INDUSTRIAL TRAINING CONDUCTED AT THE MARGARET TROWELL SCHOOL OF INDUSTRIAL AND F

INE ART (THE JEWELLERY DEPARTMENT) AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY.

P.O. BOX 7062 KAMPALA, UGANDA

BY:
NAMYALO SANDRA
REG NO: 06/U/1138
STD NO: 206000048

SUPERVISED BY:
MS. KASOZI DORAH
INDUSTRIAL TRAINING REPORT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE AWARD OF A B
ACHELOR’S DEGREE IN INDUSTRIAL AND FINE ARTS AT MAKERERE UNIVERSITY.

JUNE-AUGUST 2008
DECLARATION
I, Namyalo Sandra, declare that this work was solely done out of my efforts and
has not been submitted by anyone or myself to any other institution. It has been
based on the period that I have spent in the field of training.
Signature: ………………………………………
Date: ……………………………………………….

Supervisor
Name: ………………………………………………..
Signature: …………………………………………..
Date: …………………………………………….

DEDICATION

This work is wholeheartedly dedicated to my ever loving parents, Mr and Mrs. Kij
jambu as well as my sisters, Samalie, Sheila, Stephie and Ivy who have provided
for, guided and encouraged me hence making me what I am today.
I would like to also dedicate it to the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial an
d Fine Art for all their efforts in making me what I am in the academic field. T
his is in reference to both the teaching and non teaching staff.
Last but not least, I dedicate it to all my friends, at the Margaret Trowell Sch
ool of Industrial and Fine Arts and without.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First and foremost, I would like to thank my dearest parents, Mr and Mrs. Kijjam
bu, who have empowered me with the chance of a fruitful education and guided me
in all my endeavours. Hence making me what I am today.
Next on the list are my sisters: Samalie, Sheila, Stephanie and Ivy who have kep
t me cheerful and pushed me forward with zeal to help me achieve my goal.
I would also like to thank Madam Dora who has sacrificed her valuable time as we
ll as given me the chance to train under wing.
Lastly, I would like to thank the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine
Art for the knowledge it has imparted in me which has also made my training pos
sible.
INTRODUCTION
Industrial training is where students relate the courses they study to the indus
trial and commercial set up of their community.
At the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Fine Art at Makerere University
, students of year two are expected to undergo industrial training during recess
term which at the end of semester two. Students are expected to look for placem
ent out in the field and undergo training there.
It is such training that equips one with different skills and knowledge and give
s chance to students to relate the knowledge attained at the School and what tak
es place in the community/field.
The training too is supposed to improve on the already acquired skills of the st
udents and test their confidence as it opens them to workmates, clients as well
as other trainees.
A report at the end of the training is expected and its purpose is to share ex
periences attained in the field of training with whoever would wish to have the
information.
In addition to the above, evidence is required to show that one underwent the tr
aining.

BACKGROUND
The Margaret Trowell School of industrial and fine arts was a result of the chan
ging trends on African art. The school started in 1936 and was named after its f
ounder, Margaret Trowell, an artist, painter and educationist.
According to Judith on Miller, in her book, Art in East Africa, “A guide to contem
porary art,” the school started as soon as Margaret Trowell started offering art l
essons on the verandah of her home in Lweza as early as 1936.
In the years that followed, Margaret Trowell with the guidance from the Slade Sc
hool of art of the University of London and through her own effort expanded and
established the art programme at Makerere College, leading to the award of a Tea
cher’s certificate in 1948 and later on, a four year full time diploma of art cour
se at Makerere University. This diploma was awarded for the first time in 1958.
Although this strategy changed when Cecil Todd her successor was appointed in 19
56-1972, Trowell’s contribution towards the development of art in the region was i
mmense and to recognize her for the effort, the school of fine art was named aft
er her. Todd expanded the school with new staff and courses that emphasized acad
emic elements and principles of art. He also exposed his students to the art of
the world.
The fine art school shared a special relationship with the Slade school art of t
he University of London. Within this tie, Makerere degrees were validated by Lon
don University. This arrangement however, ended in 1963, paving way for the inau
guration of the university of East Africa constituted by Makerere, Dar-es-salaam
and Nairobi universities. Seven years later, this alliance collapsed with each
university moving in its direction. Later on, the Margaret Trowell School of Fin
e Art was made an independent department within Makerere University.
In 1969, a degree in fine art was introduced along with the diploma, the later y
ear, which is 1970; the first PhD in fine art was awarded. Since then a number o
f students have been taking up post graduate studies at MTSIFA, among them inclu
de; Dr.Venny Nakazibwe, Dr.Kyeyune, Dr.A.P.Yiga, and others.
From the time of the break up of the alliance that the University of East Africa
, the school of fine arts did not experience major changes. 1995 marked the expa
nsion of the school curriculum to incorporate industrial art components and this
necessitated a change of name from the Margaret Trowell School of fine art, to
the Margaret Trowell School of Industrial and Iine arts (MTSIFA).
Prior to this change, the school had operated amorphously between a department a
nd faculty. Today, MTSIFA, with a faculty status, is run under the following dep
artments: (1) Painting and History, (2) Industrial Arts and Design, and (3) Scul
pture and drawing. Within these departments, the following course units are offe
red; painting, drawing, sculpture, fashion design, photography, textile design,
weaving Advertising and Communication design, Art history print making, illustra
tion, ceramics.
Initially, the school was planned and built to accommodate a few students from a
ll the common wealth countries in Africa, but with time, the number of students
alarmingly short up.

