WAEC PAST QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS IN VISUAL ART

2010
QUESTION 1
(a). Name the two classes of clay.
(b). Describe any four processes of preparing clay to be used for moulding
ceramic.
(c). List five properties of clay

ANSWERS
1 (a) Classes of Clay
(i) Primary clay. (Residual)
(ii) Secondary clay (sedimentary)
(b)Processes of preparing Clay for Moulding
A lump of clay consists of soil particles and impurities which must be removed
by sieving.
Break lumps of dry clay into pieces using pestle and mortar.
Dissolve the pieces of clay in water container.
Sieve the clay.
Leave the sieved clay for some time, so that the fine clay settles at
the bottom of the container.
Pour the excess water off and keep the fine clay in a clean
container or dug-up pit.
Dry the clay partially.
When it is partially dried, knead and wedge the clay.
Store the clay in the polythene bag, ready for use.
(c)Properties of Clay
For Primary Clay
less plastic in nature - i.e. rate of its quality of being easily made
into any shape is very low.
It is matured/fired at high temperature.
It is less contaminated.
It is highly porous in nature.
After firing, it becomes white/near white.
Secondary Clay
Highly plastic in nature.
It is matured/fired at low temperature.
It is highly contaminated.
It has low porosity. After firing, it comes in different colours.

QUESTION 2
(a) Explain cultural and creative arts.
(b) State any four values of cultural and creative arts to human
development.

ANSWERS
It provides for aesthetic satisfaction as it pleases the sense of sight
It serves as means of expression as one communicates through the works of art.
It helps the individuals to acknowledge and appreciate one's own culture and
other people's culture.
It contributes to the all-round development of the growth of the child, i.e.
socially, intellectually, emotionally and physically.
It helps to serve as means of social commentary.
It helps to serve as means of social control.
It is used for religious purposes.
It is used for secular purposes i.e. day-to-day activities e.g. entertainment, etc.
It contributes economically by providing a means of livelihood and self-
employment.

QUESTION 3
Discuss the sculptural pieces of Dogon Culture of Mali with particular
reference to:
(a) Subject-matter;
(b) Functions;
(c) styles

ANSWERS
(a) It includes Tellem and ancestral figures e.g. Primordial Couples. Figures
include masks. It also includes animal figures.
(b) Functions
-The masks are used for initiation of new members into cults.
-They are also used for fertility as regards agriculture.
-The ancestral figures are also used for status identification e.g. to
-Identify royal hood/royalty/noblemen and highly placed men.
-They are used for religious rites.
-It serves as the habitation for spirits.
-Used to honour the dead and dignitaries.
-To protect the living ones from being harmed by the souls of dead spirits.
-Animal figures are used as guardians of fields and trees.
-Animal figures are used for protection against thieves.

(c)Styles
-The figures are rendered in solid cubistic or geometric forms.
-The masks are highly stylized.
-Carving are full of dignity as figures are made to show details.
-Figures showed rigidity.
-The figures have exaggerated breasts and shoulder blades.
-The figures have elongated torso.
-They are larger than life size e.g. Konega masks.
-They are painted to differentiate the sexes.

QUESTION 4
Write notes on the contributions of Palaeolithic man to the development of
art.

ANSWERS
-He introduced art of painting by painting on the walls of the caves.
-He invented colours e.g. the use of blood as red, juice of leaves as green,
charcoal as black.
-He had helped in the areas of colour mixture by mixing various earth colours
with animal fats which he used as paint or crayon.
-He had opened our eyes to see how we can use very cheap and common
materials in place of costly materials e.g. bones of animals as reed pen and
animal hair as brushes.
-He introduced engraving tools like flints to the art of sculpture.
-He helped in the introduction of imaginative drawing.
-Artists of today are building on the experience of the Paleolithic man e.g. the
use of juxtaposition (done side by side) or superimposition (i.e. placed over
each other).
-He introduced realism/naturalism styles into art.
-He introduced the depiction of contours in figure drawing.
-In the area of sculpture, he introduced low relief: in the round or miniatures.
-He started both two and three dimensional arts

QUESTION 5
Discuss the figure above under the following:
(a) identification, (b) medium, (c) function, (d) features.

ANSWERS
(a) Identification
Figure of Oba of Benin/Benin head
(b) Medium
Produced in bronze
(c)Function
-Used as a sign of royal rank.
-Used as ancestral figure to identify the oba.
-Specially used for royal celebration.
-Used to be placed on the royal ancestral shrines or altars as ritual objects.
(d)Features
-Life size head.
-Naturalistic style.
-High collar of coral (denoting royalty).
-Heavily ornamented.
-Eye widely opened.
-Heavily beaded crown.
-Prominent marks on the forehead.
-Executed with the use of Cire-perdue technique.

QUESTION 6
Explain five ways by which Islam has influenced the Art of West Africa

ANSWERS
(i).Islam discourages the representation of living creature.
(ii). It encourages elaborate ornamental designs which is non-representational
(iii). West Africans adopted the religion of Islam and also adopted the culture of
Islam.
(iv). Some of the West African culture does not exist again because they were
branded as fetish and idolatry.
(v). Some African names were dropped and replaced with Arabic names.
(vi). Islam brought improvement to architecture e.g. building of towers and
columns on buildings.
(vii). It led to the development of skilled craft-men of various categories e.g.
leather work, embroidery, etc.

QUESTION 7
State how the Egyptians' belief in life after death led to the development of
their art.
ANSWERS
Egyptians from time immemorial believe in life after death. This belief led to
the idea of looking for means of immortalizing their dead, as death means the
beginning of a new life. Statues and paintings of kings, Queens and Nobles
were made and placed in the tomb of the deceased. All the art works were made
to show records of activities of the dead during his life-time. These
activities/experiences were to be continued in the world beyond. Sculptures
were carved from hard and durable materials like stone and marble thereby
giving the dead more comfortable eternal life. Sculptures were carved in relief
and in the round. Kings were treated like gods with statues carved in the
calmness and dignity of a king. Paintings which were made on walls of the
temples and tombs show pictures of important people at their works e.g.
harvesting, hunting, driving cattle, feeding geese, etc. They used brilliant
colours to make the finishing appear fresh to buttress their belief in life after
death.
The gigantic pyramids, temples and tombs were made to house the mummies of
their dead Pharaohs.
The idea of this technique of preservation is based on the belief that life
continues uninterrupted after death.

QUESTION 8
(a). Define a Pyramid
(b). Discuss the importance of pyramids to the ancient Egyptians.

