Alfa: Studio Technology and Crafts (Paper 4)

Crafts and studio technology;

Crafts and studio technology briefly takes learners through the historical development of a given craft & discusses the materials & tools as well as the methods & techniques used to execute a given art work.

A craft is a work of art skillfully produced by hand, especially in a traditional manner e.g. pottery, carving or basketry.

Craftsmanship; Is a skill with which one uses tools and materials to execute a task.

Studio is a work place for an artist.

Studio technology Constitutes propagation, preparation and experimentation of the different materials and tools.

Types of crafts?

1. Decorative; Produced for decorative purposes e.g. collage, mosaics, paper Mache, carvings, & metal work.An example of a home made decorative craft  using wasted material in this video
2. Fashion crafts; Meant to adorn the human body e.g. jeweler, bead work, (necklaces, earrings, anklets, & armlets), leather work (shoes, hand bags, belts & wallets).

1. Textile crafts; Involve treatment of fabric e.g. wall hangings, fabric decoration made through knitting, weaving, tie & dye, and applique.

1. Functional crafts; Refers to basketry, mats, pottery, & macromere.

Significance of African crafts;

They are deeply rooted in the cultural history of a particular region reflecting beliefs of cultural groups.

They were used on different occasions where music was played and rituals performed portraying the significant value attached to the crafts by different cultures.

They are hand woven out of natural materials reflecting the creativity of the indigenous people in Africa.

 Materials

these substances used to form art work, while tools are objects designed to perform a specific kind of work.

Importance of materials in art and craft;

-Give hands on practice, helping learners to develop practical skills. -Development of sense of touch through practice.

-Development of learner’s creativity.

-Act as a medium of expression.

-Appreciation of nature.

-Develops sense of belonging to a society through sharing.