OBJECTIVES
To impart skills
To explore one’s creativity
To explore the various techniques
AIMS
To improve on the already acquired jewellery skills and techniques through the i
ndustrial training at the Jewellery Department at Makerere University.
To explore the creative mind of the trainee.
To give more knowledge and skills to the trainee
To train in the area of future specialisation.
To make new friends.
To know how people conduct themselves in new places and situations.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

Tools included: dapping tools, hammer, nails, soldering gun, mallet, scissors, c
rucibles, small buckets, filers, jewellery saw frame, g-clamps, bench pegs to me
ntion but a few.

Materials: water, acid, sheet metal, wire, bottle tops, buttons, solder, flux, s
and paper and the list continues.
METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
These included:
solar piercing
soldering
riveting
doming
cutting
filing
inlay technique

One of the projects entailed creating two sets of bling with each consisting of
earrings, a neckpiece/big pendant and a belt using the inlay technique. These tw
o sets were to be inspired by car tyres from cars at the Margaret Trowell School
of Industrial and Fine Art.
First and foremost, research about car tyres had to be carried out so as to ass
ist in their documentation where pictures of tyres in question were also a nec
essity.
The acquired pictures of tyres were to provide ideas from which jewellery design
s could be derived. From the various designs created, particular ones were chose
n which were then marked out on the metal sheet (brass).
The next step was to carry out solar piercing in accordance to the design, which
involves cutting of the smaller details of the design from the metal sheet (bra
ss).After that, the overall design is eventually cut out from the metal sheet.
The overall design is soldered onto another piece of metal sheet. Soldering is t
he technique where flux is applied to two clean pieces of metal sheet which are
later joined permanently using a metal alloy called solder.
The riveting technique was also employed to join bigger pieces together especial
ly where soldering was proving difficult. With this method, small strips of wire
are used to hold pieces of metal sheet together. But it can also be used as a d
ecoration technique.
Doming was also done so as to form the semi – domes that are used on one of the se
ts of bling made out of the brass metal. The semi-domes are soldered onto the br
ass design.
After accomplishing the riveting and soldering techniques, the overall design wa
s again cut out and cleaned up. For the clean up, acid and water, sand paper and
/or filers were used.
Last but not least was the inlay technique where in this case charcoal was used
to create the black inlay in the jewellery produced.

The other entailed changing trash into treasure and this quest involved producin
g jewellery from:
• bottle tops
• buttons
• Pieces of a gourd.
For the bottle top project,

CHALLENGES
Achieving the soldering technique as required.
Exploring the creative mind exhaustively
Shaping and filing of the bottle tops
Being the only trainee in the Jewellery department hence did not have the chance
to have my creative spirit challenged to make it better.
Difficulty in financing the buying of some of the tools and materials.
Financial demands for transport since it was holiday time which meant coming fro
m home.
Getting another material to use for the project of ‘From Scrap to Treasures’, becau
e the options were really many.
EVIDENCE AT WORK
PLATE 1

PLATE 2

PLATE 1: Selected design drawn onto brass sheet metal.

PLATE 2: Details of the inner design have been cut out.
PLATE 3

PLATE 4

PLATE 3: The trainee is cutting out the eventual overall design.

PLATE 4: Eventual design with details cut out of the brass sheet metal.

PLATE 5
PLATE 6

PLATE 5: A neckpiece design that has been soldered onto another brass sheet meta
l.
PLATE 6: Neckpieces with inlay technique and chains attached.

PLATE 7

A set of jewellery created using the inlay technique consisting of a neckpiece,

earrings and a belt.

PLATE 8

A model wearing finished products of jewellery.

PLATE 9

PLATE 10
PLATE 9: Designs from bottle tops that guided the eventual design.
PLATE10: Jewellery derived from bottle tops.

PLATE 11

Buttons selected as source of inspiration.

PLATE 12

PLATE 13
PLATE 12: A set of jewellery derived from buttons.
PLATE 13: A model wearing jewellery made from buttons.
SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Improve on the available facilities and equipment in the Jewellery Depar
tment.
2. Encourage other jewellery students to train in this field.
3. Provide more equipment for both students and trainees.
4. Thanks to Ms Dorah for her guidance as well as the Margaret Trowell Scho
ol of Industrial and Fine Art for granting me the privilege to under take my ind
ustrial training from there.

CONCLUSION
The training basically aimed at improving the already acquired skills, e
quipping me with more knowledge as well as granting me the opportunity to explor
e the creative world with a little less pressure.
It has opened my eyes to the fact that jewellery can be created from alm
ost anything as seen from the project of ‘From Trash to Treasures’.