ANSWERS
(a)A pyramid is a structure which has a square base and triangular sloping sides
that meet at the apex.
A granite stone structure with four triangular sides on a square base built by the
ancient Egyptians as a burial place for the Pharaohs.
(b)The Pyramids were principally erected as tombs for Pharaohs, Nobles and
members of the royal family.
The Pyramids reinforce the Egyptians' belief in life after death as it was
constructed for keeping the dead kings and their art works.
There were internal rooms/apartments and chambers to cater for the various
treasures and activities of the Pharaohs.
The walls contained paintings, sculptures and hieroglyphics depicting their
activities, which were to help in their journey to the world beyond.
The mummified body was placed in the coffins and then buried in the mastaba,
which was the burial chamber within the pyramid. Helps to highlight the
dexterity and the uniqueness of the Egyptians in architecture.

2011
QUESTION 1
(a) What is colour?
(b) Explain briefly the reason why a surface will appear blue.
(c) Outline the contribution of Isaac Newton on colour

ANSWERS
(a). Colour
It is a visual response to the wavelength of sunlight identified as red, blue,
green, yellow, etc., having the properties of hue, intensity and value.
It is a sensation caused by light as it is registered on the retina of the eye by the
decomposition of light.
The hues and tints that a pigment gives in the presence of light.
(b) The reason why a surface will appear blue
A surface will appear blue when it has the characteristic of absorbing all other
wavelengths except the blue rays which are reflected to the eyes.
(c) The contribution of Isaac Newton on colour
- Sir Isaac Newton discovered the colour band of light called the spectrum or
colours of rainbow in 1660.
-His experiment was done with a triangular glass prism.
-He allowed a beam of white light to fall on the glass and the beam of light was
found to have been altered, resulting in a

QUESTION 2
Write short notes on any three of the following;
(a) realism;
(b) abstraction;
(c) stylization;
(d) illusion;
(e) imagination.

ANSWERS
(a) Realism
A style of art that retains the basic impression of visual actuality.
A faithful representation of objects as seen by the eye.
Depicting objects in a resemblance of their actual appearances.
Life-like artistic representation without any form of idealization.
The name of a 19th Century art movement in painting.
(b) Abstraction
Non-representational rendering of art forms.
Rendering in a way that may not have reference or resemblance to any real
object.
Simplification or distortion of forms.
(c) Stylization
Distorting or exaggerating the features of forms.
 Rendering of art forms in a way that little recognizable features maybe
deduced as forms are not fully abstracted.
(d) Illusion
Imitation of visual reality created on a flat surface of the picture plane.
A situation when features appear real or are convincingly
(e) Imagination
The ability to form an idea in the mind, based on previous experience(s).
Mental images or pictures.
Something experienced in the mind and not a reality.
To form a visual image of something in the mind, depicted to band of seven
rainbow colours on a white surface at the other end.
These colours are red, orange, yellow, blue, indigo and violet (ROYGBIV) give
a false appearance of reality.

QUESTION 3
Identify two forms of Kissi art and outline five of its features.

ANSWERS
Art forms of Kissi
- Stone figures called Pomdo or Pomtan (plural) and Nomoli.
Features
Pomtan figures
style is more abstract.
- figures are tubular in shape.
-faces are not prominently treated, but are delicately presented.
-figures are richly adorned.
-the chin is pointed, often adorned with a beard.
-the eyes are flat and drawn as a curve.
Nomoli figures.
- expressive and realistic Negroid faces.
-large protruding and heavy eyelids.
-lips are also large and protruding.
-figures have immense fleshy noses.
-protruding lower jaw.
-onumental heads
-they have high curving eyebrows.

QUESTION 4
Write notes on Yusuf Grillo with particular reference to;
(a) Education/training;
(b) Art style;
(c) General contribution to art.
ANSWERS
Yusuf Grillo
(a) Education / training
He was highly talented and his artistic traits manifested even at young age.
While in school, he joined an Art Club organised by the British
Council.
Through his natural talent in art and without any formal training in art, he
enrolled for the School Certificate Examination and was successful.
He enrolled at the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria
from where he obtained a Diploma in Fine Art, specialising in Painting in 1960.
He was among the pioneer students of the Zaria Art School, popularly referred
to as the Zaria Rebels.
He obtained Art Teacher’s Diploma in Britain in 1961, studying art education.
He studied at Cambridge University, England in 1966.
(b) Art Style
His early paintings are expressive, showing great organization His paintings
are in the Cubist style.
His forms are usually constructed in geometric shapes.
His figures are naturalistic but elongated.
His paintings manifested a preference for blue and its various shades.
(c) General Contributions to art
He was one of the pioneer art students of the Zaria Art School.
He belongs to the first generation of Contemporary Nigerian Artists.
The creative rebellion of his group, the Zaria Rebels created a new direction
for contemporary art in Nigeria, in the sense of using foreign new media in
expressing local subject matters.
His commitment to art inspired a great number of contemporary Nigerian
artists.
He formally taught many generations of contemporary Nigerian artists, both at
the Secondary School and Yaba College of Technology.
He has contributed immensely to the global recognition of contemporary
Nigerian art through exhibitions and commissions in different parts of the world
like Europe, U.S.A. and Canada.
He has also exhibited extensively in Nigeria and abroad.
He is a Professor of Art.
He wrote and published articles on art in both national and international
journals of forms.

QUESTION 5
Discuss Baule Art with reference to:
(a) Location;
(b) Underlying beliefs;
(c) Characteristics of ancestor figures
ANSWERS
Baule Art
(a) Location
The Baule people live and execute their art in the central part of Ivory Coast
(Cote d’Voire).
(b) Underlying beliefs
The Baule people have a strong belief in ancestral worship and thus, their
artworks are created primarily for this purpose.
They believe in the creator God (Alura) and many other gods.
They also believe in the existence of their heavenly mates which are usually
represented in wood.
(c) Characteristics of Ancestral figures
They manifest high craftsmanship.
The figures are slim and adorned with bold scarification.
The limbs are rounded and bent inwards at the knees.
They have large head with structured coiffure.
They are mostly seated figures.
They have smooth finishing which give shinning appearance.
They have semi-closed heavy eyelids, looking like almond shape.
They have high forehead.
They have concave face.
They have small mouth
They have long torso with bulging stomach.
There is emphasis on eyebrow.
Arms rest gently on the stomach.
Beard on the male figure is plaited.

QUESTION 6
Outline five characteristics of traditional West African sculpture.

