STUDY ON MALAYALAM SCRIPT

BY NANDINI JOSE

SUBMITTED TO NIFT IN PARTIAL

FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR

THE DEGREE OF

MASTER OF DESIGN SPACE

DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN SPACE

FACULTY GUIDE: ASSISTANT PROFESSOR SUSMITA DAS PAL,

DEPARTMENT OF FASHION COMMUNICATIONS

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FASHION TECHNOLOGY

MUMBAI

2013

DECLARATION

I, the undersigned, hereby declare that this dissertation entitled ’A study On Malayalam script’ is my own work and effort and that it has not been submitted anywhere for any award or degree.

Name of the student: Nandini Jose

Signature of the student:

Place: NIFT, Mumbai

Date

A study on Malayalam script

ABSTRACT

Kerala is witnessing a new wave – There is a huge appeal for products that combine the

traditional and the contemporary. Particularly interesting are new trends that pay tribute to the

roots, bringing back to light certain cultural elements that were once lost or forgotten. Methiyadi

rubber footwear, inspired from ancient wooden padukas is a perfect example of this

phenomenon. Avial – the band, fuses Malayalam folk and rock music in their music; the result –

sound that the audience has never heard before but are familiar to in some way. Giving a new

outlook to something local, while maintaining its essence is the ongoing trend. This new trend

could be applied to the beautiful Malayalam script as well. The application of script as well

should evolve with changing times, without stripping it of its essence.

Malayalam lipi [script] is beautiful on its own; the loops, the swirls, the rounded turns. Although

Malayalam script has been experimented with in the context of communication, it has not been

explored much beyond that. To explore, an understanding of the origin, evolution and uses of the

script becomes necessary. The objective of this research is to collect information about

Malayalam script that would prove useful for anyone who hopes to use it in design. A qualitative

research was conducted to understand the subject, through observation and by interviewing

several artists and designers in the field.

Through this research certain interesting things have come to focus – the need for archiving

lettering and typographic works, new trends in design, increasing appreciation and importance

given to the script, a changing market that is open to western concepts yet takes pride in their

roots, and the huge scope that is there for products that include Malayalam script based designs.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost I would like to thank God for giving me the wisdom and capabilities to carry

out this project and complete it on time.

Secondly I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Hashim Padiyath of Design Difference for

helping me from the start to gain an understanding of Malayalam typography and lettering,

helping me chose my area of study and for continually clearing my doubts and queries through

the course of the research. I would also like to acknowledge Professor G.V.Sreekumar, IDC, IIT

Bombay, for giving me a basic introduction to Malayalam typography and for referring Hashim

Padiyath.

I thank my faculty mentor, Assistant Professor Susmita Das Pal of Fashion Communications

department – National Institute of Fashion Technology, Mumbai, for her valuable guidance and

support.

I also would like to acknowledge the support of my family, without which I would not have been

able to conduct the research to the best of my abilities.

LIST OF PLATES

Plate no. Title Page no.

1a Grunge font Pampa 16

1b Serif font Ambili 16

2a Kasturi font family 17

3a Netholi Oru Cheriya Meenala poster 20

3b Aamen poster 20

4a Changes in movie posters over the years 21

5a Comparison between the old and the new 22

6a Movie title ‘Kuttykuppayam’ 24

7a Book cover -Title –‘Thakarna Hridayangal’ 33

7b Book cover -Title – ‘College Kuruvikal’ 33

7c Book cover- Title – ‘Theeram thedunna thirakal’ 33

7d Book cover –Title – ‘Kattutharavu’ 33

7e Book cover –Title –‘ Chuvanna Kadal’ 33

7f Book cover –Title –‘Mahar’ 33

7g Book cover –Title – ‘Parvathangalile Kattu’ 34

7h Book cover –Title – ‘Thiranedutha kathakal’ 34

7i Book cover –Title – ‘Randu Penkuttikal’ 34

7j Book cover –Title – ‘Themmadi Rashtram’ 34

7k Book cover –Title –Nammukku ‘Gramangalil

Chennu Rapaarkaam’

34

7l Book cover –Title – ‘Barsa’ 34

8a Clutter in the streets 41

9a Space oriented lettering 42

10a Hand painted lettering 42

11a Increasing Usage of English 43

12a Use of Rachana old lipi in a poster 44

13a Aggressive graffiti styles found in the streets 44

14a Different hand lettered styles in the streets 45

15a Movie Ustad hotel’s title. 45

16a Minimal designs inspired Malayaleegraphy

posters

47

17a Via Kerala font 48

17b Akam book cover 48

LIST OF FIGURES

Plate no. Title Page no.

1a Illustration of movie title Nirmala 23

2a Iluustration of title ‘Kandavarundo’ 24

3a Illustration of title ‘Poombata’ 25

4a Illustration of title ‘Snehadeepame

Mizhithuraku’

26

5a Illustration of title ‘Thapaswini’ 27

6a Illustration of letters from the title

‘Kammath and Kammath’

27

7a Illustration of letters from the title

‘Season’

28

8a Illustration of letters from the title

‘Thoovanathumbikal’

28

9a Illustrations of letters from the movie title

‘Kili Poyi’

29

10a Illustrations of letters from the title

‘Namukku gramangalil Chennu

Raaparkaam’

35

11a Illustration of title ‘Chandana Marangal’ 35

12a Illustration of title Barsa 36

13a Illustrations of letters from the title

‘Chittagong Viplavam’

37

14a Illustration of title ‘Lust’ 37

15a Illustration of letters from the title

‘Smruthidarpanam’

38

16a Illustration of letters from the title ‘Randu

Penkuttikal’

38

17a Illustration of title ‘Ente Katha’ 39

18a Illustration of title ‘ Parvathangalile Kaate’ 39

19a Illustration of title ‘Sahara’ 40

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter no. Title Page no.

1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Objectives

1.3 Significance

1.4 Scope of Research

1.5 Limitations

1

1

2

2

3

2

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

2.1 Understanding the difference between

typography and lettering

2.2 Evolution of lettering and Typography

2.3 The Indian context

2.4 Malayalam script

4

4

5

8

3

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Methodology

3.2 Schedule

12

13

4

PRIMARY RESEARCH ANALYSIS

4.1 Typography

4.2 Cinema titles

4.3 Book Cover designs

4.4 The streets

4.5 New Avenues

19

24

35

45

50

5

CONCLUSION

5.1 Need for archiving 55

5.2 Design Characteristics 58

5.3 Scope 58

LIST OF REFERENCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

GLOSSARY

1

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Kerala has been witnessing a new wave; many changes have been taking place in different

spheres; movies, music, lifestyle. There is a huge appeal for products that combine the

traditional and the contemporary, and a growing interest in reviving things of old. Many new

trends pay tribute to the roots, bringing back to light certain cultural elements that were once

lost or forgotten. Methiyadi rubber footwear, inspired from ancient wooden padukas is a

perfect example of this phenomenon. Avial – the band, fuses Malayalam folk and rock music

in their music; the result – sound that the audience has never heard before but are familiar to

in some way. Giving a new outlook to something local, while maintaining its essence is the

ongoing trend.

Malayalam lipi [script] is beautiful on its own; the loops, the swirls, the rounded turns.

Getting accustomed to a script has one drawback. One tends to get immune to the beauty of

my one’s own language. People do not notice the script by itself; they miss the aesthetic and

normal design elements. A tiny bit of observation makes you separate the elements that make

the script, from the communication tool that it is, and shows you that it is an art by itself.

This documentation is an attempt to collect details about Malayalam script which could be

used in design, and in the process, alter the way one sees letters. It does not boast to be a

complete study of the usage of Malayalam script. A few significant areas where the language

has been used in different ways have been studied. However, even this short study conducted

from January to April 2013, has revealed interesting factors about the script, which had to be

gathered through several interviews and observation. This study hopes to aid anyone who

wishes to know details about a few ways in which Malayalam script has been applied and

could be applied. This is just a mere beginning to what is an area that could be studied for a

lifetime.

2

1.2 Objectives

The objective of this research is to understand and document how various characteristics of

Malayalam script has been used in design and analyze what further explorations could be

done with it.

To attain the core objective, these are the areas that will be studied-

A thorough study of the origin and evolution of the script.

Understand how the script is used in different areas.

Understand elements of the script that are/ could be manipulated for use in designs.

Find out new trends in the usage of this script, in the context of design.

1.3 Significance

Malayalam script, which hails from the Dravidian family of scripts, is a curvy-linear script

composed of round and linear features. The script by itself is beautiful to look at. A great

amount of work has been done in this area; however, most of it is not documented. Also, a lot

more exploration could be attempted. This research aims to understand and document some

of the many ways in which Malayalam script has been used. It is hoped that this study will

help one notice and understand the aesthetic potential that a script could possess.

1.4 Scope of Research

This research is helpful in understanding interesting ways in which Malayalam script

has been applied in design.

