To go to any market in West Africa, where the women are swathed in brightly patterned wraps, is to experience an assault on your visual senses. This book, too, is a visual feast, illustrating the richness and diversity of the African textile tradition, and providing designers at all levels with inspiration for their own work. Over thirty textiles from the British Museum's renowned collection are explored in detail : magnificent blue-and-white, indigo-resist-dyed cloths from West Africa ; "mud cloths" from Mali ; the unique warp-striped weaves and ikats from Madagascar ; "adinkra" block-prints and painted "calligraphy" cloths from Ghana and the "adire" cloths from Yorubaland. In his enlightening text John Gillow provides the background information to bring the pieces to life and clearly explains the full range of principle techniques employed. In addition, brief commentaries highlight the design features and a technical glossary supports the main text so you can rely on the book for eye-catching patterns as well as refer to it for specific information. With over 100 colour illustrations.