ANSWERS
Characteristics of traditional West African sculpture
-They were mostly executed in wood, but other media like bronze, brass,
ivory and clay were also used.
-The head is usually bigger because of the belief in the head as the seat
of wisdom.
-Styles vary from naturalistic to abstract.
-The head is usually oblong.
-Eyes are usually bulging, conical or spherical.
-They have pouting lips.
-The breast is usually pointed and exaggerated.
 -The buttocks and genitals are emphasized because of their importance in
terms of fertility.
-They are usually in static pose, devoid of movement.
Some figures have scarification.

QUESTION 7
(a) Define Renaissance art.
(b) Highlight the contribution of Giotto di Bondone to the development
of Renaissance art.

ANSWERS
Definition of Renaissance art
It is a term that describes the art style that flourished in Europe from 13th to
17th Century.
It marks the revival of the classical forms of art originally developed by the
ancient Greeks and Romans.
(a) Contribution of Giotto di Bondone to the development of Renaissance
art
He was a Florentine painter.
He was the founder of Renaissance art style in painting.
His style of painting deviated completely from medieval and ancient
traditions.
He developed a new and monumental art based on direct observation of the
world.
His paintings were life-like as he tried to create distance by way of linear
perspective.
He revived the genius of classical antiquity.
He perfected the use of fresco and tempera on wood.
He was a great influence to many young artists.

QUESTION 8
Write short notes on the following;
(a) Akhenaton;
(b) Queen Nerfertiti;
(c) Palette of Narmer.

ANSWERS
(a) Akhenaton
he was an Egyptian Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty.
he was the son of Amenhotep III and Tiy
he was a radical king.
he revolutionised ancient Egyptian religion from polytheism to monotheism in
which the Ancient Egyptians worshipped only the sungod (Aton), which he
believed to be a universal, omnipresent spirit and the sole creator of the
universe.
he thus changed his royal name from the royal designation of Amenhotep IV
to Akhenaton which means the son the sun god .
He changed the age-long rigidity in the canons of artistic practice and
encouraged freedom of expression and realistic representation.
He built a new capital called Telle-el Amarna.
His reign was referred to as the Amarna Period by historians.
(b) Queen Nerfertiti
An ancient Egyptian queen who was the chief wife of Akhenaton, an ancient
Egyptian king of the 18th Dynasty.
She partnered with her husband, Akhenaton in initiating radical artistic,
religious and cultural changes in ancient Egypt.
Her bust was made in limestone and painted.
The bust has graceful, long and sensuous neck
Her bust became the most realistic figure in Ancient Egypt.
The bust has refined, classic profile and heavily crowned head.
This bust is one of the great works of art surviving from ancient Egypt and is
now in the Staatliche Museum in Berlin, Germany.
(c) Palette of Narmer.
It is a piece of slate carved in low relief.
It is one of the oldest Egyptian sculptures.
It is one of the most significant sculptures of the old kingdom.
It portrays the victory of Upper over Lower Egypt.
It depicted kings, armies, servants and various animals.
It was produced during the pre-dynastic period of ancient Egyptian art.
It was commissioned by King Menes.
It contains a representation of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.
It commemorates the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt.
+

2012
QUESTION 1
(a). Explain shape and form
(b). What is the relationship between shape and form?

ANSWERS
(a) Shape is the delineation of an object.
Shape is defined by real or imaginary line.
Shape is two-dimensional.
Shape lacks volume.
 Form is the real appearance of an object.
Form has weight and occupies space.
Form is three-dimensional.
Form combines shape and volume/mass.
(b) They are both elements of art.
- Form cannot exist without shape.
- Shape defines the outline of a form.
- The creation of a form begins with a definition of its shape.

QUESTION 2
(a). What is sculpture?
(b). List two examples of sculpture.
(c). Make a comparison between sculpture and ceramics.

ANSWERS
(a) - it is the creation of three-dimensional art.
- it involves shaping materials such as clay, wood, stone and -
techniques used include carving, modelling, casting or construction and
assemblage.
- it is primarily created for beauty (aesthetics).
- it is an aspect of fine arts.
(b) Statues, masks, figurines, ancestral figures, relief plaques, etc.
(c) -Both are three-dimensional.
-They can both be used for religious and aesthetic purposes.
-The use of clay is common to both art forms.
-They are both visual arts.
- Casting as a method of reproduction is common to both.
-Their differences can mainly be found in their functions.
-Sculpture primarily serves aesthetic purpose while in ceramics, utility is the
primary consideration.
-In sculpture, apart from clay, materials like fibre-glass, cement and metal can
be used while in ceramics, clay is mainly used.
-Sculpture is a branch of fine art, while ceramics belongs to applied arts.

QUESTION 3
State three similarities and two differences between the art of Ife and Benin

ANSWERS
Similarities
- Bronze is a common medium.
- They are both located in Nigeria.
-They both belong to the realm of Court art.
 - Commemorative royal heads are common subject matter.
- The bronze works of both Ife and Benin are produced through the cire-
perdue technique.
- Ornamentation with beads is common to both art traditions.
Differences
- apart from bronze, Ife art included terra-cotta and stone while Benin art
included ivory and wood.
- Animal representation features prominently in Benin art while in Ife art,
human representation is prevalent.
- human representation in Benin art is more of heads (commemorative) of Obas,
while in Ife art, representation of heads are combined with the dominant full
human figures.
- Ife heads and figures have profuse scarification while Benin heads and masks
have marks on their forehead.
- Most Benin art works are stylized while Ife art works are naturalistic.

QUESTION 4
Write notes on any three of the following art forms
The Nomoli figures;
Bundu masks;
The Minsereh;
Igbo Ukwu Bronze pots.

ANSWERS
(a) Nomoli figures
They are found among the Mende tribe in Sierra-Leone.
They are carved out of soapstone.
They used for fertility to enable bountiful harvest.
- They are kept in rice fields to protect the crops.
- Figures are beaten when they fail to perform the intended functions
effectively.
- They are praised with sacrifice when there is good harvest.
- Arms are folded and resting on the chest.
- The two knees are positioned to support the hands.
- The figures have expressive faces.
- Big head with two protruding eyes, inflated nostril and thick lips.
(b) Bundu Masks
-Found among the Sande Society of Mende in Sierra-Leone.
- It is a form of helmet worn over the entire head.
- They are used during the female initiation ceremony.
-They are made in wood.
-They are of an average height of 38 centimetres.
-The hair is arranged in the crest and adorned with emblems.
 -They are polished smooth and painted black.
- They have large and beautiful female features to reflect Mende’s concept of
beauty.
- They are used to prepare and initiate young Mende girls into responsible
adults.
-The masks bear depressed faces.
-The young women wear the masks and look out through slits made beside the
jaw at the level of the mouth.
-The eyes, mouth and chin are small.
(c) The Minsereh
- They are found among the Yassi Society of Mende in Sierra Leone.
- They are female wooden figures.
-The body is slim and naturalistic.
-They have ringed neck.
-They have elaborate hairdo.
-They have protruding buttocks.
-Their arms are thin.
-They have narrow waists.
-They have small mouth.
- It is used for magical healing and divination.
-They are statuettes in standing positions.
-They have bulging foreheads
-They have small face.
(d) Igbo-Ukwu Bronze pots
-They are art forms located in Igbo-Ukwu in Nigeria.
-They are ornamental.
-They were excavated from cistern in a man’s compound.
-They are used for religious purposes.
-They are in the form of flower vases.
-They are decorated with knotted ropes.
-They have detailed body decorations of tiny pellets, thin threads,
and spirals.
-The pots are characterised with relief representations of animal and insects.
-It shows high technology in bronze casting.