Although much research has been done on Malayalam typography, Malayalam art

lettering works are not usually documented or studied. Listing some of the lettering

styles that have been applied over the years is a step towards archiving and

maintaining records of what has been worked on previously.

3

Exploration is futile if a background study is not carried out. It is conceived that this

research will benefit anyone who wishes to explore more in this area.

1.5 Limitations

Typography is a vast area which requires months or even years of training to be an

expert at. On lacking such training, the technical parts of the script have not been

analyzed in detail by the researcher. Familiarity in this area would have positively

improved the findings of the study. However, during the initial stages, the research

was tuned to focus more on the artistic characteristics of the script and hence the

problem was avoided.

Although documentation on the origin and evolution of the script is easily available, it

was difficult to find any other resources in the concerned area of study. Further

understanding could be attained only by interviewing various artists and designers in

the field.

Much of the older works have not been archived. Hence, at times it was difficult to

procure usable material from the earlier years. Many old lettering works had to be

redone on Adobe Illustrator because only images of poor quality could be procured.

Due to the time limit of the concerned project, it was not possible to analyze beyond a

point. There are tens of thousands of lettering works that could be studied, yet due to

the time limit, I had to select and study a few and base my analysis on those findings.

Studying about the aesthetic application of a script tends to become subjective at

certain points. What one person thinks is significant could be considered irrelevant by

another. Which typeface one designer considers suitable, was very often what another

considered as inadequate.

4

Chapter 2: REVIEW OF LITERARTURE

Exploring Malayalam lettering styles

2.1 Understanding the difference between typography and lettering

Most people are under the misconception that typography and lettering are one and the same.

It is important to understand that although lettering and typography share many of the same

concepts, they are different disciplines. Typography is actually a subset of lettering, because

it is the study of letters applied to typefaces. In simple terms, lettering can be defined as “the

art of drawing letters”. It is a specific combination of letterforms crafted for a single use and

purpose as opposed to using previously designed letters as components, as with typography.

Often lettering is hand-drawn, with pens, graphite or brushes, although now, some directly

work on computer software.

Lettering is almost exclusively used as display text. Calligraphy on the other hand is much

more likely to be used in longer passages of text. While calligraphy and lettering are once

again related, there is a central difference between the two. Calligraphy is based

on penmanship, which involves writing letters. Lettering on the other hand is based

on draftsmanship, which involves drawing letters. [Joseph Alessio, 2013]1

2.2 Evolution of lettering and typography over the years [Western context]

The arts of both lettering and calligraphy have been around for centuries. Spoken languages

developed into writing systems. Both these arts evolved alongside each other, along with

other letter-related arts such as engraving.

In 1439, when Johannes Gutenberg built his printing press, he gave the world a practical

solution to printing. This gave rise to the discipline of typography. Each letter had its own

type block on which it sat, and typesetters would arrange the type character by character.

5

During this period of experimentation with printing, lettering and calligraphy still played an

enormous role in communication. They moved with the times. With the end of the Rococo

era, these art forms became simpler during the early 19th century. During the Victorian era

and Art Nouveau, they adopted ornamental shapes. The worlds of type and lettering

constantly intermeshed. Lettering artists were hired by type foundries to design new

typefaces. Lettering figured strongly through Art Deco and Modernism, for posters and ads,

logotypes and book covers. Through the latter half of the 20th century, lettering went through

many transformations; the organic styles of the 70′s, the new modernism of the 80′s, and the

grungy 90′s styles. [Joseph Alessio, 2013]1

There were continuous efforts made to accelerate typesetting and printing processes during

this time. In 1884, German inventor Ottmar Mergenthaler succeeded in building the linotype

machine, which revolutionized the newspaper industry. Although some people still hand-set

type, the industry as a whole was continuously changing to introduce faster and improved

techniques. Typography was explored in the various art movements, from Dada to

Modernism and beyond. Thought was given to ways in which type could be used to give

better expression and meaning. As typography, experimental and traditional, evolved, the

techniques moved from phototypesetting to the digital methods. Today, typography as a

discipline looks very different from what it was. Instead of setting metal type and locking in

forms, panels in Illustrator or InDesign are used today. Similarly, lettering has also moved

into the digital format through which much of our design work is produced. Many artists,

however still stay loyal to analog media by hand-drawing lettering. This digital amalgamation

has been largely responsible for the confusion of lettering and typography, since they are now

often created using the same programs — the difference between the two is no longer the

difference between a brush and a letterpress machine, or a drafting table and linotype

matrices. However, lettering and typography are still different concepts, and understanding

them, their similarities and differences is essential. [Joseph Alessio, 2013]1

2.3 The Indian context

“Typography -‘what language looks like’ cannot be separated from the circumstances in

which language lives and grows. These include place but also use of language as seen by the

tools that influence it, technology used to create typographic language, and culture and

human need that drive language.” [Ellen Lupton, 2004].

6

2.3.1 Printing in India

In 1556, the Portuguese brought letterpress printing to India and lithography was introduced

to India in the 1820s. According to Francesca Orsini (Ulrike Stark’s - An Empire of Books)

only books that were guaranteed sales or were commissioned by a patron or the government

were printed by letterpress. The letterpress was not a preferred medium of printing in India.

The need for metal type in Indic scripts and oil-based inking for printing, made the letterpress

expensive and complex. Lithography, which came much later, worked better in India. The

affordability and ease of the lithographic process allowed printers to produce books at low

cost in different scripts without having to buy a full set of type. Lithography also allowed for

a variety of scripts and required the use of brush and pen work resulting in a more visual

experience of the page. It allowed printers a chance to celebrate the visual (and calligraphic)

traditions of the page. The lithographic printed page seemed more familiar to the Indian

audience, who were used to handwritten manuscript.

Singanapalli Balaram a well-known Indian educator perceived that ‘human need is the origin

of design, and that is not just physical but physiological, socio-cultural, ecological and

spiritual. In the West, design emerged as a response to industry and mass production and is

considered separate from art. In India, there has always been a direct link between design and

art and craft traditions and this is evident in the Indian approach to typography which sees the

‘character’ as an ‘image’. In Sanskrit (as in most Indian languages) the word for ‘design’ is

the same as the word for ‘art’ - kala.’

2.3.2 From hand-painted lettering to digital lettering

Post-Independence, Bombay became home to a large collection of Art Deco buildings. Over

time, the Art Deco aesthetic developed into what Jon T Lang, an urban design expert and

author of A Concise History of Modern Architecture in India, calls “Indo-Deco.” The clean,

geometric lines of the sans-serif type gave way to more decorative and ornamental

counterparts seen at the time in the signage of small businesses, retail stores as well as

cinema halls - Similar to what happened in the west.

As time changed, so did the materials. During the industrial era, wood and metal were mainly

used for lettering. This gave way to the paintbrush. The time of the painter had arrived. Every

village, town and city was home to its own community of painters, each seeking inspiration

from one other and each trying to outdo the other. Painters had their different styles: some

painted only on white backgrounds, others utilized the drop shadow effect and others almost

7

always gave their lettering a distinctive Bollywood poster aesthetic. This was a time when

commercialism and art worked in perfect harmony. And it was visible on every corner: tea

stalls, juice shops and billboards. These painters were not just shaping the country’s

landscape, they were bringing into emergence a new kind of art – the kitsch typography that

India is famous for. However, the IT revolution in India changed this scenario.

Along with software engineers, India also produced a large number of desktop designers.

Designers with little knowledge of typography opened DTP (desktop publishing) shops

across the country. These shops began producing posters, shop signs, banners, small

advertisements and business stationery. [Mohammed Rizwan, 2010]2

There came an evident shift from the painter who lovingly decorated the public spaces, to any

man with a computer and programs like Photoshop or Word. Given the present scenario,

Mahendra Patel [Retired Senior faculty at NID] believes that design and typographic

education have become even more critical.

2.3.3 Growing interest in hand lettered styles

Another thing that has become increasingly significant is the need to document the older

styles of typography or lettering. Kurnal Rawat, founder of the design studio, Grandmother

India, documents the loss of Bombay’s lettering in his project, Typocity. In the project’s

initial year, Rawat discovered that many of the city’s beautiful signs, many of which were

engraved into building walls, disappeared as the buildings themselves were torn down.

