Basic 9 · Creative Arts and Design · Media and Techniques
Casting Techniques and Creating an Original Dance Drama
In this topic you will experiment with casting techniques to create visual artworks, and you will create and perform an original dance drama or one-act play on a socio-cultural issue.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Use casting techniques to create an artwork
- Explain the lost-wax method
- Create and perform an original work on a socio-cultural issue
What you already know
- Media and techniques
- Improvisation and blocking
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
Lesson 1
- Strand
- Visual Arts
- Sub-strand
- Media and Techniques
- Indicator
- B9.2.1.1.2 – Experiment by using techniques in casting to create visual artworks
Introduction
Pour, wait, reveal. Casting always has a moment of suspense when the mould is opened and the finished form appears.
1. Kinds of Mould
| Mould | Material | Use |
|---|---|---|
| one-piece | clay or sand | simple shapes, relief panels |
| two-piece | plaster | rounded forms |
| flexible | rubber or silicone | detailed forms |
| waste mould | plaster | broken away after one use |
2. Steps in Plaster Casting
- Make a clay model or press a shape into damp clay.
- Build a wall of clay or card around the shape.
- Coat the mould with soap or oil.
- Sprinkle plaster into water until it forms small islands, then stir gently.
- Pour the plaster into the mould and tap to remove bubbles.
- Leave it to set, then remove the mould.
- Smooth and finish the cast.
Always add plaster to water, and never water to plaster, as this keeps the mixture free of lumps. Plaster gets warm as it sets, which is normal. Mix only what you need, because it hardens quickly and cannot be used again once it has begun to set.
3. Lost-Wax Casting
- Make a model in beeswax.
- Cover it with a mix of clay and charcoal.
- Heat it so that the wax melts and runs out.
- Pour molten brass or bronze into the hollow mould.
- Allow it to cool, and then break the mould.
- File and polish the metal.
This is called lost-wax casting because the wax model is lost. Asante goldsmiths used it to make gold weights, and the craft survives at Krofrom. The Benin bronzes of Nigeria were made in the same way. Since the mould is broken, each piece is unique.
4. Finishing Your Cast
Use fine sandpaper to smooth a dry plaster cast. A cast can be painted, or coated with shoe polish or varnish, to give the look of bronze or stone. Many cultures use relief panels on walls. In Ghana, you can find cast concrete decorations on buildings and memorials. Keep a record of your process with photographs for your portfolio, and write about what went well.
5. Working Safely
Safety: Molten metal is extremely dangerous and must only be handled by trained adults. In class, use plaster or wax. Do not cast any body parts in plaster, because plaster heats up as it sets.
New words
- mould
- A hollow form used for casting.
- lost-wax casting
- Casting metal from a melted wax model.
- relief
- A sculpture projecting from a flat surface.
- plaster of Paris
- A white powder that sets when mixed with water.
Summary
- Moulds may be one-piece, two-piece or flexible.
- Plaster casting is safe and suited to school work.
- Lost-wax casting is a traditional Ghanaian method.
Class activity: Plaster Relief
- Press objects into damp clay.
- Pour in plaster and leave it to set.
- Remove the clay and finish the relief.
You need: Local clay, Calabash mould, Wooden modelling tool
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. In lost-wax casting, wax is…
- A. melted away
- B. kept inside
- C. painted
- D. eaten
Show answer
Answer: melted awayMethod.2. Plaster should be added…
- A. to water
- B. to oil
- C. to sand
- D. to clay
Show answer
Answer: to waterAvoid lumps.3. Krofrom is known for brass casting.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueAshanti.4. A sculpture projecting from a flat surface is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: reliefForm.5. State three steps in plaster casting.
Show answer
Answer: Prepare a mould, mix plaster and pour it in.Any three.6. Why is each lost-wax piece unique?
Show answer
Answer: The mould is destroyed when the piece is removed, so it can only be used once.Process.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- Performing Arts (Dance and Drama)
- Sub-strand
- Creative and Aesthetic Expression
- Indicator
- B9.2.2.3.7 – Perform an original dance drama and/or one act play on socio-cultural issues
Introduction
Theatre can make an audience laugh, and then think again about something they took for granted.
1. What Are We Making?
One-act play: A short play that takes place in a single act.
Dance drama: A story told through dance, music and gesture.
Ghana has a rich tradition of theatre. Efua Sutherland developed Anansegoro, a type of drama based on Ananse storytelling, in plays such as The Marriage of Anansewa. Ama Ata Aidoo wrote The Dilemma of a Ghost, about culture and family. Concert party groups mixed music, comedy and drama. Your performance belongs to this tradition, and it could deal with an issue that matters today.
2. Choosing a Socio-Cultural Issue
| Issue | Questions to explore |
|---|---|
| teenage pregnancy | What pressures do young people face? |
| galamsey | Who gains and who loses? |
| corruption | How does it affect ordinary people? |
| bullying | How can bystanders help? |
| migration | Why do young people want to leave? |
3. Structure
| Part | Purpose |
|---|---|
| exposition | introduces the people and situation |
| rising action | builds the conflict |
| climax | the moment of greatest tension |
| falling action | shows the results |
| resolution | ends the story |
A one-act play usually has few characters and one main conflict. Keep it simple. A conflict can be between two people, between a person and society, or within one person. Decide what you want your audience to feel and think by the end.
4. Rehearsal and Production Roles
- Director: guides the artistic vision.
- Actors or dancers: perform the roles.
- Writer: develops the script.
- Choreographer: creates the dances.
- Stage manager: organises rehearsals.
- Costume and props team: finds what is needed.
- Musicians: provide sound.
Rehearse regularly, starting with short sections. Work on clear speech, strong movement and teamwork. Costumes and props can be simple: a cloth may become a river, a stool may become a throne. Local games, songs and proverbs can make your work feel authentically Ghanaian. Present your issue fairly, and take care with sensitive topics so that you do not make fun of real people's pain.
New words
- conflict
- A struggle between opposing forces.
- climax
- The point of highest tension.
- choreographer
- A person who creates dances.
- props
- Objects used on stage.
Summary
- Original drama can address real social issues.
- Plays are structured from exposition to resolution.
- Production involves many roles and much rehearsal.
Class activity: Create and Perform
- Choose an issue and develop a plot.
- Rehearse the play or dance drama.
- Perform it for the class.
You need: Atumpan drum, Calabash rattle, Printed photographs of Ghanaian dance poses
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. The point of highest tension is the…
- A. climax
- B. exposition
- C. title
- D. ending credit
Show answer
Answer: climaxPlot.2. Who wrote The Marriage of Anansewa?
- A. Efua Sutherland
- B. Ama Ata Aidoo
- C. Wole Soyinka
- D. Kofi Antubam
Show answer
Answer: Efua SutherlandAnansegoro.3. A choreographer creates dances.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueRole.4. Objects used on stage are ______.
Show answer
Answer: propsProduction.5. State the five parts of a dramatic structure.
Show answer
Answer: Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action and resolution.Plot.6. Why should sensitive topics be presented with care?
Show answer
Answer: The audience may include those affected, so drama must not mock their pain.Ethics.
Homework
- Write a one-page scene from your play.