QUESTION 5
Write notes on Mossi masks under the following:
(a) origin;
(b) characteristics.

ANSWERS
Mossi masks originated from Burkina-Faso (Upper Volta) and
the Southeast of Dogon in Mali.
- They are blade-shaped.
- They are made in wood.
- They are very decorative.
- They consist of slightly anthropomorphic and stylized head.
- The eyes have oval faces, without mouth or chin.
- The nose is represented by a ridge running down the centre of the front.
-The eyes represented by a triangular or circular holes.
-They are decorated with carved and polychrome patterns.
-The masks bear a frontal pair of antelope horns, which determines the sex of
the mask: they are curved when they are females and straight if they are male.
-The masks are about 2 metres high.
They are in variant styles ranging from simple to complicated abstracts.

QUESTION 6
Write an appreciation on any one of the following:
(a) Stools in Ashanti;
(b) Nok art.

ANSWERS

(a) -Stools in Ashanti come in different forms namely, the Golden Stool,
the Black Stool and Domestic Stool.
- The Golden Stool is the most sophisticated and rich in traditional art forms.
- The Golden Stool is made of gold and rest on another carved stool.
- It has an attachment of three effigies and bells in the form of human figures
which represents two great Ashanti Chiefs and a British Administrator. The
Ashanti Chiefs are Ntim Jakari and Kofi Adinkra, while the represented British
Administrator is Sir Charles McCarthy.
- The attachment of these effigies is a commemoration of Ashanti freedom from
British dominance (rule).
- The Golden Stool has another bell which is used to summon ancestral spirits
during religious ceremonies.
- The stool has its origin in the legend that Osei Tutu was once seated beneath a
Kum tree, when in an extra-ordinary way, the powers of nature were let loose.
The air was suddenly filled with dust and thunder struck and a stool that was
partly covered with gold and having two bells floated gently down from heaven
and landed on Osei Tutu’s laps.
- The stool, which is so sacred must never touch the earth.
- It contains the sunsum, which is the soul of of the Ashanti people.
- The Golden stool is a symbol of power, health and riches among the Ashanti
people.
- The Ashatehene at his ordination (coronation) symbolically sits three times on
the stool (of his ancestors) and this symbolizes uninterrupted line of royal
power.

- Other stools belong to the Omanhene and other political or religious figures
who are honoured as the representatives of the ancestors.
- The basic features of Ashanti stools are the symbolical rectangular seat,
cylindrical hollow pillar and flat base.
- The edges of the seats are slightly turned upwards.
(b Nok art is named after a village called Nok in the Zaria Province of Northern
Nigeria.
- Nok art works are the oldest in West Africa dating back to between 500 BC
and 300 BC.
- The works were discovered accidentally by tin miners and were
documented by Benard Fagg; a German anthropologist.
- The works range in height from about 10 cm and 1.5 metres.
- The pupils of the eyes and nostrils are represented with holes.
- The figures represented both animal and human forms.
- They are conical, cylindrical and spherical in shape.
- They have a peculiar hairdo or head-dress.
- The animal figures are naturalistic while the human figures are stylized.
- Emphasis is on the head, which is usually depicted larger than life size.
- They are all in terracotta.

QUESTION 7
(a) Define oriental art.
(b) Outline the characteristics of Indian sculpture.

ANSWERS
(a) The artworks of the countries in the far East mainly India, China and Japan.
(b) Indian’s belief in life after death influences the forms of their
sculpture.
- The works are executed in soft stone (steatite), limestone, wood and bronze.
- They carve cult statues and huge statues of Buddha.
- Buddha is often carved seated with legs crossed, hands folded on his laps with
his eyes looking downwards.
- There are some dancing figures of women and gods in stone.
- Bronze is used for popular subjects like Lord of the Dance and Lord of Pity
----Buddhist and Hinduist themes dominate.
- Like Greek and Roman sculpture, nude human figures are very important.
- The figures are sometimes given several hands, arms, legs or animal heads.
-Figures are always reminiscent of figures in fairy tales.
QUESTION 8
(a) Name two proponents of cubism.
(b) Write notes on any one of the proponents named in 8 (a) above.

ANSWERS
(a) Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque.
(b) (Option 1) Pablo Picasso
- A Spanish painter from Malaga, Spain.
- Widely acknowledged as the most important artist of the 20th Century.
- lived most of his life in France.
- Experimented with a wide range of styles and themes throughout his career.
- Pioneering Cubism was one of his many contributions to the development of
Modern art.
-He had a penchant for experimentation and drawing inspirations from unusual
sources which led to his most radical painting Les Demoiselles
d’Avignon, which was largely inspired by African masks and marked the origin
of Cubism.
- Les Demoiselles d’Avignon consisted of women in jagged shapes, flattened
figures and forms borrowed from African masks.
- His continuous experimentation took Cubism through different phases;
analytical and synthetic.
(b) (Option 2) Georges Braque
-He was a French Painter.
-Originated Cubism as an art movement with Pablo Picasso
thus, one of the major figures of 20th Century art.
-Seemed to question most standard artistic conventions.
-The criticism of his work Houses at L’Estaque and Picasso’s Houses on the
Hill, by French art Critic, Louis Vauxellesled to the name; Cubism.
-His continuous experimentation with Pablo Picasso took Cubism through
different phases; Analytical and Synthetic.

2013
QUESTION 1
(a) Explain the principle of art.
(b) State the importance of emphasis in a composition.
(c) Outline two ways in which an artist can create emphasis in a
composition.