“Unfortunately, in India design does not have good documentation. Or shall we say, a history

of recognition.” [Mahendra Patel, 2010]3

There is also a broader trend in India to merge hancrafted work with technology. Designers

across disciplines now talk about engaging with local artisans – for both preservation and

exploration. Not so long ago, Ogilvy and Mather in Mumbai commissioned local painters in

the southern city of Chennai to create a print campaign that was a pastiche of giant, hand

painted political posters, for which the city is renowned. Kurnal Rawat says “I see a

possibility of an outburst of the regional stuff in a completely modern way. The regional

work can be surprisingly stronger than the English work. You see mobile companies forced

to do their ads and promotional material in regional type to connect with the audience. So I

think there is scope for that. I think Indian typographers should go beyond just the Roman

alphabet and think more regional.” So does this mean that we will return to the days of

8

considered typography and design across disciplines? Will the need for local language scripts

demand a closer collaboration with local artists and painters and could this collaboration lead

to an altogether new aesthetic? Whatever happens, the role of typography in shaping cultures

and environments will remain crucial. [Kurnal Rawat, 2010] 3

2.4 Malayalam Script

The Malayalam script is used by nearly 40 million people in Southern India, mostly in the

state of Kerala. Malayalam belongs to the Dravidian family of languages.

2.4.1 Origin

The earliest evidence of writing in India is in the pre-Aryan civilization, which flourished

between 3500 and 2000 BC. Found in the far north, a region known as the Indus Valley, these

signs/symbols seem to have no direct connection with any writing used in India today. The

origins of the current Indian scripts came to happen much later in the fifth century BC with

the appearance of Brahmi script, from which derive almost all current Indian writing systems.

From here there are two major groups: the scripts of the North, or Indo-Aryan, whose main

exponents are Devanagari, Bengali, Gujarati, Gurmukhi and Oryia, and the group of the

South, better known as Dravidians and whose principal scripts are Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu

and Kannada. Due to their common origin, the Dravidian and Indo-Aryan share many

structural features. [Daniel Sabino, 2011]5

The Malayalam language has existed independently since the eighth century AD and has

been written in several different scripts. According to historians, Malayalam script had

undergone four variations till it transformed into the modern script. These are Vattezhuthu,

Kolezhuthu, Grantha script and Arya ezhuthu. It is believed that the first graphic

manifestation of the Malayalam language came through script Vattezhuttu, in the eight

century AD. At around mid-seventeenth century AD, Vattezhuthu was replaced by Arya-

ezhuttu. The person responsible for this change was a Malayali poet named Ezhuthachan, the

first person to apply Arya-ezhuttu script, previously used only for Sanskrit in Malayalam.

The change was well accepted by the general public and spread rapidly. [Daniel Sabino,

2011]5

9

2.4.2 Modern Malayalam Script

It is known that what we understand as Malayalam today is really quiet recent. In the early

nineteenth century the Church Missionary Society, a Catholic congregation with activities in

South India, sent the young Rev. Benjamin Bailey to Kerala in order to start a press and a

Catholic school. From 1817 – 1850, during which time he was there, Bailey proved a tireless

worker and achieved great achievements in the areas of lexicography, journalism, translation

and typography. The CMS Press, which he founded in 1821 in Kottayam is known as the first

press of Kerala and was a cultural landmark in the history of the state. Among Bailey’s

achievements are the translation of the Bible into Malayalam, the printing of the first

complete book in Malayalam in Kerala, the publishing of the first Malayalam- English

dictionary, printed in 1846 and the design of new metal types cast to be used in CMS Press.

Bailey was uncomfortable with the large size and square form of the script, which was used

to print the first Bible at Courier Press, Bombay. He decided to design new types for his work

and made more rounded script for Malayalam. He was inspired from the Aryaezhuthu

manuscripts of ‘Bhagavata’ by Ezhuthachan.

In the process of transformation from the old Vattezhuthu to the modern Malayalam script,

the form of the characters changed from square to circular. This change began when

Ezhuthachan came up with his new manuscripts. After when printing started, experiments

were done to refine the script. After the emergence of printing presses, the script achieved its

new form. The modern Malayalam script is very much round in form.

In the late 1960s the script was reformed by the Government of Kerala. The goal was to

simplify the writing system to allow its adaptation to the typewriters of the time and to

linearize it in order to simplify text composition. A team of experts has developed some

significant changes such as reducing the number of glyphs from about 900 to 150, and the

exclusion of some conjuncts. [Daniel Sabino, 2011]5

10

2.4.3 Printing in Malayalam and Malayalam Typefaces

Soon after the arrival of the Portuguese, printing presses were established in India.

However, only Latin, Portuguese and Tamil were printed. The first Malayalam book was

printed in Rome in 1772. It was a catechism book called Samkshepa Vedartham. Types

were cut by a Jesuit priest John Gonsalves. They were more or less square in formation

and called ‘Chatura Vativu’ in Malayalam. Books in Malayalam and Sanskrit were

written with stylus on palm leaves, which was easily available in Kerala. The formation

of letters in these manuscripts is of a square character as the result of using the stylus.

Taking this as the model, the types were cut.

In 1799, a Malayalam grammar book was written by Dr. Drummond and it was printed at

Courier Press in Bombay. A number of Malayalam words were used in this. Malayalam

types were cut by one Behramjee Jeejibhoy. This was the first book that was printed in

India which used Malayalam types. This followed the same square characters that were

used in books printed at Rome. In 1811, the first Malayalam book – the Malayalam bible

was printed in India. In 1821, CMS Press was found by Dr. Benjamin Bailey with the

help of a blacksmith and two goldsmiths. He got engraved the punches for types and

completed the hundreds of characters required in Malayalam. This set of types is the

precursor for all typefaces that exist in Malayalam now. Many tried to improve upon the

face initiated by Bailey and printing spread in Kerala. It took many years for the language

to get a good typeface. This was achieved by Thomas Maistry of Allapuzha. He cut a new

typeface in English body size and called it Kerala Santhanam face. Many other foundries

were set up and various fonts were produced from the 40s to the 70s.

Phototypesetting was introduced in 1979-1980 in Malayalam. It was in the leading

newspaper Kerala Kaumudi. Phototypesetting did not stay for long. It was replaced by

digital type setting when computers came into the printing industry. In the 1980’s

Desktop publishing took the place of hot metal composing and typesetting methods like

photosetting. Modular Systems and CDAC Pune played important roles in the

development of various Malayalam fonts. [Report on evolution of Malayalam script by

Rajathi.]4

11

2.4.4 Malayalam Art lettering

Malayalam art lettering, as is the case of most Indian scripts, is not well documented.

Considerable research and documentation has been done in the field of origin and

evolution of Malayalam Lipi (script) and Malayalam typeface development. However,

very little study has been done in the area of Malayalam art lettering. On observing early

publications, posters, film titles, book covers and so on, it can be seen that beautiful and

experimental hand lettering is not a foreign concept in Kerala. Artists like Bhattathiri,

Madanan and Bharathan to name a few, have done considerable work in this area. These

however are not well documented and there is a need to acknowledge these artists and

their skill with words.

Also, while use of art lettering of other scripts such as Hindi and English goes beyond

displays, publications and posters, nothing much has been done in Malayalam. Extensive

exploration has not been done with Malayalam script in terms of design and it would be

unfortunate if nothing is attempted with this curvy, beautiful script with all its potential.

In order to explore in terms of design, it is essential to learn about what has already been

done in the field of art/ hand lettering in Kerala.

12

Chapter 3: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

3.1 Methodology

3.1.1 Secondary research

On marginally modifying the objective of the research from exploring lettering styles, to

studying how characteristics of the script is used in design, further secondary research

was conducted in order to gain some knowledge in the following areas –

Contemporization seen in different spheres in Kerala, including movie titles and

book cover designs.

Increasing appreciation for usage of Malayalam script based designs.

Lettering and typographic designs in other languages.

Methods Used:

This information was attained through referring books, new articles and online articles.

3.1.2 Primary research

Primary research conducted was qualitative and visual in nature. The various steps that

were involved included conducting interviews of artists and designers in the field of

Malayalam lettering or typography, going through archives to understand usage of the

13

script in book cover designs, observation of Malayalam movie titles and a study of the

usage of script in the streets.

This was to attain information in the following areas –

Usage of Malayalam typography and lettering

Different styles and ways in which the script is used

Local characteristics that could enhance usage of script in design

Scope for further exploration of Malayalam script based designs.

Methods Used:

Interviews: Interviewing various artists and designers who are involved with the

usage of Malayalam script in various ways. This included,

o Hashim Padiyath [Design Difference] – Typeface Designer

o Narayana Bhattathiri – Freelance lettering artist

o Vipin Udayanan [Papaya Media] – Graphic designer

o Tessa George [Via Kerala] – Creative head

o Tessa George [Thought Factory Design] – Owner/ Creative head

o Hiren Venugopalan [Malayaleegraphy] – Designer/ Typeface designer/ Member

of Swathanthra Malayalam Computing

o Melwin – Painter

o Thilakan and Sunil – Painters

o Thomas [Identity Advertising] – Technicalities of Malayalam coding

o Sreekumar [DC Books] – Publishing

o Syam Purushothaman [Identity] – Creative head

o Manager at Valavi cards

o Vivek Cherian [7 star production] - Owner

Archives: The collection of books at DC Books and Eloor lending library.

