THE ARTIST’S

MEDIUM
Miss Ruthasia Samantha S. Dauag
Medium &
Technique
 MEDIUM
• Comes from the Latin word medium, denotes the
means by which an artist communicates his idea.

• Materials which are used by an artist to interpret his

feelings or thoughts.
 Many mediums have been used in creating
different works of art.
• Architect- uses wood, bamboo, bricks, stone, concrete, and various
building materials

• Painter- uses pigments on wood or canvas to recreate reality of nature

• Sculptor- uses steel, marble, bronze, metal, and wood

• Musician- uses instruments to produce and communicate a message

• Literary Writer- uses words

 On the basis of medium, arts are classified as
VISUAL and AUDITORY

Visual Arts
• Are those whose mediums can be seen or and which occupy space.
• These are grouped into two (2) classes:
1. Dimensional or two-dimensional arts
(e.g. Painting, drawing, printmaking, and photography)
2. Three- dimensional arts
(e.g. sculpture, architecture, landscape, community planning,
industrial designs, and crafts like ceramics and furniture)
 On the basis of medium, arts as classified as
VISUAL and AUDITORY
Auditory Arts
• Are those whose mediums can be heard and which are expressed in
time.
• These are music and literature.

Combined Arts
• Are those whose mediums can be both seen and heard; and which
exist in both space and time.
(e.g. dance, opera, drama, and film)
• Along with the music, these are also known as the performing arts, an
art form which depicts a significant event and is presented before an
audience.
 TECHNIQUE
• The manner in which the artist controls his medium to
achieve the desired effect.

• The ability with which the artist fulfills the technical

requirements of his particular work of art.