ANSWERS
(a) - they are guides for a creative arrangement of the elements of art.
-They help artists in organising art elements in a way that hold interest and
command attention.
- They include balance, unity, harmony, rhythm, emphasis, dominance, contrast,
variety, etc.
(b) - it is used to focus viewer’s attention on the centre of interest.
- It helps the artist to control the length of viewer’s attention on each of the
different parts of a composition.
(c) - It can be achieved by varying the sizes of art elements (forms, shapes, etc)
in a composition in such a way that one of the elements
becomes dominant.
- It can be achieved through the use of colour, for example the centre of interest
can be painted in bright colour while other areas of the composition are painted
in cool colours.
- It can also be achieved using values, such that the centre of interest is given a
detailed modelling/shading while other areas of the composition are less
detailed.
- It can be achieved using a different texture in the area to be emphasised.

QUESTION 2
(a) What is aesthetics?
(b) Write notes on the following features of an artwork:
(i) subject matter;
(ii) composition;
(iii) content.

ANSWERS
(a) Aesthetics - the study of the nature and value of art as it relates to beauty.
(b) (i) Subject matter - it means the image(s) that viewers can identify in an
artwork.
-It is also referred to as the theme of an artwork.
- It may be a thing e.g. a tree.
- It may be a place, e.g a market place.
- It may be an event e.g. war.
- It may be a combination of living and non-living things.
(ii) Composition - it is the way in which the principles of art are used to
organise art elements into a unified whole.
- The different types of composition are imaginative, representational, abstract,
etc.
- The elements used in a composition are colour, texture, line, shape,
form, value.
- The principles guiding a composition include balance, rhythm, variety,
emphasis, proportion, movement, etc (
iii) Content - it is the message, idea or feeling expressed in an artwork.
- It may be a feeling, artist dreams and fear, political, environmental issues, etc.
- It is the meaning of an artwork, based on the subject matter in a composition.
QUESTION 3
Write notes on Fon art under the following:
(a) Origin;
(b) Medium;
(c) Three main features;
(d) Two major art forms;
(e) One function.

ANSWERS
(a) Fon art belong to the Fon people of Ewe origin in Dahomey (now Republic
of Benin).
(b) - Brass/Bronze
- Clay
- Silver
- Calabash
- Textile
- wood
- metal
(c) - themes of works are based on everyday life of the people.
- They are semi-naturalistic and naturalistic in style.
- Forms are cylindrical.
- Carvings are simple, showing delicate sensitivity.
- Animals and human forms are commonly used.
- Relief works have decorative patterns.
- Forms are elongated.
- Figures are placed on pedestals.
- Some figures are represented in groups.
(d) - statues with sword in hand and with animal head.
- Masks and animal head surmounted by human figures.
- low reliefs in clay and painted with bright colours.
- Carvings covered with sheets of brass and silver with embossed inscriptions.
- sculpted door panels.
- Miniature brass figures depicting cultural and religious ceremonies.
- Calabash engravings
- appliqué and traditional textiles.
(e) - used for religion, e.g. worship, rituals, rites, etc.
- used for social purposes. E.g. everyday activities, commemoration of events,
honouring of the wealthy people, record history.
- used for aesthetics, e.g. palace decoration.
- used for economic purposes, e.g. agriculture.

QUESTION 4
(a) Why is Ife art referred to as Court art?
(b) Describe the traditional method of bronze casting in Ife art.
(c) State two characteristics of Ife art.

ANSWERS
(a) - Because the king, who is the spiritual head has total control of all artistic
productions.
- Because most of the works were created for the exaltation of the kings.
- The heads are portraits of royalty.
(b) - it is referred to as cire-perdue or lost wax method.
- The initial image is made in clay mixture (clay, cow dung and sand). This is
called the inner core.
- The clay model (the inner core) is covered with bee wax.
- Intricate details are made on the wax covering/layer.
- The wax layer is covered with clay (the outer core).
- Pins are inserted at different locations to hold both inner and outer core
together.
- Vent and funnels are created at certain points.
- Allow clay (inner and outer core) to dry completely.
- Place form in fire to enable the wax layer to melt out (de-waxing).
- Pour molten metal into vacuum created by the melted wax through the funnel.
- Leave poured metal to solidify.
- Break the outer shell to get the final bronze image.
- Put finishing touches, e.g. filing, polishing, decoration.
(c) - They are mainly done in terra-cotta and bronze.
- They are highly naturalistic.
- They have profuse scarification.
- They have elaborate ornamentations, e.g. beads.
- Human figures are mainly represented.
- Heads are in life size.
- They are symbolic.
- Eyes are round and without pupils.
- They have ringed necks.
- There are perforations along the hairline.

QUESTION 5
Write notes on the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA) under the following:
(a) Formation;
(b) Membership;
(c) Functions.

ANSWERS
(a) Formation - The Society of Nigerian Artists was formed in 1964 by the
pioneering art graduates of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
(b) Membership - opened to professionals with formal and informal art training.
different categories include
– Fellow, Member, Associate and Student members.
(c) Functions - it creates fora for creative interaction aimed at developing the
practice of visual art, e.g. conferences, seminars, exhibitions, etc.
- regulating the standard of public artworks.
- protects government’s Cultural policy and ensure its implementation.
- protects the infringement of the copyright on the artworks of members through
the National Copyright Commission (NCC).
- it serves as the link between the government and the artists.

QUESTION 6
Write notes on Solomon Wangboje under the following:
(a) Training;
(b) Area of specialization;
(c) General contribution to the development of art.

ANSWERS
(a) Training - he attended Edo College, Benin City for his secondary education.
he trained at the former College of Arts, Science and Technology,
Zaria where he obtained a Diploma in Fine Arts in 1959.
- he obtained a Master of Arts (MFA) degree from the Crankbrook Academy of
Fine Arts, Michigan, USA, in 1963.
- He obtained a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Art Education from State
University, New York in 1968 through the African Graduate Fellowship
program.
(b) Specialization
- Graphic design
- Painting
- Printmaking
- Art Education
(c) Contributions to the development of art - he was art supervisor of the
Nigerian Television Service, Lagos.
- He was a part-time art teacher at the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.
- He was the founder and coordinator of the Ori-Olokun Art Workshop at the
University of Ife, where many young artists were trained in studio art.
- He taught art at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he rose to the rank
of a Professor.
- He was the Head of Fine Arts Department at A.B.U. Zaria.
- He was a lecturer at the University of Benin, where he made remarkable
impact and introduced rare courses such as metal design.
- He encouraged a forum called Television Art Workshop for Children for
teaching the young ones some simple concepts of visual arts
. - He wrote books on art for junior secondary schools.
- He was an active member and one time president of the Society of Nigerian
Artists.
- He was a prominent member of the International Society for Education
through Art. (INSEA).
- He held several exhibitions, both in Nigeria and abroad.

