INTRODUCTION TO ART

(HISTORY/ORIGIN OF ART)
CONTENT

1. Definitions of Art
2. History/Origin of Art – The Early Men
3. Art Techniques Used by the Early Men
4. Art Tools Used by the Early Men
5. Materials Used by the Early Men

Definitions of Art
1. Art is a universal language of expression.
2. Art is a means of self-expression of inner feelings or ideas about things, people and the
environment in general.
3. Art is the act of making skillful use of materials to produce things for human use and
pleasure.
4. Art is the visual and non-visual representation of thought.
5. Art is the skill of doing something, which is not taught.

History/Origin of Art – The Early Men

The word ART originated from a Latin word ‘ARTI ‘ which means “to do well”. Art activities
could be traced to the early man, who wrote and drew on cave walls, rock surfaces, Wood and
hides. Although most of these materials are aged, weathered and perished.
Art Techniques Used by the Early Men
1. Scratching
2. Engravings
3. Incised drawings
4. Graffiti
5. Painting

Art Tools Used by the Early Men

These are sharp and hard tools (hunting and farming implements). They include:

1. Sharp stones
2. Bones
3. Wood
4. Ivory

Materials Used by the Early Men

1. Animals’ blood
2. Earth colors (clay mixed with animal fat)
3. Colors from plants

Cave art was basically done for magical purpose for attracting animals which are subsequently
killed, and as objects of worship. Such art were discovered at Altamira in Northern Spain,
Lascaux Cave in Southern France, Tassili and Tibesli Plateau in North Africa.
EVALUATION

1. State three definitions of art

2. Mention two materials used by the early men.
3. Identify three techniques used by the early men.

THE BRANCHES OF ART

CONTENT

1. Textile Design
2. Graphics Design
3. Ceramic Design
4. Fine Art (Aesthetics Design)

Textile Design
Textile design is the art of producing and decorating fabric material using elements of design like
colors, and motifs to form design pattern on the fabric.

Types of Textile Design

1. Weaving
2. Embroidery
3. Appliqué
 4. Textile print
5. Tie and Dye
6. Batik

Materials and Tools Used in Textile Design

Dye, Caustic soda, Sodium hydro-sulphite, Raffia or twine, candle or wax, starch and alum,
Tjanting tool, etc.

Graphics Design
It is a commercial art which service our visual communication system in producing designs like
Book cover, Poster, greeting cards, 3-dimentional products like bottles and label, packages etc.

Graphic design or graphic art is a method of communication with visual pictures or illustration.

Examples of Graphic Design

Advertising and publicity design, Book Illustration, Graphic reproduction, Photography,

Cinematography, Industrial Packaging Design.

Graphic Design Materials

Graphic design media/materials are,

1. Pencils 2B, HB, H Series.

2. Pen and Ink
3. Poster color Set
4. Charcoal
5. Fixative
6. Pastel
7. Crayons
8. Tracing paper roll
9. Paper Gum
10. Cartridge Paper

Graphic Design Tools

Graphic design tools are:

1. Sable brush
2. Drawing board with T. Square
3. Drawing Table
4. Palette
5. Ruler
6. Set Square
 7. Photographic enlarger
8. Tracing board or light box table
9. Calligraphic pens.
10. Masking tape and Sellotape
11. Computer

Ceramic Design
Ceramic design is the art of producing wares or articles like pot, jug, cup, plates, sanitary wares,
porcelain, bricks and tiles and pottery.

Ceramic Tools

1. Spatula
2. Slip trainer
3. Wire tools
4. Kiln
5. Lines gouged
6. Potter’s wheel
7. Brushes
8. String
9. Rolling-pin
10. Table plastic container
11. Damped cloth
12. Cellophane
13. Sponge

Ceramic Media/Materials

1. Clay
2. Glaze
3. kaolin

Fine Art (Aesthetics Design)

Aesthetic design is the creation of the art works that are concern with beauty or having a pleasing
appearance. It is majorly for beautification and decoration purposes.

Examples are Painting, Drawing, Sculpture, Architectural design work

EVALUATION

1. What is Graphic design?

2. State five materials and five tools used in Graphics.
3. What is Aesthetic design?

TYPES OF CRAFT
CONTENT

1. Meaning of Crafts
2. Types of Crafts
3. Uses of Craft

Meaning of Crafts
Crafts are manually-produced objects meant to serve a particular purpose of human needs. They
can also be called handicraft. This is so because the use of skilled hands is involved. They are
usually produced with local materials. The person who makes craft is known a craftsman.