Observation and Collection of images: Malayalam matter found in the streets,

movie posters, book covers, magazine covers were observed and photographed,

or taken from the internet in order to do further analysis.

14

3.2 Schedule

Stage Time allotted Actual Time

Taken

Collection and Analysis of

secondary data

1 month 1 month

Primary Research 2 months 2.5 months

Analysis of information

collected

2 weeks 3 weeks

Compilation and

Documentation of Thesis

2 weeks 1 week

15

Chapter 4: PRIMARY RESEARCH ANALYSIS

Undertaking the secondary research helped to gain knowledge on how the Malayalam

script evolved and gained the curvy-linear form that it has today. In order to gain further

understanding of the Malayalam script, it is essential to recognize some of the different

ways in which it has been used over the years. For this a study was done on book cover

designs, movie posters, application in the streets, newer avenues and about Malayalam

typography. The main purpose was to understand some of the many ways in which the

script has been used; in terms of medium, design and context. Since adequate

documentation has not been done in this field, information had to be gathered through

observation and by interviewing various artists and designers in the field.

The usage of Malayalam script can be broadly divided into two areas – Hand/ Art

Lettering and Typography. Typography is actually a subset of lettering, because it is the

study of letters applied to typefaces. In simple terms, lettering can be defined as “the art

of drawing letters”. It is a specific combination of letterforms crafted for a single use and

purpose as opposed to using previously designed letters as components, as with

typography. Often lettering is hand-drawn, with pens, graphite or brushes, although now,

some directly work on computer software. Since both methods are equally used in the

application of the script, it was essential to understand both these areas.

4.1 TYPOGRAPHY

In 1821, CMS Press was found by Dr. Benjamin Bailey with the help of a blacksmith and

two goldsmiths. He got engraved the punches for types and completed the hundreds of

characters required in Malayalam. This set of types is the precursor for all typefaces that

exist in Malayalam now. Many other foundries were set up and various fonts were

produced from the 40s to the 70s. In the 1980’s Desktop publishing took the place of hot

metal composing and typesetting methods like photosetting. Modular Systems and

CDAC Pune played important roles in the development of various Malayalam fonts.

16

Hashim Padiyath, Vasu Pradeep and Hussain are some of the significant contributors in

this field. [Report on Malayalam typography by Rajathi]

Yet after all these years, anyone associated with the design scene in Kerala is of the

opinion that there is a need for more good fonts in Malayalam and, more exploration in

the field of typography.

4.1.1 Need for more good typefaces

Hashim Padiyath, a renowned typeface designer from Kerala, has made over 30

Malayalam fonts in various styles. While at CDAC Pune, He was the first to design a

serif typeface in Malayalam called Ambili. However many of his typefaces have not

been made available to the public. He sells them to corporates like Manorama,

Madhrubhumi and DC Books at a premium price in order to avoid piracy.

There is very little awareness about the significance of a good typeface. Particularly in

India, most people are not willing to pay a handsome amount for a good typeface. Hence

only those that are freely available get used and designers get discouraged to explore

more in this area. This is why the same fonts are used everywhere. The most used

Plate 1a: Grunge Font Pampa Plate 1b: Serif font Ambili

Source: DesignDifference

17

Malayalam font is Revathi, followed by Indulekha [designed by Hashim P] which is

mainly used in titles.

There is so much more that can be done in this field. Serif fonts, Slab serif fonts, in line

fonts, ornate typefaces. Fonts also need to be designed specifically for specific mediums.

A typeface meant for newspapers may not suit books [Newspapers tend to have

condensed type, which makes it possible to fit in more words within a space.], a typeface

meant for printing may not be apt for onscreen purposes or a typeface designed for

signages may or may not serve its purpose well on some other medium. For instance,

Hashim recently designed a typeface for DC Books. Previously DC Books was using a

typeface which was originally intended for newspapers. The new DC Kasturi typeface

that Hashim has created is more ornate, personalized and meant for book reading. It also

gives DC Books its own identity. Typefaces designed for print, electronics, on screen

application and books need to be differentiated from one another to ensure efficient

communication.

4.1.2 Movement to bring back traditional Malayalam

The Malayalam script that had established itself as a distinct system in the 14th century

had more or less retained its characters/ alphabets till the standardization efforts in the

late 60s.In order to fit the script to the Malayalam typewriter keyboard and to make

typewritten Malayalam the means of official communication, the State Language Institute

[Kerala Basha Academy] introduced several changes in the script in 1968.These changes

were necessitated not by any social demand to improve communicability or functionality

DC Kasturi is slightly more

ornate when compared to

ML Revathi [top]

aebmfw

Plate 2a: Kasturi font family

18

of the language but only by the need to adapt the script to the typewriter keyboard. Many

vowel-signs previously used in conjunction with consonants were separated out; a few

characters were virtually discarded as redundant; except for 16 conjuncts, all the others

were split into a series of basic characters. With the introduction of the new script in the

school syllabus, two different script systems came into use. A new generation of children

was brought up entirely on the new script and they found it difficult to read earlier texts

and the treasures of Malayalam literature. A centuries-old language and the culture it

embodied was debased for the sake of a mechanical tool that would hardly have a life of

three decades. Two voluntary organizations, Rachana Akshara Vedi and Swathanthra

Malayalam Computing have been trying to bring back traditional Malayalam.

Rachana Akshara Vedi: Rachana in Malayalam means to write, to create. Rachana

Akshara Vedi, a team of socially committed information technology professionals and

philologists, has applied developments in computer technology and desktop publishing to

resurrect the Malayalam language from the disorder, fragmentation and degeneration it

had suffered since the attempt to adapt it to suit the typewriter. K.H. Hussein at the

Kerala Forest Research Institute released "Rachana Normal" fonts with approximately

900 glyphs required to typeset traditional Malayalam.

Swathanthra Malayalam Computing: Swathanthra Malayalam Computing (SMC) is a free

software collective engaged in development, localization, standardization and

popularization of various Free and Open Source Softwares in Malayalam language.

"എറെ കയടെ ന എറെ " is the slogan of the organization, which

translates to "My language for/on My Computer". SMC has been active since October

2002 and has been working to provideMalayalam language tools that work on all layers

of computing including fonts, input mechanisms, translations (localization), text-to-

speech engines, dictionaries, spell checkers and other indic script based language

computing specific tools across operating systems.

19

There are people who doubt the logic behind creating a computing environment with

support for a language like Malayalam. After all, almost all of us can read and understand

basic English, so what’s the point in putting in so much of effort? As one of the speakers

pointed out, a language has to continuously evolve if it is to be alive. A language like

Sanskrit is virtually dead - few people use it. A society and a culture is identified by its

language - once the language is dead, the society starts losing its identity. A good way to

keep a language alive is to take it to the digital world. This is one context in which

developing regional language computing environments and popularizing them has great

significance.

4.1.3 The relationship between typeface design and lettering

Although typography and lettering use two different techniques, these cannot be entirely

separated from each other. Many of the handpainted signages, wall advertisements and so

on are essentially copied from some font. And, some of the titles in book covers and

movie posters, which appear to be works of art lettering, are in fact edited fonts. With the

aid of today’s technology, a typeface can be easily edited to be made to look like an art

lettered work.

When a typeface is designed, it is usually because of one of the two reasons; a client’s

requirement, or to fulfill a designer’s creative urge. Many a times a designer gets inspired

on seeing some unique lettering somewhere, which motivates him/her to design a

typeface out of it. This is the story of the creation of many of the renowned fonts that we

use today.

There are so many different styles of lettering out there, in the streets, movie posters,

book covers and so on. Sometimes it takes a little bit of attention to tell one from another

sometimes, especially because our eyes become so accustomed to the language we know,

unless something drastically out of the ordinary is done. A closer look shows that these

words are composed of so many intricate details that could be used in design; both for

generating new typeface designs and in general.

20

4.2 CINEMAS

Malayalam films are going through a phase of revival. New filmmakers, creative ideas

and fresh talent have brought about some sort of courage to experiment and do something

out of the ordinary. Poster designer Sreejith is of the opinion that Malayalam movie

posters has always had great poster designers. But a lot of experimentation and photo

manipulation is taking place of late. "The market is changing. The audience is different,

the taste is different," This is also reflected in the titles that are specifically created for the

movies. Recent posters of Aamen and Netholi Orun Cheriya Meenalla have come to

one’s notice purely because of their experimental titles.

Some of the forerunners in this field were S.A Nayar, P.N.Menon, Kitho, Bharathan, R.K

Radhakrishnan, Kurian Varmashala, Gayatri Asokan and Sabu Colonial. Now there are

various design houses such as Papaya Media and Old Monks that have left their mark in

the industry with their fresh new designs. There have been so many changes in movie

poster designs over the years, owing to changes in technology, trends and other

influences.

