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This is just a very brief collection of impressions of how Indian people tell other people where to go and what to do by means of signs or written notes. Indian everyday culture made by people who normally would probably never call themselves designers.
Many Indian artists make a living by painting and writing billboards, posters, inscriptions on trucks. Much has been and much is still done by hand. This is because human labour in India in many cases is still found to be cheaper than printing. In the big cities, however, rapidly increasing majorities of signs and billboards are already created by means of computers and produced by computerized printing equipment.
Modern Indian designers are well in touch with the most advanced technologies and latest international trends. They have the choice to take inspiration from the traditions and craftsmanship that are unique to India to create something that is still distinctively the Indian Style - in its simplicity, its matter-of-fact straightforwardness, its efficiency, and its artistic elegance that has been achieved by long tradition and a profound education in calligraphy and painting.
One thing may be taken for granted: Many of today's hand-painted posters and signs will become collectible folk art in the near foreseeable future.