![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/497573_bypnvqrxbcgyj6xstykx9x7wp.jpg)
I began by taking references for the story illustrations. The overall style is inspired from the traditional Buddhist art form called Thangka. These religious paintings are an important part of the Buddhist culture and have a very distinct style.
But the inspiration has to be an abstraction and not a copy of a thangka painting. Hence I began by keeing the characters more contemporary in nature, so that children from any part of the world could relate to them. But to retain the Thangkainfluence, I stayed true to their traditional way of drawing the landscape, such as plants, clouds, water, etc. The colour palette was also derived from the Thangka paintings.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/497573_ksiemgznq8rdd_7da3x_lzzok.jpg)
I divided the story into six frames for the story boarding and went through the process of illustrating each character and composing each frame.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/497573_fctmhchmjdfyegarsy__k4ok5.jpg)
To translate the elements into textiles, I explored different techniques, like embroidery, flat applique, stuffed applique, hand painting, tie-dye,etc., and tried to create a hierarchy using them. The background was ombré dyed, followed by thelandscape elements being painted. The elements in the foreground were flat appliqued or embroidered and the characters were done in stuffed applique.
During a visit to McLeodganj, I happened to visit the Norbulingka Institute, where I learnt the technique of applique used traditionally in Thangka. I decided to use this technique of appliqueing as its their indigenous technique and would give the feel of Buddhist culture.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/497573_zwlnhcrugey3ddlptzkw62yqv.jpg)
The final product is that of an interactive toy, for children of ages 3-5 years, by which the story is expressed in a pictorial manner. The toy consists of nine stuffed cubes of cloth, which have to be placed together by the child to form one complete picture. Each cube has one part of the picture and when put together in the correct order, like a puzzle, the picture gets complete.
The entire story is narrated through six picture frames. Each face of each cube has a part of each picture frame, thus making the child turn the faces of all the cubes each time to make a new picture frame. This way, by challenging the child’s mind, he/she learns the story in a progressive manner and hence has fun while retaining the story in his/her mind.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/497573_lksrtqdwrdttdv9wr0mmanitp.jpg)
A book with the story and the picture frames guides the child though the process.
![](https://s3images.coroflot.com/user_files/individual_files/497573_wg00wc4ud72vi_wufrlqzvvt7.jpg)
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