4.2.1 Some factors that influenced poster designing:

During the initial years, poster creation was not an easy affair. There were times when

creating a simple colour poster was an arduous task. Designers had to go through several

steps even to create a colour photograph. The technological advancements that take place

during different periods of time affects design. Twenty years ago, poster designer Gayatri

Asokan was the first to introduce the airbrush. One of his fortes was a title which has a 3d

Plate 3a: ‘Netholi oru cheriya meenalla’ poster Plate 3b: ‘Aamen’ poster

Source: https://www.facebook.com/MalayalamFilmPosters

21

and shadow effect, which was attained by using the airbrush. It was used in movies such

as New Delhi [plate]. This was a new technique back then and it drew attention. A finer

version of this effect can be attained in a few seconds by the click of a mouse today. The

different kinds of software that are available now makes work quicker and easier.

Technology introduced at different points of time does affect the designing process.

Transition [clockwise from top left] black and white - single tones – converting back and

white images to coloured photographs - use of airbrush – Digital age.

There is a view that a lot of experimentation is done with the script these days perhaps

because of the convenience and ease that technology provides. Today’s designers do not

have to manually struggle as in the olden days. ‘Computer graphics makes things much

Plate 4a: Changes in movie posters over the years

Source: https://www.facebook.com/MalayalamFilmPosters

22

easier. A lot of the experimentation that is seen today is because of the convenience that

technology provides.’ Vipin Udayanan, designer –Papaya Media.

Certain other changes come with changing times. Newer trends and generations affect

design. Earlier, showcasing mega stars in the poster was given most importance. These

days, a lot of significance is given to the title. In the movie Aamen, in some of the

posters, the stars of the movie are not shown at all and the title covers a major portion of

the space in the poster with some illustrations in the background. Vipin Udayanan -

designer at Papaya media stated that 50% importance is given to the title of a movie these

days. A title carries as much significance as the visuals.

Earlier, the stars of the movie were more significant. Today, there are posters which

don’t even show the actors, and the title is given a lot of importance.

Regional and International styles also shape Malayalam movie posters. Sixties and

seventies style lettering was used in Hollywood, Tamil, Bollywood and Malayalam

movie posters, simultaneously. Similarly, Victorian styles of ornamented lettering can be

seen in some old titles as well. Today’s designs are an amalgamation of different kinds of

styles from different places and cultures.

Beliefs also influence design. For years, Malayalam movie posters avoided titles that had

black font or lettering. This was because black is considered to be unlucky. However,

Plate 5a: Comparison between the old and the new.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/MalayalamFilmPosters

23

while making Chaandupotte’s [Eye liner and Bindi] poster, designer Collin Leophilis,

drew the text as though it was written with eyeliner. He discarded the normal superstition

that black is unlucky. The movie was a grand success and this was an eye-opener for

many superstitious people.

24

4.2.2 Design Analysis

From a design perspective, how do the titles differ from each other? Taking a closer look

at certain film titles over the years revealed many intricate details about Malayalam

lettering. More than hundred posters were analyzed. Some of the distinct styles that have

been applied have been picked out from the analyzed set. These titles have been

separated from the rest of the poster to clearly display the features of the script that have

been used.

To the side of the designed title, a version of the same word without any manipulations is

shown in grey.

MOVIE: Nirmala [Nirmala]

YEAR: 1948

DETAILS: Vertical type, Old Malayalam, this seems to be from the foundry days during

the 40s. The ‘Ra’ sound as a dot could be seen only in that period. It has been put in the

shape of a bindi because Nirmala is the name of a woman. .

Letterpress

typeface that was

designed in the

40s before the

script reform. .

The letter as

a dot. This is a

very old type of

writing.

നി

ർ

മ

ല ർ

Figure 1a: Illustration of movie title Nirmala

25

MOVIE: Kuttykuppayam [Small clothes]

YEAR: 1963

DETAILS: Calligraphic style was very common during the early years. Especially before

typefaces began to be used.

MOVIE: Kandavarundo? [Where there any eye witnesses?]

YEAR: 1972

STYLE: Bold, Geometric, Semi-Sharp edges, Edgy characteristic, unfinished alphabets,

characters have a broken, chiseled look. The name of the movie suggests some kind of

mystery or suspense. This is seen through the way the title has been designed.

Semi sharp

edges Edgy, unfinished vertical lines,

not reaching the baseline and

left hanging in the air.

?

Plate 6a: Movie title Kuttykuppayam

Figure 2a: Illustration of movie title ‘kadavarundo’

26

MOVIE: Poombata [Butterfly]

YEAR:1971

STYLE: Uneven cuts at the edges. The sound has a sharp cut on top, possibly to give

it the overall appearance of a butterfly.

MOVIE: Snehadeepame Mizhithuraku

YEAR: 1972

Sharp cut

പ െെ

Figure 3a: Illustration of movie title ‘Poombata’

Figure 4a: Illustration of ‘Mizhi’ in Snehadeepame Mizhithuraku

27

STYLE: Thick outline [Very commonly found in titles in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s - in

Tamil, Bollywood and Hollywood movies as well.] Condensed letters. Beautiful manner

of connecting the endings of and , where ‘s terminal actually comes below the

baseline to meet the terminal of forming a ligature.

MOVIE: Thapaswini

YEAR: 1971

STYLE: Extremely sharp turns. Some glyphs have been cut in between. Further

enhancing the geometric feel of the letters.

MOVIE: Kammath and Kammath [Kammath and Kammath]

YEAR: 2012

ഴ ഴ‘

Figure 5a: Illustration of title ‘thapaswini’

Figure 6a: Illustration of letters from the movie title ‘Kammath and Kammath’

28

STYLE: Use of round, incomplete alphabets. The terminals are hanging in the air. This is

giving it a very playful look which works with the comedy theme of the movie.

MOVIE: Season

YEAR: 1989

STYLE: Serif + Ornamentation. Wide, Bold, Ornamented Letters. Ornamentation is

given at the midline and at the terminals. End result is a very ornate, feminine look. This

kind of ornamentation may be inspired from Victorian lettering or circus lettering.

സ

ന

Figure 7a: Illustration of letters from the movie title ‘Season’

Figure 8a: Illustration of letters from the movie title ‘Thoovanathumbikal’

29

MOVIE: Thoovaanathumbikal

YEAR: 1987

STYLE: Semi-Serif, Varying thickness, a lot of flourish in the characters – Almost like

calligraphy. This kind of serif adds flourish to the letters. It suits the movie which had its

moments of fantasy.

MOVIE: Kili Poyi [Getting High]

YEAR: 2013

STYLE: Extremely lyrical lettering, gives one a feeling of flowing which fits with the

concept of the movie [Getting high]. ‘ae’ and ‘pa’ have been intertwined beautifully.

The more linear aspects of Malayalam script has been entirely removed in this writing.

4.2.3 Analysis

Earlier, the audience walked into the theatre to watch their favourite stars in action.

Previously people wanted to see images of the stars in the movie in these posters.

Mohalal’s stills in Irupatham Nuthaande or Mammooty’s posture in New Delhi were

പപ

Figure 9a: Illustration of letters from the movie title ‘Kili Poyi’

30

huge drawing forces. These were the golden days of the super stars. However things have

changed with time. Now there is an influx of younger generation actors, script writers and

directors. A younger, unconventional touch is felt in the movies. A lot of western

influence is prevalent. The audience has also changed; a new crowd that is open to seeing

new faces and new stories on screen has emerged. These changes are translated onto

movie titles as well.

On analyzing older designs and newer ones – Although lettering exploration in

Malayalam movie titles was less when compared to languages such as Bengali, where

people like Satyajit Ray had done astounding lettering explorations, Malayalam still has

a lot to boast about. It must be stated that some of the lettering techniques found in older

movies is pure genius.

With the invasion of technology, designers do have the benefits of ease, convenience and

the ability to create various effects which former day designers could never have

imagined. Earlier titles were not so much about magnificent twirls or computerized

effects that are bound to grab ones attention. Those had tiny details within the script –

serifs, varying thickness, heights, interesting ligatures, curved or sharp edges, and so on

which sent out subtle messages, conveying the meaning of the word. Then, it was about

minor details that enhanced the design in an understated manner. Today, owing to the

ease and options that technology provides, increasing international influence and

increasing influx of information clutter in the streets, titles are usually fashioned to be

loud and out there.

31

4.3 BOOK COVER DESIGNS

“The cover is a book’s face and designing it comes with a certain degree of responsibility.”

Before analyzing design elements of the script used in book cover designs, the transition

of book cover designs over the years is shown to briefly understand how the script was

applied then and how it is applied now.

4.3.1 Changes over the years

On observing various book cover design during different decades, certain patterns can be

noted. Till the 90s, letters were mostly hand drawn. The illustrations were also hand

drawn. Book covers had an obvious, raw, hand painted feel about them.

