Browsing by Author "Ayiku, Robert Kingsley"

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    An enquiry into vegetable gums as dye thickening agents for fabric printing in second cycle institutions in Ghana
    (1988) Ayiku, Robert Kingsley
    This research has been undertaken to evaluate the suitability of local tree gums as dye-thickening agent for fabric printing in second cycle institution in Ghana. It has been specifically designed to provide the art teacher and his student with the guideline on how to acquire and use vegetable gums as local substitutes for imported dye-thickeners. This project serves as a practical solution to some of the perpetual problems facing art teachers, especially, in senior secondary school and technical schools as well as teacher training colleges, concerning materials for fabric printing. Gums in general, have been employed in industry as thickening components for inks, paints, water-colour, drugs, food and fabric dyes. Gums form the nim, cashew, khaya and acacia trees which have been chosen for the purpose of the essay, rank high among the list. These have been chosen because they are commonly found in Ghana. To meet schools requirement, simple experiments were conducted to test the suitability if the gums as thickening agent for fabric printing bye. The results, though not the best, are indicative of the effectiveness of these gums as dye thickeners. A model lessen note on the application of the gums has provided as a guide to teachers. This exercise has been made possible through interviews with people, literary, personal observations and experiments. It is hope that this script would be of valuable help to both art teachers and student, especially, these in the second cycle institution; and too some extent, the local textile printing industry
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    Materials and methods for textiles in Post-Secondary Teacher Education in Ghana
    (1989) Ayiku, Robert Kingsley
    Often, many an art teacher has found himself ineffective in the classroom at instances of handling lessons in textiles. Experience shows that this handicap is not the result of lack of technical or teaching skills for handling the subject. Instead the problem lies with the unavailability of basic requisite materials and equipment. These are in the form of fibres, looms and other weaving accessories, dyestuffs d fabric printing equipment. It is also a known fact that the cost of these materials, where available, is often prohibitive. The meager “Art school” funds cannot suffice because they are to be spread over several other of art, each requiring special equipment. Against this background, it is apparent that art teachers should start exploring the local environment for material resources for adaptation to reactivate textile activities in the school and colleges. It is this concern that has prompted this enquire into “materials and methods for Textiles”, for incorporation in the Post— secondary Teacher education in Ghana. This study has been undertaken to point out local resources fur basic tools and material and methodologies for adapting them to suit school requirements in spinning, weaving, dyeing and printing. It has, therefore, been designed as a manual on textile for art teachers. It is to assist the teacher and his students in procuring materials mid equipment from their own local resources for lessons in textiles. It is also to equip them with simple processes for constructing simple working devices to substitute for the unavailable conventional ones. The experiments performed to test the suitability of the vegetable dyes, and gums as thickening agents are also easy to follow. The results, though not the best, are indicative of the effectiveness of these materials. The scope of its experiments is designed to meet school requirements. It should be remarked that many of the materials and. methods used for this study are already in existence in the Ghanaian environment. These are just modified and. adapted to suit the objectives of this study. Therefore, the information in the thesis does not, in any way, constitute an authority. It is subject to further development. This exercise has been made possible through personal observations, literary materials, and experiments mid interviews with resource personnel. By taking up such textile fundamentals, and methods, the readership would include not only students and teachers, but also, those whose works in other fields involve spinning, weaving, dyeing or printing.