Types of Crafts
The following are the types of crafts:

Fabric Crafts

Fabric crafts are crafts done with fabric material. It is also known as textile production. Methods
of production could be by printing, weaving, tie & dyeing, batik and embroidery. Materials
involved include fabric, loom, dye, textile ink, sewing machine, wax, etc. Examples include

1. Woven clothes (Aso-oke),

2. Tie-dye design,
3. Textile prints (Nigerian wax),
4. Fashion design,
5. Appliqué,
6. Embroidery,
7. Batik

Fabric crafts are common in Iseyin, Abeokuta, Kano, Osogbo, Akwete, Adinkra and Kente in
Ghana.
Paper Crafts

This is the shaping or building prototype of different geometric or basic shapes and sizes to form
cuboids, pyramids, abstract sculptural figures etc. Some of these crafts involve the use of pulp
mixed with starch.

Materials involve include scissors, ruler, pencil, water, starch and rope.

Examples of paper crafts are:

1. Paper folding
2. Making kite
3. Papier-mâché

EVALUATION

1. Define craft.
2. Name 2 types of craft.
3. List five examples of fabric crafts.
4. Mention three examples of paper crafts.

Carving Crafts

Carving is the process of cutting away parts of a media to achieve a particular form. Carving
crafts are done on wood, ivory thorns, stones and calabash, while some are used for decoration,
and others serve as functional materials for human utility. Carving tools and materials include
chisel, cutter, adze, sandpaper, wood, ivory, thorns, stones and calabash.

These crafts are notable in places like Oyo, Benin and Esie in Kwara State.

Examples of carving crafts include:

1. Wood carving
2. Calabash carving
3. Thorn carving
4. Ivory carving
5. Stone carving
Woven Crafts

Woven crafts are artworks done through weaving process. Weaving is the interlacing of yarn,
raffia and cane to make useful and functional materials.

Examples include

1. macramé
2. cloth weaving
3. basket weaving
4. mat weaving
5. cane weaving.

Woven crafts are highly appreciated in the society.

Molded Crafts

Molded crafts are the art of building objects with materials like clay, plasticine, papier-mâché.

Example include

1. Ceramic wares

Uses of Craft
1. For beautification
2. For utility purposes.
3. For promoting culture and tradition.
4. For income generation.

EVALUATION

1. What is carving?
2. List 2 materials used in carving craft.
3. Mention 4 types of craft.
4. Give 3 examples of fabric
5. State 4 uses of craft.

TIE AND DYE

CONTENT
 1. Definition of Tie and Dye
2. Location of Tie and Dye Centres in Nigeria
3. Methods in Tie and Dye
4. Materials and Tools for Tie and Dye

Definition of Tie and Dye

Tie and dye is defined as the process of decorating or creating patterns on fabric materials
through tying, stitching, clamping or any other method in order to resist the absorption of dye
solution.

Location of Tie and Dye Centres in Nigeria

1. KANO – pit dyeing
2. ABEOKUTA – batik process
3. OSOGBO – indigo dyeing

EVALUATION

1. Define tie and dye.

2. Name 4 methods of tie-dye.
3. List 3 locations of tie-dye in Nigeria.

Methods in Tie and Dye

Methods in tie and dye depend heavily on the tying techniques.

1. Spiral tying
2. Marbling
3. Stitching
4. Pouring
5. Pleating
6. Cocking
7. Knotting
8. Clamping
9. Folding
10. Triangular sandwitching
 11. Pebbling
12. Pick and tie
13. Twisting

Spiral tying: This is a method in which one end of the fabric is first tied to a point and the other
end is held and rolled in spiral form.

Marbling: It is a method of decorating fabric with a pattern that looks like marble.

Stitching: This is a method by which a needle, thread or raffia used to stitch a fabric
alternatively before dyeing.

Pouring method: In this method the fabric is first soaked in cold water, gently squeeze excess
water and laid on a clean flat surface. Some areas are then picked to form hill shapes. Then pour
the prepared dye on each of the hill shape little by little while it spread down the hill shape to
areas without hills.

Pleating: It is a method in which a permanent fold in the fabric, made by sewing on top or side
of the fold.

Cocking: This is a method by which bottle corks are put round or under the fabric one after the
other and tied tightly.

Knotting: This is the method by which a fabric meant for dyeing is tied to form knots in a
chosen pattern.

Clamping: It is a method by which the chosen fabric is held together tightly and tied by clamps.

