Camberwell College of Arts. I reached out to her after seeing this painting to ask for her permission to include into my project as a reference and she happily agreed. Similar to me a lot of her work crafts poignant narratives through her paintings, which are deeply rooted in her personal memories, experiences, and emotions. Drawing from her rich Indian and Pakistani heritage, Unza incorporates traditional elements and symbols to weave relatable stories that resonate with her audience. Her profound understanding of Punjabi and Gujarati cultures informs her unique artistic expression. 

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Work by Unza Saleem alumni of Camberwell Fine Art degree

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Work by Unza Saleem alumni of Camberwell Fine Art degree

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Considering what my tutor mentioned to me, I made the decision against incorporating the Indian Folk art into the tigers face, as it was important to cover the negative space surrounding the chess board as you will see in the following slides. I began to consider how I would incorporate the Indian folk art Styles into the surrounding negative space. When I remembered working with various Indian Folk Art styles with my aunt as a kid and that she still continues to create art work using the same style. Her style mainly focuses on 
Madhubani Art along with others

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Indian folk art
piece by KDcreative studios

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Indian folk art
piece by KDcreative studios

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Medium: Dots and lines using natural dyes and colours.
Significance: Closely tied to nature and tribal folklore.
Themes: Trees, animals, and elements of daily life.
Meaning: Celebrates the interconnectedness of all living beings.

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Medium: Natural dyes and pigments on handmade paper or walls.
Significance: Symbolises harmony with nature, 
spirituality, and rituals.
Themes: Mythological stories, gods, nature (sun, 
moon, flora, fauna), and daily life.
Meaning: Often created during auspicious events 
like weddings or festivals, these artworks express 
joy and devotion.

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Medium: Cloth or dried palm leaves with natural 
colours.
Significance: A traditional form of storytelling 
through painting.
Themes: Episodes from Hindu epics like the
 Mahabharata and Ramayana.
Meaning: Spiritual devotion and preservation of 
mythological tales.

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- Tigers are painted in mythological and narrative scenes, often in dynamic postures.
- They may appear as guardians, protectors, or symbols of strength in tales from the Ramayana or Mahabharata.
- Intricate detailing with bold black outlines.
- Bright colours, such as orange for the tiger, with white and green for contrast.
- The setting is often crowded with flora and fauna motifs.
- Yellow: Symbolises knowledge & wisdom
- Red: signify divine or royal presence 
- Black: shows protection, mystery & strength
- Green: Fertility, growth and harmony 

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- Tigers are celebrated as protectors of forests and symbols of strength.
- Often depicted with a vibrant and surreal quality, their forms are filled with patterned lines, dots, and geometric shapes.
- Use of vibrant colours like red, yellow, green, and blue.
- The tiger’s body becomes a canvas for intricate motifs symbolising energy and interconnectedness.
- Dynamic and abstract but instantly recognisable as a tiger.
- Red: emphasizing strength, vitality or power
- Yellow:  Represents power 
- Orange: strength and energy 
- Black: Purely to balance & contrast (Outlines)
- Green: connection between nature & harmony
- Blue: connection between nature & harmony
attributes 

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- Tigers are depicted using bold outlines filled with 
intricate patterns like flowers, leaves, and geometric 
designs.
- The background is usually dense, symbolising
 harmony with nature.
- The tiger may appear in mythological contexts or as a guardian of forests.
- Bright, contrasting colours (yellow, orange, and black for the tiger).
- Symmetry and stylised motifs.
- Red: symbolises energy, passion & Royalty 
- Yellow: represents divinity 
- Orange: conveys warmth, energy and vitality 
- Black: Represents Protection & strength (Outlines)
- Green: Represents, fertility, growth & harmony 
- Blue: Represents calmness, strength divine 
attributes 

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I enjoyed experimenting with different positions to draw the tiger in especial working with pencil shading and 
using markers. On one of the tiger sketches I 
incorpporated same floral patterns, to see how it would look. Over all this was very beneificial to my final outcome and especially gave me practice for drawing out the tiger in the Indian Folk art styles. 