• Has something to do with the way the artist manipulates

his medium to express his ideas in the artwork.
 THE ARTIST AND HIS MEDIUM
• The artist thinks, feels, and gives shape to his vision in terms of his
medium. When an artist chooses a particular medium, he believes
that his choice can best express the idea he wants to convey.
• At times, an artist employs more than one medium to give meaning
to his creative production.
• Oftentimes, the matter of selecting the medium depends entirely
on the artist himself. He normally selects the materials that can be
handled with ease, that would best suit his plan, and adequately
bring out the qualities he wants to show.
 THE ARTIST AND HIS MEDIUM
• The artist must love, respect, and understand his medium to make it
easier for him to expand his knowledge and improve his skill in his
chosen area.
• The distinctive character of the medium determines the way it can
be worked on and turned into a work of art.
• The nature of each medium determines how a work of art may be
realized.
• Stone must be chiseled; metal must be cast; and wood must be
carved.
 THE ARTIST AND HIS MEDIUM
• Each medium has its own characteristics which determine the
physical appearance of the finished work of art.
• Wood can be carved in great detail according to the talent of the
sculptor. When finished and varnish is applied, it gives a smooth and
glossy finish.
• Stone and marble, transformed into a piece of art, can withstand
the test of time.
THE ARTIST AND HIS TECHNIQUE
• Artists differ from one another in technique even if they
use the same medium.
• A musician’s technique is his ability to make music sound
the way he wants it. For instance, a pianist may sound
different from another pianist even as they handle the
same instrument and play the same musical
composition.
THE ARTIST AND HIS TECHNIQUE
• Technique differs in the various arts. An artist’s
technique in one medium will be quite different from his
technique in another.
• A painter may have a fine technique in watercolor but a
poor one in oil.
• The distinction between an art and craft may be made
on the basis of the technique used.
THE ARTIST AND HIS TECHNIQUE
• For an artist, technique is not the end but the means, while
for the craftsman, technique is the end.
• The making of the piece of sculpture, for example, is not
the same as the making of a chair. While both require
technique, knowledge, and competence, creativity
apparently comes into play in the work of the sculptor.
• Technique, thus, is an important aspect that distinguishes
an art from a craft.
MEDIUMS OF THE
VISUAL ARTS
 Mediums of the Visual Arts
Visual arts are those that can be perceived with our eyes
 PAINTING
• The art of creating meaningful effects on a flat surface
by the use of pigments.
• Different mediums are used in painting. Each medium
(1 ) exerts a pronounced effect on the finished
product; (2) is capable of varied treatment; and
(3) determines its own stroke.
• These mediums are applied to wet plaster, canvas,
wood, or paper.
 WATERCOLOR
• Watercolor is difficult to handle because producing
warm and rich tones using this medium proves to be a
challenge.
• On the contrary, watercolor pigments invite brilliance
an a variety of hues.
• Simple and clear spontaneity is its principal essence.
While changes may be made once the paint has been
applied, such changes normally tend to make the color
less luminous.
 WATERCOLOR
• These effects are rendered by watercolor artists
through some techniques. An example of such
technique is the method of gouache, an opaque
watercolor painting the major effects of which are
caused by the whitepaper itself.
• The gouache is done by mixing zinc white with the
regular watercolor paints to tone them down, giving
the appearance of sobriety suitable for dramatic
purposes.
 FRESCO
• Fresco is a painting method done on a moist plaster surface with
colors ground in water or a limewater mixture.
• Fresco must be done quickly because it is an exacting medium–
the moment the paint is applied to the surface, the color dry into
plaster and the painting becomes an integral part of the wall. The
image becomes permanently fixed and almost impossible to
remove.
• An example of fresco painting is Michaelangelo’s The Creation of
Adam in the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
 TEMPERA
• Tempera paints are mineral pigments mixed with egg yolk or egg
white and ore. This egg-based emulsion binds the pigments of the
surface.
• Tempera is characterized by its film-forming properties and rapid
drying rate.
• It requires a more deliberate technique than oil because it does
not possess the flexibility of oil.
• Throughout the Middle Ages and early Renaissance, tempera was
one of the favorite mediums of many painters before oil was
adopted.
 TEMPERA
• Tempera painting is usually done on wooden panel made very
smooth with plaster called “gesso” (chalk and gum).
• Since this medium dries quickly, corrections are difficult to make.
Thus, the artist must be precise and exact in his work.
• It is a well-designed medium for careful detail.
• One distinguishing advantage of tempera is its luminous tone– the
color being clear and beautiful.
 PASTEL
• Pastel is a stick of dried paste made of pigment ground with chalk
and compounded with gum water.
• It is a very flexible medium whose colors are luminous.
• In spite of the richness and varied effects yields, pastels are less
popular than the other mediums because it is difficult to preserve
the finished product in its original state.
• Some artists use a fixing medium or a protecting surface such as
glass, but when the chalk rubs off, the image loses some of its
brilliance.
 ENCAUSTIC
• Encaustic is one of the early mediums used by the Egyptians for
painting portraits on mummy cases.
• This is done by applying wax colors fixed with heat.
• Painting with wax produces luster and radiance, making subjects
appear at their best in portraits.
 OIL
• Oil painting is one of the most expensive art activities today
because of the prohibitive cost of materials.
• It is the heaviest of the painting mediums.
• In oil painting, pigments are mixed with linseed oil and applied to
the canvas.
• One good quality of oil paint as a medium is its flexibility. The
artist may use a brush, palette knife, or even his bare hands when
applying paint on his canvas.
• In some cases, we do not even notice the artist’s strokes because
the paint on applied very smoothly.
 OIL
• One distinctive characteristic of oil paint, compared with other
mediums, is that it dries slowly and the painting may be changed
and worked over for a long period of time. Because of this, it is
possible to apply a great deal of corrections without much
difficulty.
• Painting done in oil appears glossy and lasts long.
 ACRYLIC
• Acrylic is medium used popularly by contemporary painters
because of the transparency and quick-drying characteristics of
watercolor and the flexibility of oil combined.
• This synthetic paint is mixed with acrylic emulsion as binder for
coating the surface of the artwork.
• Acrylic paints do not tend to break easily, unlike oil paints which
turn yellowish or darker over a period of time.
 MOSAIC
• Mosaic is the art of putting together small pieces of colored
stones or glass called “tesserae” to create an image.
• The tesserae are most often cut into squares and glued on a
surface with plaster or cement.
• Mosaic is usually classified as painting, although the medium used
is not strictly pigment.
• Mosaic art is an important feature of Byzantine churches. A
prominent religious artwork in Manila done in mosaic is found in
the altar of Sta. Cruz Church. It shows a wounded white lamb,
symbolizing Christ, with a stream that flows down directly to the
tabernacle.
 STAINED GLASS
• Stained glass as an artwork is common in Gothic cathedrals and
churches.
• It is made by combining small pieces of colored glass, held
together by bands of lead. It is also a kind of patchwork.
• In large windows, the lead is reinforced by heavy iron bars that
form heavy black lines in the picture. The pictures in the stained
glass commonly depict the lives of saints and in effect, also serve
as a means of religious instruction among Christians. Beautiful
stained-glass windows showing scenes from the Bible are
commonly found in Philippine churches.
 TAPESTRY
• Tapestry is a fabric produced by hand-weaving colored threads
upon a warp.
• The woven designs often end up as pictorials, wall hangings, and
furniture covering.
• During the Middle Ages, they were hung on the walls of palaces
and in cathedrals on festive occasions to provide warmth.
 DRAWING
• Drawing is usually done in paper using pencil, pen and ink, or
charcoal.
• It is the most fundamental of all skills necessary in arts.
• Drawing has always been considered as a very good training for
artists because it makes one concentrate on the use of line.
• Shading can also be used to make drawings more life-like and
realistic.
• Some of the world’s best-known drawings are by the Italian artist
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). He drew everything from animals
and birds to ideas for flying machines.
 PENCIL, PEN & INK, & CHARCOAL
• Drawing can be done with different kinds of mediums, the most
common of which is pencil.
• Pencil leads (graphite) are graded in different degrees of hardness
or softness. Grades are chosen depending on the kind of drawing
the artist will undertake. For linework, hard pencil lead is applied.
When working on a granular surface, soft pencils are used
because they invite effects of mass and a texture of gray.
• Ink, one of the oldest mediums still in use, offers a great variety of
qualities, depending on the tools and techniques used in
application.
 PENCIL, PEN & INK, & CHARCOAL
• India Ink, which comes in liquid form, is the favorite medium of
comic strip illustrators and cartoonists.
• Chinese Ink, meanwhile, comes in solid sticks that are dissolved in
water before they are used.
• Charcoal is a carbonaceous material obtained by heating wood or
other organic substances in the absence of oxygen. It is used in
representing broad masses of light and shadow.
• Like drawing pencils, soft charcoal produces the darkest value,
while the hardest produces the lightest tone.
 BISTRE
Briste is a brown pigment extracted from the
soot of wood, and often used in pen and wash
drawings.
 CRAYONS
• Crayons are pigments bound by wax and compressed
into painted sticks used for drawing.
• It is especially popular among children in the
elementary grades.
• Crayons adhere better on paper surface.
 SILVERPOINT
• To produce a silverpoint artwork, the artist uses a
silver stylus to produce a thin grayish on specially
prepared paper.
• Silverpoint drawings were popular during the
Renaissance period.
 PRINTMAKING
• A print is anything printed on a surface that is a direct result from
the duplication process.
• The painting or graphic image, usually done in black ink on white
paper, becomes the artist’s plate.
• Some calendar pictures and Christmas cards are reproduced
through printing.
• One of the advantages of printmaking is the ease with which one
can make multiple copies of the original drawing.
 LITHOGRAPHY
• Lithography is a surface printing done from an almost smooth
surface which has been treated chemically or mechanically so that
some surface areas will print and others will not.
• Lithographic painting, known as planographic process, involves
the process in which grease repels water and fatty substances
stick to each other.
• The artist draws his design using a greasy crayon of pencil on a
slab of special limestone or a zinc plate. The drawing is then fixed
with an acid solution. Afterwards, a greasy ink is spread all over
the surface area with a roller.
• A print can then be made by pressing any piece of paper on the
plate.
 SCULPTURE
• In choosing a subject for sculpture, the most important
thing to consider is the material.
• The materials available for sculpture are limitless. Each
of these materials presents a challenge to the
sculptor’s creativity.
 STONE
• Stone is the hard and brittle substance formed from
mineral and earth material.
• The finished product is granular and dull in
appearance.
• Stones are normally used for gravestones in
cemeteries.
• Stones include sandstone, granite, basalt, marble, and
limestone.
 STONE
• Granite- is a granular igneous rock composed of feldspar and
quartz, usually combined with other minerals. This medium is
quite difficult to chisel. It is good for large works with only few
designs. The Egyptian sculptures of Pharaohs were mostly done in
granite.

