Browsing by Author "Benjamin Deffor"

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    Eggshell Powder as a Viable Sculpture Material: The Case of W.B.M Zion Senior High School
    (KNUST, 2018-10) Benjamin Deffor
    Materials used in sculpture play an important role since the artiste’s creative ideas comes into accomplishment by working with viable materials in casting sculptural figures. Therefore, there is the need for experimenting with unconventional materials that can equally be used as an alternative to the conventional materials frequently used in the sculptor’s studio. The use of conventional materials for practical works in teaching casting increases the cost burden on students as well as students exposed to inhalation of chemicals in some conventional materials that can gradually affect their health system. Therefore, the researcher identified eggshells which is a nontoxic material and experimented with it by converting it into a powdery material and the use of binders, to be used as an alternative material for casting and modeling instead of the frequent use of conventional materials. The society perceived eggshells as waste and therefore, the researcher seeks to prevent the problems that waste causes to the environment. This research employed qualitative and quantitative approaches of which Quasi-experiment, Descriptive and Action research methods were used. Focus group interview and personal observation of how eggshell powder was used as data gathering instruments. Three research questions guided the study, these were: how can eggshells be experimented with in art education? What processes are involved in converting eggshells into a powder for casting? What is the outcome of using eggshell powder in modeling and casting? The population studied were made up of Students and Teacher at W.B.M Zion Senior High School in the Visual Art Department. Purposive sampling was used to select thirty-six (36) sculpture students from both form one and form two class and one sculpture teacher. They were selected based on their modeling skills. The study introduces the outcome of the experimental work to selected art teachers in the Abuakwa North District in the Eastern region of Ghana, in order to equip sculpture students to use eggshell powder in their studios as a viable medium in art. The preliminary results of the research indicate that the use of eggshell powder with binders was successful in casting and modeling sculptural figures. The researcher therefore recommends that disposable eggshells must be preserved and processed into a powdery material to be used by art Students for their project works. Further research must be carried out to identify waste materials that can be adopted for experimentations.