Design and fabrication of embossing dies and punches for making three dimensional jewellery elements

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MAY, 2015
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Abstract
Many jewellery workshops in Ghana rely on traditional hand fabrication techniques including cuttlefish bone casting for making silver and gold jewellery. Jewellery ite ms produced by these outfits are generally heavy and the methods of production are time consuming which tend to command rather high cost and therefore, high prices. Gold and silversmiths therefore need tools which could be used to produce thin walled jewellery at faster rate without compromising on their visual qualities. In this regard, this research intends to use locally accessible materials, develop studio techniques which could be used by gold and silversmiths to convert their designs into embossing dies and punches suitable for mass production of light weight, three dimensional design elements for assemblage into jewellery pieces. The study combined studio based research and descriptive research methods under the qualitative research. The target population for this study has been practising goldsmiths and silversmiths in the Ashanti region of Ghana. The accessible population for the study was made up of selected goldsmiths and silversmiths shops in and around Ashanti New Town vi and Oforikrom. Purposive sampling was used in this study. The practical aspects of the study were carried out at the Metal Section of the Industrial Art Department, KNUST, Kumasi. The research revealed that there are many designs and images that reflect Ghanaian culture which could be transformed into dies and punches to produce three dimensional jewellery elements. Therefore, Gold and silversmiths should use studio practice to fabricate basic tools such as dies and punches to increase the spectrum of jewellery designs produced
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A thesis presented to The School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfilment for the degree of Masters of Fine Art in Jewellery and Metalsmithing.
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