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From pinterest purely for reference purposes 

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From pinterest purely for reference purposes 

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Final sketch after working on photoshop 

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Final sketch after working on photoshop 

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An Ideal chess board is measure 8 x 8 Squares which I had to make sure to incorporate starting with the first square on the top left as white from a traditional chess board. In my sketch I marked the sqaures that would be painted black or white and which square would display the features of the tiger, I tried to involve as much symmetry as I possibly could so the audience could understand that it’s a tiger. The paper I made my sketch on marked the adjustment of the negative space for the traditional Indian Folk Art as well. I gave them marking titles as you can see in the sketch where they are properly explained for my understanding, while I am painting on the canvas looking at the referrence sketch. 

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working with reference image on photoshop 

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working with reference image on photoshop 

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final layout sketch with colour keys and annotations 

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final layout sketch with colour keys and annotations 

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The Pattachitra Art style was easier to get a hold on after having practiced the other two styles. This is what was very interesting to me how Indian culture has multiple traditional art styles, but their styles and method of representation overlap in a away. Which made it easier for me to execute this. The colour options were minimal as well. The most challenging part of this was to get the position and shape of the tiger right. 
In Pattachitra art, the tiger is often depicted with stylized features and bold patterns, reflecting the intricacy and symbolic nature of this 
traditional art form. The tiger is depicted with exaggerated eyes, sharp teeth, and ornate stripes, emphasizing its fierce and majestic nature.
Its body is often decorated with intricate patterns, blending it harmoniously with the ornate Pattachitra aesthetic. Tigers often act as focal points or dynamic elements within the artwork, breaking the monotony of human or divine figures.
Their presence adds motion and energy to the otherwise intricate and static scenes, making them integral to the visual storytelling of Pattachitra.
The tiger in Pattachitra art is thus more than an animal; it is a symbol of strength, divinity, and the harmonious relationship between the natural and spiritual worlds.

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Working with the Madhubani Art was 
vincredibly time consuming as it is a very symbolic and intricate art style. Making sure of symmetry and detail was the key aspect while executing this work. I used markers to execute this work as it was a medium that was convenient and came in a variety of colors. No mess compared to paints. It’s ideally best for Quick projects or mixed media work. Each colour used had a significant meaning as Madhubani art traditionally uses bright, vibrant, and natural colors derived from organic sources. These colors are symbolic and play a crucial role in enhancing the artwork’s aesthetic and cultural significance. The approach I took balances natural representation with Madhubani’s vibrant, symbolic aesthetic; incorporating 
elements of strength, unity, or resilience that the tiger might symbolize in my 
illustration. I also decided to incorporate Lotuses in my art work which is also 
symbolic to Indian culture as it’s their 
national flower. 

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I was not prepared for the detailed work while working with gond art. Gond art style is much more pattern and detail based than Madhubani Art there is not a lot of negative space on the elements drawn.  I decided to use gouache paint for the base and a brush marker for the black details and a White posca pen for the other
 patterns. However working with gouache was not too bad since the paint dried up quickly. Gond art is known for its vibrant and earthy color palette, which reflects its traditional roots and connection to nature. Traditionally, the colors were derived from natural materials, but modern Gond art often incorporates synthetic paints for more vivid effects. Which is what I tried my best to acheive. Colorswere 
chosen symbolically and harmoniously to depict stories of nature, mythology, or everyday life.
Flat colorswere used for filling spaces, while dots, lines, and patterns wer used for texture and movement. 

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unerpainting and one tile done on the canvas 

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unerpainting and one tile done on the canvas 

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After re placing the tiles on the chess board multiple times do see which layout would work best, I thought it qould be important to make sure there’s a pattern visible in the layout making symbolism of the painting more apt to the Incorporation of Indian folk art style. 
As mentioned earlier most of the Indian Folk Art styles had symmetry and patterns that worked together. Thus if you notice there is a common pattern in the tiles displaying the tiger, assuring that it is understood by the audience that it is a tiger hidden amongst the tiles I made sure that the eyes of the tiger were visible through the pattern as well as it says a lot about the animals characteristics. 

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planning out the painting and alyout of tiles on chess board 

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planning out the painting and alyout of tiles on chess board 

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checking if the tile works with the tiger placement 

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checking if the tile works with the tiger placement 