“In this digital age book covers are designed differently. “Technology has made working easier but the individualistic stamp of the old days is lost. However differently you try to

do things you can’t get that stamp. There is bound to be repetition of images as far as cover design goes.” Things changed in the last decade or so. Before that each book cover

was painstakingly worked on by hand as most were paintings, “even the titles were written by hand.”

Udayakumar T.R.

When many digital typefaces were designed, and when computer usage was on the rise,

the nineties saw a lot more computer applied effects on book covers. Hand lettered and

illustrated covers still existed, however there was a noticeable invasion of digitized book

covers during this period. Some digital experimentation was done during this time which

resulted in– metallic lettering, 3-D lettering, lettering with shadow effect, bevel effect,

and emphasized outlines. These designs were used up till mid 2000’s. Sometimes they

are found even today. However during the late twenty first century, certain designers

such as Zainul Abid, Dhanya Sreejith and Priyaranjanlal brought fresher approaches to

book cover design. They continue doing so.

32

Although there are still plenty of books where a simple font which fails to express the

meaning of the title is used, there are some books that stand out because of the expressive

lettering on their covers.

As was found in the case of cinema posters, a lot more experimentation is seen today.

This may be due to any of the several reasons – convenience that technology provides,

changing trends or international exposure and influence. Not to state that lettering was

not explored before technological advancements, but to state that technological

advancements, changing trends and exposure allows much more room for

experimentation.

33

Plate 7e – Title - Chuvanna

Kadal [Red sea], Cover:

Chandramohan, First poorna

edition: 1996, Publisher:

Poorna

Plate 7f – Title - Mahar

[Mahar], Cover: Nazeer,

Published: 1999, Published by

CICC Book House

Plate 7d -Title

Kattutharavu [The wild

duck], First published:

1986, Publisher: Vidyarthi

Plate 7c -Title- Theeram

thedunna thirakal, First

published: 1986, Publisher:

Vidyarthi Mithram

Plate 7b -title- College

Kuruvikal (College birds),

Cover- Udayakumar, First

Published- 1965, Published by

the author

Plate 7a – title -Thakarna

Hridayangal [Broken hearts],

Cover- Sankara Narayanan,

First Published- 1946, Poorna

edition- 1988

34

Plate 7g :Title -

Parvathangalilekaatu, Cover:

Zainul Abid, First Published:

2007, Publisher : DCB

Plate 7h :Title -Thiranhedutha

kathakal [Selected stories],

Cover: Zainul Abid, First

Published: 2008, Publisher

:DCB

Plate 7i: Title- Randu

Penkuttikal [Two girls],

Cover: Dhanya Sreejith, First

Published: 2010, Publisher :

DCB

Plate 7l: Title - Barsa, First

Published: 2013, Publisher :

DCB

Plate 7k: Title- Namuku

gramangalil chennu

raapaarkaam, Cover: Dhanya

Sreejith, Published: 2012,

Publisher : DCB

Plate 7j: Themmadi Rashtram,

Cover: Zainul Abid, First

Published: 2011, Publisher :

Olive

35

4.3.2 Design Analysis

Book: Nammukku Gramangalil Chennu Raapaarkaam

Publishing year: 2012, Cover: Dhanya Sreejith

STYLE: Extremely lyrical lettering. Non uniform curves within the round alphabets.

Book: Chandana Marangal [Sandal wood trees]

ഗ ന

നFigure 10a: Illustration of letters from the title ‘Namuku Gramangalil Chennu Raapaarkaam’

Figure 11a: Illustration of letters from the title ‘Chandana Marangal’

36

Publishing year: 2012, Dhanya Sreejith

Details: Bold, linear, block-like lettering. Sandalwood is blockish in appearance; this

could be the reason why such lettering has been used.

Interesting usage of ‘el’s’ extension which makes the design more dynamic. The

beginning of cha which is usually smaller is brought to the same height as the other

letters, maintiaing the block like appearance of the letters.

Book: Barsa [Barsa]

Publishing year: 2013,

Details: Bold, curvi-linear lettering. The overall lettering has the feel of a Bahaus inspired

typeface.

The extensions and the slanted positioning of the letters adds to the vibrancy of the

letters.

ബർസ

Figure 12a: Illustration of title ‘Barsa’

37

Book: Chittagong Viplavam [The Chittagong Uprising]

Publishing year: 2011, Cover: Lijeesh

Details: Stenciled Malayalam lettering is found in the streets and on trains very

commonly. Besides, the local association, stenciled lettering is related to military

application. Hence, books on uprisings, revolutions and so on tend to use stenciled

lettering for the titles.

Book: Lust [Lust]

Details: The lettering is neither sharp nor smooth. At certain points it is smooth while at

others it is edgy. It gives out a strange expression and captures the essence of the word

lust.

Figure 13a: Illustration of letters from the title ‘Chittagong Vipplavam’

Figure 14a: Illustration of title ‘Lust’

38

Book: Smruthidarpanam

Publishing year: 1994, Cover: V N Ratheesh

Details: This sort of calligraphic + script style is used a lot in biographies and

autobiographies. It brings out a more personalized vibe.

Book: Randu penkuttikal

Publishing year: 2010, Cover: Dhanya Sreejith

Details: As seen in earlier observations, when the usually curvy Malayalam script is

composed of sharp edges and straight lines, an unconventional vibe is brought out. This

works with the cover page with an illustration of two women almost about to kiss.

ത

Figure 16a: Illustration of letters from the title ‘Randu Penkuttikal’

Figure 15a: Illustration of letters from the title ‘Smruthidarpanam’

39

Interesting use of semi serifs is seen in this title. The serifs are placed in such a manner

that they bring about some balance within the characters. The curved extensions of ‘ell’

and ‘nna’, give a subtle feminine touch to the title.

Book: Ente Katha [My story]

Publishing year: 1982, 48th

impression: 2012, Cover: N Ajayan, Genre: Autobiography

Details: As stated before, autobiographies tend to use more personalized, script or

calligraphic type of lettering.

Book: Parvathangalilekaate.

Publishing year: 2007, Cover: Zainul Abid

Figure 17a: Illustration of title ‘Ente Katha’

Figure 18a: Illustration of title ‘Parvathangalilekaate’

40

Details: Interesting usage of bold, condensed vertical lettering.

Book: Sahara

Publishing year: 1994, Cover: V N Ratheesh

Details: Slab serif lettering is not often found in Malayalam. Addition of the thick slab

serif to the bold, geometric lettering gives it a very western, appearance.

4.4 THE STREETS

'Listening to Malayalam is exactly the same as trying to decipher the signs around the

city: strings of dips and swirls that all blend together. The language is beautiful, and

looks as friendly as it sounds with geometric curves & elaborate letter forms that loop

back onto themselves.’

-India Menninghaus, research student

A study of Kochi city was done to understand the usage of Malayalam in the streets.

Observing the streets helps to understand the script in another perspective. “This is what

people are exposed to everyday and how are they exposed to it?” The city is overloaded

സ െ

Figure 19a: Illustration of title ‘Sahara’

41

with banners, ads, posters, political graffiti, signages and so on. It is a rather

overwhelming sight to anyone new to the city. City dwellers however get accustomed to

this and mostly don’t pay much attention unless something new is brought about. These

are some of the various things for which lettering is applied in the streets -

Banners, Advertisements, Posters, Signage, Name boards, Graffiti – Political and others,

Vehicles

4.4.1 Observations

4.4.1.a CLUTTER

An interesting fact is that these things are put up almost everywhere. Posts, trees, walls,

rooftops, traffic signals, lamp posts; it just goes on. This makes it all the more important

that the message is put across in a catchy way.

4.4.1.b SPACE ORIENTED LETTERING

It is not unusual to find lettering done on the basis of space. For instance, lot of vertical

lettering can be found in Kerala. This is so that the letters fit well in vertical spaces such

as posts and pillars. . “One peculiarity about malayalam is that it is a phonetic language so

designing with malayalam offers more explorations in vertical typesetting.” –Tessa

George, Thought Factory Design.

Plate 8a: Clutter in the streets.

42

4.4.1.c HAND PAINTED

Although the use of hand painted advertisements, signages and boards is much lesser

compared to earlier times, these can still be found in plenty. Hand-painted signs are

expensive but long lasting; some of them have a lifespan close to ten years. Flex boards

and posters on the other hand get damaged within a year or two. Hand-painted designs

take time and a lot of effort. Also, many things which can be easily done through some

software cannot be done by painting it manually. That being stated, hand painted

products have a charm of their own which flex boards can never give.

Plate 9a: Space oriented lettering

Plate 10a: Hand-painted lettering

43

4.4.1.d USE OF MALAYALAM

Malayalam is used more in the outskirts. The further one moves from the city, the more one finds

the usage of Malayalam. Kochi city is a very urbanized area where the use of English is high.

Hence, much of the lettering done in the streets is of English.

