Nakshi Kantha Inspired Bhoot Illustrations; 05:30 PM - 08:30 PM

Description:

Dive into the magical world of Nakshi Kantha and Bengali folklore in this creative, hands-on workshop! Explore the rich motifs and cultural significance of traditional Nakshi Kantha patterns while drawing inspiration from tales of Bengali ghosts (bhoots) and mythical monsters. Participants will learn illustration techniques to bring these spooky characters to life and adapt them into playful, modern children's book illustrations. No prior experience is needed—just bring your imagination!This workshop is part of the Threads of Tales project by Bok Bok Books and HerStory, supported by the British Council International Collaboration Grants.

Facilitated by: Rumana Yasmin, Katerina Don, and Farah Khandaker.

Facilitator’s Profile:  

- Rumana Yasmin is the founder of Bok Bok Books, an independent publishing company aimed at celebrating South Asian culture and people in children's books.

- Katerina Don is a writer and curator of HerStory Foundation. She loves trans-cultural trans-traditional collaboration and collage art-forms.

- Farah Khandaker is a digital illustrator based in Toronto, with a passion for bold colours, surrealism, and nostalgia. With degrees in Visual Art and Advertising, she has worked on a variety of projects, and her illustrated books have been published both locally and internationally. She is currently collaborating with Bok Bok Books and Her Story on their upcoming project, Threads of Tales.

Details:

Date:  30th January, 2025

Time:  5:30 PM to 8:30 PM

Duration: 3 Hours  

Age Group:  14+

 

Workshop Outline:

Introduction to Nakshi Kantha:

Explore the cultural significance and storytelling heritage of Nakshi Kantha motifs with Katerina from HerStory.

Storytelling:

Dive into spooky tales from Bengali folklore, focusing on the mysterious world of bhoots and mythical monsters. Learn visual storytelling techniques with Rumana from Bok Bok Books to bring these ghostly characters to life.

Illustration:

Combine traditional Nakshi Kantha motifs with modern illustration styles to sketch playful but spooky children's book characters, guided by Farah Khandaker.

Collaborative Design:

Work together to create a group illustration layout—a vibrant Nakshi Kantha-inspired feast for the bhoots, blending traditional patterns and ghostly fun.

Participants will be provided with:

Expert insights and guidance from Katerina, Rumana, and Farah.

Interactive group activities and hands-on learning.

A unique opportunity to contribute to a collaborative artwork inspired by Bengal’s rich storytelling tradition.

Participants will be provided with all art supplies and reference materials.