Exploring natural latex for mould making in teaching sculpture

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Date
July, 2015
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Mould making is important for duplication of designs and therefore play a critical role in sculpture. However, the use of many new and advanced technologies and conventional materials during practical sessions in teaching mould making increases the cost burden on students. Also, the conventional materials contain chemicals that are not environmentally friendly. The objective of this project is to identify and explore natural latex of plants for mould making. Plants with natural latex were identified by making trips to Bobiri forest, KNUST plantation, and forest reserves in the Volta region. Barks of plant species that produce latex were cut with cutlass to bleed. The sticky milky emulsions that bled were collected into plastic containers used for mould making. Alstonia Boonei (Apocynaceae), Funtumia Elastica (Apocynaceae) and Landophia Hirsupa (Moraceae) are among the important ones identified to produce large quantities of latex for mould making. This research employed qualitative approach of which pre-experiments and action research methods were used, focus group interview, personal observation of how latexes were used for mould making. Latex from plants were explored with cassava starch serving as a binder. The moulds felt like plastic and malleable, the details in the moulds came out well but became very soft during the cleaning and when dried again, became very hard. The preliminary results of the research show that the latex identified and explored, Funtum, Gyaman and Nyamedua were successful. Trees which have latex in them are getting extinct, a typical example being the tree Hukpui identified in the Volta Region must be conserved. The Para rubber plantation, identified in KNUST which has been abandoned, the latex must be harvested and processed or used by art students for their project works.
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A Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Art Education.
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