Materials and Tools for Tie and Dye

The materials and tools used for tie and dye are consumable items and they include

1. 100% clean cotton fabric

2. string rope or raffia
3. dyes, pigments of different colours.
4. chemicals include (caustic soda, hydro-sulphite)
5. salt: serves as fixatives.

The tools are solid objects that cannot be consumed, they include

1. plastic bowls; serve as dye bath.

2. rubber gloves; to protect hand.
3. stick to stir dye baths
4. spoons for measuring dye
 5. press iron for finishing

EVALUATION

1. Define tie-dye materials and tools

2. List various materials and tools used for tie dying and their uses
3. Explain the following methods of tie and dye: (i) Marbling (ii) Clamping

PREPARATION OF DYE BATH

CONTENT

1. Preparation of Dye Bath

2. The Dyeing Process

Preparation of Dye Bath

The preparation of dye bath involves setting up objects which can be used for dyeing. The dye
bath here refers to a pit filled with dye substance or a big bowl for dyeing. The dye pit is
prepared when the necessary mixture are in the dye bath e.g. dye, water, caustic soda, hydro-
sulphite, salt.

The Dyeing Process

1. The fabric to be dyed must be clean; you do this by washing the fabric with water.
2. Plan your design by tying cloth in any combination.
3. Prepare your dye bath.
4. Dip cloth in dye solution and stir constantly with a stick so that the material will be dyed
evenly or using hand /rubber gloves to protect your hand.
5. Leave the material in dye bath for about 40 minutes.
6. Remove from dye and Hang for oxidation for 10 minutes.
7. Rinse in cold water

If another colour is to be used, untied the strings desired, re-tie at other spots and put in another
colour of dye solution. Start with the lightest colour and end with the darkest e.g. yellow should
come before blue, orange before purple and so on.

Allow to drip dry or squeeze out excess water.

Press cloth with iron when cloth is still damp to also help set the colour.

EVALUATION

1. Describe the preparation of dye bath.

2. Enumerate the stages in the dyeing process.

PAPER CRAFT FOLDING TECHNIQUES

CONTENT

1. Meaning of Paper Folding Techniques

2. Materials and Tools for Paper Folding
3. The Process of Paper Folding
4. Folding a Cuboid
5. Uses of Paper Folding Techniques
6. Safety Measures in Paper Folding

Meaning of Paper Folding Techniques

Paper folding techniques means shaping or building prototype of different geometric or basic
shapes and sizes to form cuboids, pyramids, abstract, sculptural figures etc.

Materials and Tools for Paper Folding

The basic materials for paper folding include:

1. Chipboard
2. Cardboard
3. Strawboard
4. Embossed card
5. Drawing sheet
6. Brown paper
7. Adhesive (glue or gum)
8. Pencil

The basic tools include the following

1. Instruments for cutting (razor blade, cutter, scissors) others are

2. Ruler or compass
3. Measuring tape
EVALUATION

1. Define paper folding technique.

2. Mention five materials that can used in paper craft technique.

The Process of Paper Folding

The type of model to be constructed determines the method and materials to be used, this is
because the method for constructing a building model (prototype) is different from the one for
constructing pyramid or cuboid.

Folding a Cuboid
Cuboids are solid objects with six rectangular sides that stand at right angle to one another. This
can be got by assembling two cubes side by side. (a cube is a solid with six equal sides and all its
angles are at right angle)

Steps to Folding a Cuboid

Step 1: Sketch the object you desire on a piece of cardboard as shown below. Make sure all the
six squares are equal. (it will be good to create flaps on the sides of section 1 of the squares to
help for easy pasting of the adhesive)

Step 2: Cut out the drawing

Step 3: Fold the cardboard along the dotted lines to form a square shape

Step 4; Open the square cardboard to form a cube

Step 5: Now use adhesive (glue, gum) to join the wings together. (You can easily apply the
adhesive on the flaps)

Step 6: Produce as many cuboids as possible like six or eight and gum them together in a creative
manner as you desire.

A Cuboid
Uses of Paper Folding Techniques
1. It develops the students’ accuracy.
2. It develops sense of harmony in the student.
3. It helps in the basic training of anything construction.
4. It is used for structural composition
5. It is used for the production of learning materials such as three-dimensional
objects/design.
6. It develops a sense of creativity in students

Safety Measures in Paper Folding

1. Avoid the use of razor blades, use scissors or cutter.
2. Measure accurately to prevent waste of materials.

EVALUATION

1. Mention five uses of paper folding techniques

2. What are the safety measures in paper folding technique