QUESTION 7
Write on the life of the Pre-historic man, with a focus on his:
(a) Belief;
(b) Art forms;
(c) Medium of art.

ANSWERS
(a) Belief - the pre-historic man believed in sympathetic magic.
- Sympathetic magic is a belief that somebody or something can be affected
supernaturally by an action taken on the image representing such a person or
thing.
- He believed that deforming or piercing any part of the drawing of an animal
will give him power to kill such an animal.
(b) Art Forms - Cave paintings/Drawings
- Rock engravings
- Miniature sculptures
- Leatherwork (for clothing)
(c) Medium - Animal fat
- Animal blood
- Animal skin
- Earthen materials, e.g. clay, ores, animal dung, plant juice
- Charcoal
- Manganese
- Stones
– Lint and soft stone.
- Bones.
- Animal hair.
- Sticks.

QUESTION 8
Explain five ways in which Western art and culture have influenced
African visual art.
ANSWERS
1 Change in Philosophy Missionaries and colonial administrators effected a
change in traditional belief in idols, spirits and rituals which provided
opportunities for traditional African art. Consequently, the practice of
indigenous art began to diminish.
2 Art styles Modern artists, under the influence of Western art now combine
modern styles with traditional motifs to express themselves.
3 Change in purpose Arts, which were traditionally produced to serve religious
and utility purposes, are now simply meant for aesthetics, utility or both.
4 Change in patronage Patrons of art have changed from being solely royalty
and diviners to include expatriates, wealthy and educated individuals and
corporate organisations, who now use art for aesthetics and self-glorification.
5 Medium of production Technology has caused a great change in the medium
of production of art; e.g. oil colours, Plaster of Paris, fibre-glass, cement and
computer are now used.
6 Mode of training Mode of training has changed significantly from informal
(apprenticeship) to formal where curricula are developed and used for training.
7 Change in techniques. The advent of Western art and culture has also
engendered a change in techniques of art production, e.g. welding, modern
method of casting.
8 Art forms were mainly sculpture, pottery, painting and architecture, but
European influence has added other forms such as graphic design, photography,
ceramics, etc.

2014
QUESTION 1
With the aid of diagram, give a general classification of creative arts.
Compare and contrast fine and applied arts
ANSWERS

(a)
Creative Arts

Performing Arts Visual Arts

Theatre
Literary Arts Fine Arts Applied Arts
Arts
Graphics,
Music Poetry Painting
Textiles
 Printing,
Drama Prose Sculpture
Ceramics
Jewellery,
Dance Novels Drawing
Basketry
Architecture, Photography,
etc. etc.
(b) Comparison/Similarities
- They are both components of visual arts
- Their creation require special skill
- They are products of human imagination.
- They involve the use of consumable materials, medium
and tools/equipment.
-The processes are related, e.g. painting and graphics, sculpture and ceramics.
- They have similar forms i.e. 2-dimensional (painting and graphics) and
3-dimensional (sculpture and ceramics).
- Aesthetic consideration is common to both fine and applied arts.
(c) Contrast
- The primary purpose of fine arts is aesthetics (beauty and decoration)
while applied arts are principally utilitarian.
- Mass production is usually essential in applied arts while the need for
originality discourages mass production in fine arts.
- In spite of the similarities between painting and graphics, graphics
integrates text and imagery in order to fulfil its communication purpose
effectively but the use of text is not encouraged in painting.
- In applied arts, form is determined by function whereas in fine arts,
form depends solely on artist’s feeling and imagination.
- Basically, fine arts focus on aesthetics i.e. art being made for art’s sake
whereas applied arts consider both aesthetics and functionality.
- There is freedom of expression in fine art whereas in applied art, there is
limitation

QUESTION 2
(a). What is a poster?
(b). List the four major components of a poster.
(c). Highlight the significance of a visual artist in the advertisement of a
product
ANSWERS
a) A printed picture, usually a reproduction of a photograph or illustration
which is made on paper and pasted on a wall or vertical surface for advertising
purposes.
Mass produced advertisement, usually printed on a sheet of paper and pasted on
a wall or vertical surface for public display.
Designs made up of full colour illustration or picture with a short text and
identifying trademark usually created for the advertisement of a product, service
or idea.
(b)- Text (headline and body copy)
- Colour
- Image (photograph or illustration)
-Logo/sponsor’s identification symbol/trademark
(c) -The graphic artist creates designs with either photograph or illustration
and supported with a text to sell a product. Such a design is based on the desired
objective of the promoter (advertiser).
- The graphic artist design and create product’s package which shows the
benefits of using the product in order to arouse the interest of buyers and
influence them to buy the product.
-The graphic designer uses his creativity to communicate effectively to the
public on the benefits of a product.

QUESTION 3
Highlight three positive and two negative impacts of religion on the art of
West Africa, through patronage, religion played a significant role in the
promotion and sustenance of art in traditional West African societies.

ANSWERS
- Masks and ancestral figures were created to maintain the links with the
ancestors and other supernatural entities in traditional West Africa.
- Elaborate costumes were integral to traditional beliefs and practices,
especially the masquerade tradition which provided a sustained motivation for
cloth weaving.
- Shrines in traditional West African societies were often elaborately painted
and decorated.
Christianity also impacted the arts positively through the commissioning and
decoration of churches with murals, stained glass, carved and decorated doors
based on biblical subject matter.
Negative impacts of religion on the art of West Africa
-The advent of Christianity in West Africa caused the destruction of a large
number of traditional art works, especially wood carvings.
-The advent of foreign religions established the belief that traditional art works
are fetish and were destroyed.
- The religion of Islam forbids the representation of human images in any form.
-Lack of patronage by the converts of the foreign religions resulted in the
decline in production of traditional art works.

QUESTION 4
 Write notes on Aina Onabolu with particular reference to his:
(I). Training;
(II). Area of specialization and style;
(III). General contributions to the development of art.
(a) He started practicing art on his own in 1900 while still in
government employment.
- He travelled to England in 1920 to study art at St. John’s Wood Art School,
London.
- He also studied art at Julian Academy, in Paris.
- He received a Diploma in art education and painting.

(b) -He was a painter and an art educator.

