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A quantitative analysis of some Nigerian wood species as local material in printmaking technology

2011; Volume: 2; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

2141-6990

Femi Kayode,

Architecture and Computational Design

Contemporary research trends in Nigeria have always emphasized the need for identification of the possibilities of developing indigenous technologies for art and crafts that would be proudly tagged made-in-Nigeria. Experimentation skills and local productivity is of the essence in, promotion of indigenous technologies that are achievable within the limit of locally available materials. Incidentally, one of the important aspects of instruction in Graphics that seems to suggest the need for a study of materials and exploration for aesthetic art production is printmaking. This research has therefore focused on investigating the suitability of some Nigerian wood species as local material in printmaking technology. Locally sourced wood species i.e. Iroko (Melicia excelsa), Obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon), Mansonia (Mansonia altissima), Mahogany (Entandrophragma cylindricum), Omo (Cordia millenii), Aye (Sterculia rhinopetalia), Afara (Terminalia superba), Ayinre (Albizia lebbek), Danta (Nesogordonia papaverifera), and Abura (Mitragyna ciliata) were quantitatively examined by using the criteria of ink absorption rate, cut characteristics, texture registration and durability testing. The factors or parameters that determine good, quality print impression have been identified to be the texture of the wood itself, its ink absorption pattern, the cut characteristic and the durability of wood in term of whether it is hardwood or wood that is easily attacked by wood-boring insects and which can destroy or give bad turning point to the design on the surface of the wood. However, the findings show that Iroko, Mansonia, Omo and Danta wood species have passed the test of the parameters and are attested all appropriate for woodprint in the preferable order in which they have been indicated above. Obeche, Ayinre, Mahogany, Afara, Abura and Aye are in that order usable but white wood species such as Obeche, Abura and Ayinre are not durable.