{ 4 DAY 'RESEARCH' WORKSHOP with NINA SABNANI }

We attended a 4 day workshop with the esteemed Nina Sabnani, who has taught at NID for over 20 years, including some of our mentors and had recently submitted her thesis on a Visual Research project.

On the first day we ran through understanding the entire research process, then went into detail on each of the segments, performing mock research as we go along.

Day 1

On the first day, after detailing through the process, we discussed Data Collection in which we covered Observation as a means of collecting data. We were divided into groups and sent to various places as Non Participant Observers.

Our group was sent to the Centre Square Mall in Rajender Nagar. I was put on sketching duty. Once in the mall, I chose to remain seated in one place and see what all in could observe from there. After accumulating more general data, I started observing people sitting on this one bench, I looked at their body language, how long they sat, what they did, how people interacted. 

On discussion in class, some people found the observation interesting, and suggested I consider it for my research project. Which I did.

Day 2

We discussed the other means of Data Collection, including unorthodox means such as asking someone to project emotions, or realities to a drawing. We then went on to discuss Ethnography, understanding the considerations when conducting an ethnographic study.

We were then sent back to the mall to attempt to interview people. I chose to go sit on a bench opposite the one I had sat on the previous day. I sat next to 2 men already sitting. I started sketching people sitting on the opposite bench. I noticed the men sitting next to me were interested in what I was sketching. I asked if I could sketch them, they agreed and while sketching them, struck up a conversation with them. This led to a third conversation.. and I gave the men the sketches I made of them to thank them for their time. 

Day 3

We covered different means of analyzing data, particularly Semiotics, Structuralism and Propp's Morphology. We were sent out to find an image/design/poster to analyze, we had to note the foreground, mid-ground, background, size, colour, fonts, etc and draw inference from it.

Day 4

We presented our analysis, I had chose to analyze a 'Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers' poster. One obvious detail I wasn't able to catch was that the sepia tones and medieval age clothing gave an idea to a viewer of the old world feel, even though the story is based on fantasy.

Each student in class was then allocated a mentor based on the direction of their research.

I was given to Ms. Ramneek Kaur. The class got divided by their mentors and we went and discussed our research questions. I presented 2 new research questions based on further contemplation *following post*. We then went and discussed them with Ms. Sabnani.