4.4.1.e OLD LIPI [script] and NEW LIPI

When the typewriter was introduced in Kerala, the Kerala Sahithya Acedemy decided to

curb the number of Malayalam character to fit the typewriter. Thus pure Malayalam was

lost in the process. However, when computers were introduced, the same limited number

of characters was used in the creation of typefaces. Certain voluntary committees were

formed such as the Rachana Akshara Vethi and Swathanthra Malayala Computing. Their

aim is to bring back all the ligatures of the old lipi. However, due to some political issues,

this Unicode method still has not been properly implemented and many are not aware of

the few old lipi Unicode fonts that are available in Malayalam. Thus many digital

typefaces that are used on advertisements, posters, signages and banners are still of the

new lipi.

Plate 11a: Increasing usage of English

44

However, lot of the lipi found in hand painted things are old.

4.4.1.f GRAFFITI

Political graffiti has for long been practiced in Kerala. It has a style of its own. Bright,

bold colours are used and 3D or shadow effect is very commonly found. This

combination makes it very hard to not notice these messages. The styles are usually very

bold and aggressive.

4.4.1.g INSPIRATION

Plate 12a: Usage of Rachana old lipi font in a poster

Source: www.malayaleegraphy.cpm

Plate 13a: Aggressive graffiti styles found in the streets.

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Inspiration for lettering and type design can be found abundantly in the streets; styles

such as stenciled, round, calligraphic and bold can be found to mention a few. Many of

the Kochi corporation sign boards are still hand painted and the result is a multitude of

lettering styles.

Iconic signages that are symbolic of local Kerala can be found. One such example is that

of toddy or kallu [local name of brewed palm toddy.] shops. These are almost as common

as tea stalls and these signs are still hand painted. These shops are usually located in

small sheds on the side of the roads, mainly outside the cities. Almost all the toddy shop

signs look identical. One type of signage system – Black lettering of the word ‘Kallu’,

accompanied by ‘Toddy’ in bold black sans serif type over a white board, has been used

throughout.

Plate 14a: Different hand lettered styles in the streets.

Plate 15a: Movie Ustad Hotel’s title was inspired from local hotel signs.

Source: https://www.facebook.com/MalayalamFilmPosters

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4.5 NEWER AVENUES

A font that includes characteristics of the Malayalam script in the Latin script, T-shirts

and cushions that have Malayalam lettering on them, and posters of Malayalam movie

dialougues are some of the new things that have been happening in the area of

Malayalam lettering and typography. For ages, application of Malayalam script in design

was limited to a few things. Via Kerala Design and Malayaleegraphy are two design

projects that have been working on Malayalam lettering in a manner distinct from the

norm. Understanding their ideologies and how they have been accepted helps to discern

the scope of using Malayalam script in design.

Via Kerala is a store that promotes the usage of the script in a contemporized manner.

They have designed a typeface that includes Malayalam characteristics within a latin

typeface. Also, the store uses Malayalam script as design in some of their products. These

are both relatively unexplored areas in Malayalam design.

Malayaleegraphy [Malayalam + Graphics + Calligraphy] is a facebook page that was

started barely a month ago. Narayana Bhattathiri’s calligraphic exhibition on malayalam

lettering which was held in December 2012 inspired two designers, Hiren Venugopalan

and Orion Champadiyil to start this page. They were motivated to use malayalam as

design. They make simple, Swiss style inspired posters that cover famous movie

dialogues, quotes by famous people and poetry. The page went viral from day one,

having over 2000 fans in two days.

4.5.1WESTERN INFLUENCE

Minimal Design- The Malayaleegraphy page is greatly influenced by minimal graphic

design and Swiss design. This can be seen in many of the designs in the page. A few

principles they laid out while working on this concept were –

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1.Rachana font is used primarily.

2. The line space is lesser than usual Malayalam print

3. Highlight significance of words by differences in font size.

4. Multiple fonts are not used in one design

Minimalistic graphic design is where the work is brought down to its most fundamental

features. Following the line “Less is More” minimalism is the art of arranging the

numerous necessary components to create the masterpiece of extreme simplicity, by

enlisting every basic element and detail to serve multiple visual and functional purposes.

Similarly, emerging from the modernist and constructivist ideals, the Swiss Style can be

defined as an authentic chase for simplicity. Most of the Swiss Style craft is devoted to

Plate 16a: Minimal design inspired Malayaleegraphy posters, displaying movie dialogues.

Source: www.malayaleegraphy.com

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the minimal elements of style such as typography and content layout rather than on

textures and illustrations.

‘Manglish’- Spoken Malayalam has an increasing number of English words being used

by all classes of people. Furthermore, schools today give the option to study languages

other than Malayalam so the younger generation may not always be able to read it even

though they speak Malayalam. There is also an increasing number of NRKs (non-resident

Keralites) who speak the language but may not be able to read it. The internet and sms

culture has propelled the use of 'manglish' - Malayalam mixed with English. The so-

called 'new wave' cinemas also use this style of language. Eventually Malayalam and

English will have to co-exist on paper, typographic experiments to make the two

alphabets more readable together will become necessary. Malayalam also needs to

become part of font family extensions so that they can be used along with the Latin

script.

Keeping this concept in mind, Thought Factory Design developed a font to incorporate

malayalam glyphs into english letters primarily to be used for local product packaging

titles. The letters are readable by a non malayalee, yet have a local (malayalam)

characteristic primarily because of the rendering style. It is intentionally drawn in a

Plate 17a: Via Kerala font Plate 17b: Akam book cover

Source: Thought factory design

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modern aesthetic. The x height of the letters have also been tweaked to correspond with

most malayalam font heights. The font evolved as part of experimental work done at

Thought Factory Design over the years, and finally took shape in 2010.

They also use this concept in designs for logos, book covers, posters etc .

4.5.2 INCREASING APPRECIATION FOR THE SCRIPT AS DESIGN

“We got a massive response. This is a generation who is reading and watching

malayalam content and is really curious about Malayalam.” Hiren Venugopalan. The

Malayaleegraphy page went viral in a matter of a few hours. People are really enjoying

the use of malayalam script in these posters. The effect would have been entirely

different if the posters had English content. After years of using malayalam in all the

conventional mediums, this change is fresh and people are loving it.

“The target for the Via Kerala store was travelers and malayalis who live outside Kerala.

Of course it also appeals to the younger generation because of its fresh and innovative

approach to Malayalam and Kerala theme. When the first store opened in thekkady

people walked in out of curiosity just seeing the font and flying elephant logo! Once

inside the unique product design and concept was a reason for customers to start dialogue

& also purchase products as a piece of contemporary Kerala. Their online community is

also growing by recommendations. The fact that the products are all locally made add to

the strength of the concept .In general Viakerala has a strong lettering and typography

background since all design is done by Thought Factory Design and this feature makes it

stand apart from any other local product or store.” Tessa George

4.5.3 OLD LIPI

According to Hiren Venugopalan, Rachana font has been used because it is neat, readable

and with the right amount of thickness which gives it a classic touch. Additionally, it

supports the old malayalam lipi. Rachana font was part of an old project to support the

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old lipi, it has been around since 2001, yet not many use it. Through his designs, Hiren

wanted to show how good the font is.

Chapter 5: CONCLUSION

Although the main purpose of this study was to understand different ways in which the

script has been used in design, a few other things also came to light; the need for

archiving lettering and typographic works, new trends in design, increasing appreciation

and importance given to the script, a changing market that is open to international

concepts yet takes pride in their roots, and the huge scope that is there for products that

include Malayalam script based designs.

5.1 Need for archiving and documenting

There is a lack of availability of old works of art and still not enough documentation of

current works. To understand about the application, one has to talk to people in each

field. More systematic documentation must be carried out so that trends and patterns can

be observed and studied easily.

5.2 Malayalam script and design

The slightest alterations that are made to the basic form of a script can dramatically

change the mood of the word of letter. These were some of the observations that were

made during the study –

5.2.1 FORM

Malayalam script inherently has motif like characteristics, which by itself could be

used in design.

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Malayalam is a curvy-linear script. When either of the features are played with, two

different effects are established.

• Round features: The rounder the script gets, the less serious is becomes. This

kind of lettering is used in children’s books, comedy genre movie titles and so

on. However, when the curves are more swirly and less geometrically round,

it also gives a whimsical, feminine expression.

• Linear features: The more linear the script gets, it sends out a very edgy,

unconventional feel. For this reason, movies and books that are of an

unconventional nature, use this kind of lettering which has less or no curves.

Various characteristics of the script are manipulated to give different effects and

meanings; edges, serifs, thickness, height, baseline, x-height and so on, each giving a

completely different feel.

• Baseline: Malayalam script has a complex baseline since the conjuncts grow

either vertically or horizontally, depending on whether old lipi is applied or

new lipi is applied. Old lipi conjuncts grow vertically, thereby adding to the

complexity of baseline and new lipi conjuncts grow horizontally. The glyphs

are often manipulated to either have uniform x-height and baseline or to create

a dynamic effect by having no uniform x-height or baseline.