-His paintings were academic and naturalistic.
-He worked more on painting of portraits.
(c) -Against popular misconception, Onabolu was able to prove that
Africans are also creative and capable of producing academic paintings which
conform with the laws of proportion.
-He was the first indigenous art educator in Nigeria.
- He laid the foundation upon which other artists built and thus, he is popularly
regarded as the father of modern Nigerian art.
-He encouraged government to employ expatriate art teachers, e.g. Kenneth
Murray and Dennis Duerden to teach in Nigerian schools.
His activities made art to be recognized in the Nigerian School system.
He fought for the inclusion of art in the school curriculum

QUESTION 5
Write notes on Akuaba, under the following headings;
(a). Origin
(b). Four features
(c). Two functions
ANSWERS
(a). Ashanti (Akan) tribe of Ghana.
(b) The head is disc-like or round in shape.
-The nose is slender.
-The ears are usually pierced at the lower end with earrings in place.
-The mouth is usually slit.
-The neck is slender, ringed and decorated with beads.
-The breast, which symbolizes fertility is usually prominent and protruding.
-The torso is tall and slender with the navel at the lowest end.
-The lower part, usually from the waist to the feet appears like
pedestal which gives a feeling of stability.

(c) Religious functions:

-It is given to barren women to care for and treat like a baby. Through this, it is
believed that such a woman will conceive and bear her own children.
-It is carried and admired constantly by pregnant women in the belief that their
children will be as beautiful when they are born.
- Magical Function
It is used to search for lost babies who are believed to have been captured by
dwarfs.
- Aesthetic function: it embodies the Ashanti’s concept of beauty.
-Utility function: It serves as a toy or plaything for children

QUESTION 6
Write notes on Momodou Ceesay under the following headings:
(a) Training;
(b) Style;
ANSWERS
Training
- He received his early education in Banjul.
- He studied with scholarship at Suffiew Academy and Wesleyan University in
Connecticut, USA.
- He received a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in Languages and Literature in
1970.
- After his university education, he chose to pursue a career in art and thus
became an essentially self-taught artist.
- He received diplomas in French language from the University de Poitiers in
Tours and La Sorbonne in Paris.
(b) Style
- His compositions are decorative.
-He used stylized figures, masks, costumes and foliage at the background.
-Motifs from baobab tree are obvious in his works.
-His female portraits are often romanticized and rendered realistically.
-Most of his figures are gracefully elongated.
-He incorporates the brilliant details of the colourful West African fabric
designs into the costumes of his figures.
(c) General contributions to the development of art
-He is a pioneer Gambian contemporary artist.
-He taught art at the Elmer Lewis School of Art in Boston, Massachusetts in the
late 1960s and early 1970s.
-He has been a great ambassador of contemporary African art.
-He has exhibited in different countries around the world, e.g. Nigeria,
Colombia, Massachusetts, Taiwan, Slovakia, Pennsylvania, etc.
-He has his works in different public and private collections
around the world, such as National Library, The Gambia, President’s Office,
Banjul, Museum of African Art, Los Angeles, California, USA among
numerous others.

QUESTIONS 7
Highlight five ways in which religion and kingship promoted art in ancient
Egypt.
ANSWERS
(a) -Art objects were made to serve religious purpose.
-In ancient Egypt, art and architecture were created to affirm a distinctive social,
political and religious system.
-Temples were decorated with paintings and filled with statues of gods and
kings in the belief that doing this served the gods, showed devotion to the king
and maintained the order of the universe.
-Ancient Egyptians wore jewellery and amulets (charms) not only as fashion
accessories but with the belief that the items protected them from harm..
-Artworks were created for the pleasure of the kings, especially in the afterlife.
-Religious beliefs largely dictated the themes of paintings and statues that filled
ancient Egyptian temples and tombs.
-Small bronze images of gods and of the animals that were sacred to those gods
were made and presented as offerings at temples.
-Brightly painted wooden statues of funerary gods were created and placed in
tombs to help the deceased pass safely into the afterlife.
-In the old Kingdom, small chapels built in temple areas housed statues of the
king where the royal ka-spirit could receive - in the new kingdom, huge
ka-statues of the king stood at the entrances to many major temples. Since most
people could not enter the temples, these statues became places for people to
communicate with the gods.
-In rock-cut tomb chapels, statues were carved out of the walls of the chapel and
were visible to everyone entering to perform rituals.
-By the Middle Kingdom, statues of the deceased, both male and female had
become the ritual focal point in chapels.
-From the Middle Kingdom onward, statues of the elite, mainly male, were also
placed in the outlying areas of the temple complex to receive offerings and also
to enable the statues owner (through his ka-spirit) to take part in the temple
rituals and the great festivals that were celebrated on behalf of the deity of the
temple.
-Statues of servants and peasants appearing in a variety of poses, performing
tasks such as grain grinding, bread baking and beer brewing were placed in
tombs of the kings to serve them in the afterlife.
-The ancient Egyptians decorated the walls of temples and tombs with painted
scenes of offerings.
2015
QUESTION 1
(a) Who is an artist?
(b) Highlight with examples, four sources of inspiration for art.
ANSWERS
a) An artist is an individual who uses imagination and skill to
communicate ideas in visual form e.g. painting, sculpture, ceramics, graphics,
etc.
(b) (i) - Myths and Legends
Artists borrow ideas from works of literature, myths, legends
and folklores.

(ii) - Imagination
Artists create illusions of reality from memory by drawing from
experiences, dreams and fantasies etc. e. g. a market scene.
(iii) - Personal belief and feeling
Personal beliefs or feelings are also sources of ideas for artists.
Such beliefs and feelings are sometimes expressed in variety of
ways. For example, a joyful mood could be expressed with warm and vibrant
colours etc.
(iv) - Culture and tradition
Ideas for art are also inspired by culture and tradition. Artists draw inspirations
from the various aspects of their culture. Such inspirations could be in the form
of adapted motifs (e.g. Adinkra, and Adire symbols of the Akan and Yoruba
people respectively etc.) Inspirations for art could also be in the adaptation of
forms e.g. masks’ forms
(v) - Patronage
Ideas from patrons through the commissioning of art works
e.g. commissioning an artist to do an art work.
(vi) -Nature and natural phenomena
Inspiration may come from experiencing nature e.g. trees, rocks flowers and
wildlife, games, sea and landscapes, etc.
(vii) -Inspiration from other artists
Interest created by observing works of renowned artists. e. g.
Pablo Picasso, Aina Onabolu, etc.
QUESTION 2
Explain colour hamony.
Write notes on any four of the following:.
Analogous colours;
Triadic colours;
Monochromatic colours;
Warm colours;
Cool colours.
ANSWERS
(a) Colour harmony refers to the various ways in which an artist combines
colour to achieve unity and pleasant effects.
Harmony is achieved by combining related colours and such relationships
include analogous, complementary, etc.
(i) Analogous colours
-These are colours that are next to each other on the colour wheel e.g. red, red-
orange.
-Colours which contain one common colour e.g. blue and blue-violet are
analogous
(ii) Triadic colours
-These refer to the use of three equally spaced colours on the colour wheel. e.g.
yellow, red, blue.

