The technique of Hausa Fulani art
The Fulani tribe/people are usually found on the west sides of Africa by the Lake of Chad. They spend most of their time herding cattle such as sheep and cows and doing a lot of farming. Most of their art reflects the daily life of a Fulani such as seen in this cut print. In this lino cut print, you can see a milking woman carrying a vessel on her head, working in the sun and in the fields.
The process of lino cut printing starts with the original image to be first traced on reverse on a piece of tracing paper. The artist will then shade in the areas of the lino they want cut (the ares that will not be printed). Then with a sharp knife, they will cut around the image. Afterwards ink will be rolled on top of the lino, touching only the picture and the surrounded pieces are cut down. The lino wil be turned over and printed on the material. In this particular lino print the artist stuck on pieces of lino to help contrast the colouring and make the picture have its own special effect.
Lino is a renewable material made from pine rosin, ground cork dust and wood flour, which are all natural materials abundant in Africa.
The process of lino cut printing starts with the original image to be first traced on reverse on a piece of tracing paper. The artist will then shade in the areas of the lino they want cut (the ares that will not be printed). Then with a sharp knife, they will cut around the image. Afterwards ink will be rolled on top of the lino, touching only the picture and the surrounded pieces are cut down. The lino wil be turned over and printed on the material. In this particular lino print the artist stuck on pieces of lino to help contrast the colouring and make the picture have its own special effect.
Lino is a renewable material made from pine rosin, ground cork dust and wood flour, which are all natural materials abundant in Africa.
The technique of Yoruba art
Here is an artwork made by the Yoruba tribe. This head sculpture is made from bronze in the 12th century A.D. African sculptures usually portray the human form, and is often very religious or spiritual. The different parts of the sculpture are usually not very proportional to emphasize on a particular place the artist wanted to make stand out.
These sculptures were often made of bronze so they could last longer. The first step of the process is to make a mold of the desired final outcome. These were usually made from different plasters. Then molten wax is poured in the mold over and over again to make the edges softer and more durable. Once this is done, the wax is removed and the molten bronze (at a heat of 12000 degrees celsius is poured into the mold. The shells are left to cool and after that the ceramic molds are smashed off.
These sculptures were often made of bronze so they could last longer. The first step of the process is to make a mold of the desired final outcome. These were usually made from different plasters. Then molten wax is poured in the mold over and over again to make the edges softer and more durable. Once this is done, the wax is removed and the molten bronze (at a heat of 12000 degrees celsius is poured into the mold. The shells are left to cool and after that the ceramic molds are smashed off.
The technique of Ibo art
This textile is a modern day replica of an old Ibo blanket. The replica is made of cotton, but otherwise the textiles would be made of wool. Textiles have always been a part of their cultural heritage as well as slave trade. Africans were very skilled in weaving as it was one of their main ways to earn money. Textiles at the time came in different colours and patterns for different tribes to symbolize different meanings. It was also common to have a lot of spiritual meanings.
In the past, during the 12th century the weavers were usually men and the woman were the people who spun the thread. They would use natural substances to dye the yarn to be able to create different patterns. The way this was done was not that much different today expect for the fact that the machinery was different. Girls at the time would start to learn the techniques from the age of 4.
In the past, during the 12th century the weavers were usually men and the woman were the people who spun the thread. They would use natural substances to dye the yarn to be able to create different patterns. The way this was done was not that much different today expect for the fact that the machinery was different. Girls at the time would start to learn the techniques from the age of 4.