• Serifs: Serifs are often used to give a more sophisticated, ornate expression.

Semi serifs are more found than serifs. Serifs are very often placed in such a

manner that the lettering is balanced out. For instance if one letter has a semi

serif on it, the same letter when repeated in the word or sentence, may or may

not have the serif at the same point.

• Thickness: Thick, black, bold lettering was a feature of the lettering from the

sixties to the eighties.This kind of lettering, along with thick outlines or 3

dimensional effects, adds to the retro appearance of the letters.

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• Ligatures: Various parts of the Malayalam script can be used to create

ligatures. The loops within the glyphs, the terminals of letters, the curves and

lines within the letters.

• Extensions: The terminals of letters are often extended for reasons such as –

manipulating space between two words or letters which may change the

meaning implied, forming ligatures, increasing the vibrancy of the word or to

enforce the meaning of the word.

• Terminals: Terminals which are the end points of a letter are manipulated

with. Sometimes some letters are left unfinished where the terminals do not

reach the expected end point or baseline to create a particular mood.

5.2.2 USAGE

Malayalam + English – Manglish: In the spoken language both Malayalam and

English are spoken together. This factor can be applied more in designs. The audience

may be able to relate to such use of the script.

Moreover, with the increase in Keralites that settle abroad, a new generation that

can’t read Malayalam is on the rise. Design that combines both languages might be

useful in such cases.

5.2.3 LOCAL ELEMENTS

Some of the local elements could be used in design to enhance the local aspect of the

script.

• Use of old lipi to go back to usage of pure Malayalam. There is a movement to get

back the usage of pure Malayalam. Hence, to stay true to the original script, old

lip should be used in design.

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• Vertical usage of the syllabic script: Malayalam script is commonly found in

vertical formats in the streets. It is easy to associate this kind of format with the

streets.

• Space based application: The lettering is often space based. Size, form and

placement depend on the space availability. For instance if lettering is done on a

slanted wall, chances are that the lettering will be slanted.

• Hand painted Malayalam: It gives more of a local touch. Since many of the

advertisements and signages found in the streets are still hand-painted, designs

which have a hand-painted effect could create more of an authentic malayalee

feel.

• Inspiration: The streets are filled with inspiration for typefaces and lettering

requirements because a lot of hand painted lettering is still found. These can be

used as inspiration for lettering styles. Aggressive, loud styles found in political

graffiti should also be explored into.

• Iconic signages such as ‘Kallu’, hotel signages and bright bold political graffiti,

are some things that could work well as elements of design.

5.3 Scope

5.3.1 VERSATILE SCRIPT:

Most scripts can be manipulated to evoke some particular feeling. Likewise Malayalam

script is highly versatile and can be adopted in various different styles. Many styles have

already been experimented with such as usage of Victorian embellishments, Retro

effects, slab serifs – which bring out a very western expression, expressive typography,

calligraphic experiments, Bahaus inspired typefaces and so on.

Although so much has been experimented with, a lot more could be attempted. Lettering

artist Narayana Bhattathiri is a veteran in the field of expressive Malayalam typography.

He has been practicing this art for over three decades yet people paid attention only last

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year when a collection of his work was exhibited. Expressive Malayalam typography

with a contemporized touch is something that has a lot of potential.

5.3.2 INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE:

International influence is evident especially in the last few years. Designers are exposed

to international styles of designing through books, television and online resources.

Moreover, many designers have some training from abroad. This is clearly seen in movie

poster design, book cover designs and advertisement layouts. A new wave has hit the

state and this is the apt time for further exploration. Kerala is going through a phase of

contemporization. There is much scope for the application of the script in a new way, in

new avenues.

5.3.3 BACK TO THE ROOTS – There is an ongoing trend of reviving things from the

past. This can be seen in the case of Malayalam script itself. A lot of effort is made by

voluntary groups to bring back traditional Malayalam. There is a lot of scope in

introducing more Malayalam based designs and reviving the usage of Malayalam.

Furthermore, designs that include the local characteristics of the application of

Malayalam script, that were found during the course of this research, could be made.

5.3.4 INCREASING APPRECIATION – With the success of Bhattathiri’s exhibition and

the launch of Malayaleegraphy, there is a much higher appreciation for Malayalam script

and the many ways in which it could be used. Many more people are attempting to

incorporate Malayalam script in their designs.

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LIST OF REFERENCES:

Books:

1. K.A Jaleel, 2006, Lipikalum Maanavasamkaaravum, Kerala, The State Institute of

Languages.

2. Kerala Sahithya Acedemy, 1971, Pracheen Kerala Lipikal, Kerala.

Reports/Journals:

1. 4Rajitha, Evolution of Malayalam Script, Kerala.

2. 5Sabino D (2011), “The Malayalam Writing System – a typographic approach”,

EINA [Barcelona,Spain].

Online resources:

1. 2Mohammed Rizwan, August 1, 2010 “Typography in India has always reflected

its dynamism” Designindaba January, 12, 2013,

<http://www.designindaba.com/news/typography>

2. Jeevan Navneet. December 8, 2010 “Old Malayalam film posters” March 2,

2012<http://minglemangles.blogspot.in/2010/12/blog-post_08.html>

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3. June 13 2011.“Kilukampetti Kunjunni kavithakal” April 29, 2013

<http://www.punchapaadam.com/forums/topic/71543-poem-kilukkampetti-

kunjunni-kavithakal/>

4. 3Ramanathan R, June 6, 2012, “An Indian Typography” Indian Type Foundry

February 10, 2013 < http://www.indiantypefoundry.com/articles/5/>

5. December 13, 2012, “Breathing life into letters and words” Times of India.

February 2, 2013.<http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-

13/thiruvananthapuram/35796622_1_calligraphy-words-malayalam>

6. 1Joseph Alessio, January 17, 2013 “Understanding the difference between type

and lettering”, Smashing Pumpkin February 5, 2013

<http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/01/17/understanding-difference-

between-type-and-lettering>

7. Swathanthra Malayalam Computing. 10 March, 2013.<http://smc.org.in/>

57

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books:

Sen, Jayanti, 2012. Looking Beyond – Graphics of Satyajit Ray. Roli books.

Spiekermann Erik. Meet your type

Wittner Ben, 2009, Arabesque: Graphic design from the Arab world and Persia, Die

Gestalten Verlag

Rjeily Rana, 2011,Cultural Connectives: Bridging the Latin and Arabic Alphabets, Mark

Batty Publisher

Reports/Journals:

Cherian T, “Story of Malayalam Types”, Cochin Type Foundry

Committee for Standardization of Malayalm Keyboard Layout and Character Encoding

(2001), “Malayalam Standardization Report”, (Kerala)

Online Resources:

Shah Dhwani. December 12, 2011. “Mumbai slang an experiment in Expressive

typography” April 25, 2013<http://www.behance.net/gallery/Mumbai-Slang-An-

experiment-in-Expressive-Typography/2668303>

C.Kight, J. Glaser, April 1, 2013 “Why subtle typographucs choices make all the

difference”. Samshing Pumpkin June 5, 2012.

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<http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/06/05/subtle-typographic-choices-make-

difference/ >

Strizver Illene. March 19, 2013. “Herb Lubalin and Expressive Typography” April 27,

2013. < http://www.creativepro.com/article/herb-lubalin-and-expressive-typography>

Rajeev, KR, March 26, 2013”Adobe help to spruce up Malayalam fonts” The Times of

India January13,2013.<http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-

31/kozhikode/36659855_1_fonts-malayalam-designers>

“Anatomy of a typeface” Typedia March 31,

2013<http://typedia.com/learn/only/anatomy-of-a-typeface/>

C.Kight, J. Glaser, April 1, 2013 “When typography speaks louder than words”.

Samshing Pumpkin April 13, 2012.

<http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/04/13/when-typography-speaks-louder-than-

words/>

A.Shilpa, April 10, 2013 “The first Impression” The HinduApril 20, 2013

http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/the-first-impression/article4602375.ece

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GLOSSARY

Baseline: It is the line upon which most letters sit and below which descenders extend.

Conjunct: Words or letters joined together

Curvy linear: Having both curvy and linear characteristics

Glyphs: is an element of writing: an individual mark on a written medium that

contributes to the meaning of what is written.

Kallu: Palm wine or palm toddy – an alcoholic beverage.

Ligatures: Two or more letters combined into one character make a ligature.

Lipi: Malayalam word for script.

Malayalee: Of or relating to Malayalam language or its speakers.

Serif: Is a small line trailing from the edges of letters and symbols.

Slab Serif: A type of serif typeface characterized by thick, block-like serifs.

Terminal: Ending of a stroke in a letterform, a key distinguishing feature in a typeface

design.

X-Height: Distance from the baseline to the meanline[ Imaginary line across the top of

lowercase letterforms.]