(iii) Monochromatic colour

-This is the use of one colour in a composition.-One colour that is used in
different values and intensity using tints and shades of the hue.
(iv) Warm colour
-They give the feeling of warmth.
-These are generally on the yellow to red range on the colour wheel, e.g. red,
orange and yellow.
-They have advancing quality.
(v) Cool colours
-Those colours in which blue is dominant.
-They are on the opposite side of the warm colours on the colour wheel
-They give a feeling of coolness. e.g. blue, blue-green and green
-Colours that seem to recede.

Question 3
Write notes on Esie Stone figures under the following:
Location
2, Four characteristics
ANSWERS
(a) Location
Esie Stone figures are located in Esie town, near Offa in Kwara State, Nigeria.

(b) Characteristics
- they are all made in soapstone or steatite
- the figures range from 20cm to 120cm.
- they consist of figures of men and women mostly sitting on stools with
the top connected with the base by a central pillar.
the seated figures are draped from the waist to the knees with skirt-like garment
tied with sashes.
- some of the figures are in nude and kneeling position
- they are elaborately adorned with necklaces and bracelets.
- many of the figures have facial marks/scarification.
- most of them wear elaborate hair style
- they manifest a variety of styles which indicates that they were works of
several artists.
- some of the figures are armed; the men carry swords and arrows and the
women carry cutlasses.
there are broad styles; one stylized and the second is a naturalistic
treatment of forms.
- the stylized works appear carved without any attempt of smoothening
and this resulted in angular shapes.
- on the stylized figures, the ears are pushed back to the extent of not
being seen frontally.
the eyes of the stylized figures are represented with thick ridges running from
side to side.
- the stylized figures show much decoration with beads, necklaces and
anklets.
- the naturalistic figures show emphasis in natural representation of
forms.
- Some of the figures are in fragments
Question 4
Write notes on Senufo art under the following:
location;
art forms;
two functions;
three characteristics
(a) Location
- Ivory Coast/Cote D’Ivoire
- Burkina Faso
- Mali.
(b) Art forms
- Masks
- figures
- Brass /bronze works
(c) Functions
- They are used as objects of worship and rituals e.g. Poro and Lo secret
societies, sorcerers, etc
- They are given as award to the winners of husbandry contest.
- They are used to enhance the importance of dignitaries’ staffs.
- Girls use them to achieve fertility.
- They are used to decorate everyday objects such as chairs, tables, stools
etc.
(d) Characteristics

- They have stylized hair-dresses with comb.

- They have highly exagge
- The masks bear both animal and human motifs.rated pear-shaped heads.
- Their foreheads are pronounced and tapers on the chin.
- The female figures have long, narrow flat breasts over a slender stomach.
- The arms are long, thin and seem to be attached to the thighs.
- The faces are mostly stylized.
QUESTION 5
Write notes on Ashanti gold weights under the following;
Origin
Subject matter
Symbolism
Medium
ANSWERS
(a) Origin
The gold weights are art forms of the Ashanti (Akan) people of Ghana.
(b) Uses
They are used for weighing gold dust before the introduction of currency
by the European.
(c) Subject matter
- Human figure – single or in group depicting legends and proverbs.
- Animals – based on their symbolic connotations.
- Inanimate objects – weapons, stools, drums, lamps, shields, ceremonial
swords etc.
- Symbolic geometric designs – straight line, zag-zag, crescent moon etc.

(d) Symbolism
- Animas are represented according to their symbolic meanings.
- Two crocodiles with one stomach symbolize unity in diversity.
- Lion symbolizes power.
- Snake is a symbolic representation of death.
- Geometric designs carry symbolic meanings e.g. the circle symbolizes
the presence and power of God.
- A straight line symbolizes the life-giving rays of the sun.
- Zig-zag lines symbolize prudence and application of wisdom.
- Undulating lines symbolize streams of life.
- Crescent moon symbolizes female.
- Encircled dot is a symbol of fertility.
(e) Medium
Ashanti gold-weights were made of brass
QUESTION 6
Write notes on Gani Oduntokun with particular reference to;
(a) Nationality
(b) Training
(c) General contributions to the development of art
ANSWERS
Nationality
- He was a Nigerian
(b) Training
- He had his elementary and secondary education in Ghana, from where
he started exhibiting artistic talents.
- He came to Nigeria for his university education.
- He studied Fine Art at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria where he
specialized in painting.
- He graduated with a first class honours degree in 1975.
- He obtained his Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in 1979 from
A.B.U. Zaria.
(c) General contributions to the development of art
- He was an artist whose commitment was a source of inspiration to
many contemporary artists.
- He lectured art in his alma-mater from 1976 until his death in 1995.
- As a lecturer, Gani was a teacher and mentor to a good number of
Contemporary Nigerian artists, some of who are also lecturers of
Art e.g. Jerry Buhari, Jarri Jacob, Sani Mu’azu, Lasisi Lamidi.
Until his death, he was the Head of Fine Arts Department at the Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria.
- Gani participated in over thirty-five group and solo exhibitions.
- He executed numerous murals, sculptures, graphics and other
artistic commissions.
- He was a co-founder and leading light of the Zaria based art
Intellectuals known as The Eye Society. A journal, which is dedicated to
addressing issues in contemporary Nigerian art.
- With his art works, he commented on social and political issues.
- He was the National Vice President of Society of Nigerian Artists
QUESTION 7
Define classical Greek art.
State four characteristics of classical Greek sculpture.
- These were art works of the period of excellent and perfection in
Greece.
Art of this period actually reached the highest development i.e. the arts showed
the adventurous and imaginative spirit of the Greece.
(b) Characteristics
- Sculpture was realistic and anatomically accurate.
- Most of the works were produced in marble and stone.
- Figures were delicately carved.
- Figures had smooth skin.
- Movement was introduced into sculpture compositions.
- The works showed freedom of expression
- Some of the figures were in contraposto, which gave balance and
stability.
- Drapery became lighter, finer, more realistic and ideal.
- The women had soft round abdomens, full hips and legs with small
breast.
paintings.
Question 8
State five techniques used by the pre-historic man in his
Candidates should have mentioned some of the following points:
- Simple outline and detail shading to make the image look solid.
- Representation of human and animal forms in profile.
- Engraving and paintings are combined.
- Pecking of outlines or the whole picture.
- Superposition of new paintings (placed over).
- Juxtaposition of new painting (done on either side of the old painting).
- Animals were drawn with realistic accuracy.
- Human forms were abstracted.