Browsing by Author "Nsiah, Anthony"

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    New dimension in the design of Asante gold and silver smithing products
    (1993) Nsiah, Anthony
    Gold and silversmithing has prospects of becoming major contributor of the nontraditional export trade in Ghana However, there are weaknesses in design and finishing which need redress. The research seeks to identify some of these problems stemming from weaknesses in design and finishing. It proposes ways to correct them to meet contemporary market competition. The research methods employed are descriptive and analytical. The scope covered a random sampling of two major groups of Asante gold / and silversmiths. About fifteen out of the thirty indigenous brass casters were interviewed for information on their trade. Twenty-five out of the sixty workshops of the second group were covered in the research. Officials of the Ghana Export Promotions Council were consulted for standards of products for international markets. In the research, some guidelines have been suggested as a means of improving the existing designs. It has also been proposed that product design be incorporated into the profession. On finishing of the products, step by step procedures have been given and it is hoped that if these are patiently followed, the standard at work would be stepped up. The research revealed that with the rich stock of symbolic maxims, the traditional gold/and silversmith has an advantage over other foreign workshops in terms of uniqueness. The weakness lies in the repetitive nature of designs. There is therefore the need for diversity. It was also revealed that much attention is not given to the finishing procedure. All these have resulted in poor standard of products.
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    Some problems in the teaching of picture making in Schools
    (1992) Nsiah, Anthony
    The teaching of art in general is a formidable task and with the coming into force of the new educational reform, more students will be entering the field of study. The objective of this programme is to train children to use their hands and brains. Art has been given a boost in this direction as one of the subjects through which this objective can be reached. The acquisition of skills in the visual arts stems from a proper understanding and application of the rudiments of picture making which forms the basis of art in general. However, the teaching of picture making in particular has teething problems which should be highlighted for redress. This essay highlights some of these problems and suggests how best they could be tackled. The research methods employed are purely descriptive and analytical. The scope covered a random sampling of secondary schools within the Kumasi metropolitan and Asante-Nampong areas. Some few lecturers at the College of Art were interviewed for their views on the performance of fresh art students. The research report is presented in five chapters as follows: Chapter One This is about the visual elements of design, emphasising line and its functions in design. Chapter Two This chapter talks about shape and mass, volume form, colour and texture. Chapter Three This deals with the principles of design, i.e. perspective, unity and variety, balance, emphasis and focal point, proportion, and rhythm. Chapter Four This chapter is devoted to the problems in the teaching of picture making. Chapter Five The chapter is for figure drawing and conclusion. It is hoped that this research will open the eyes of both teachers and students to the need for a systematic approach to the teaching and learning of picture making in schools. This will go a long way to make the study of art in general a purposeful venture.