• Marble- is limestone in a more or less crystalline state sufficiently

close in texture, and capable of taking a high polish. It occurs in
many varieties.
 STONE
• Breciated Marble- is composed of angular fragments.
• Serpentine Marble- is prized for its variegated patterns and is
often used in large flat planes.
• Marble is easier to carve granite because I is relatively softer.
• Sculptors have used marble for detailed carving of figures.
• Sandstone is relatively soft, making it easy to work on.
• Basalt is hard and black.
• Limestone has a fine and even texture. Its color ranges from light
cream to buff, and from light gray to a darker, bluish gray. It lends
very well to carving.
 JADE
• Jade is a fine stone, usually colored green, and used widely in
Ancient China.
• It is highly esteemed as an ornamental stone for carving and
fashion jewelry.
• Today, it is made into women’s fashion accessories because it
carries certain social significance.
• It is believed to symbolize virtues such as faithfulness, wisdom,
and charity.
 IVORY
• Ivory, which comes from the main parts of tusks of elephants, is
the hard white substance used to make carvings and billiard balls.
• In the home of some well-to-do families in the Philippines, faces
and hands of images of saints are made of ivory.
• The bodies are made of carved and painted wood.
 METALS
• Metals include any of a class of elementary substances such as
gold, silver, or copper, all of which are crystalline when solid and
many which are characterized by capacity, ductility, conductivity,
and peculiar luster when freshly fractured.
• Being ductile, metals can be transformed into fine wires or
threads.
• They can be shaped or deformed under great pressure without
breaking.
• Traditionally, the metals used as mediums for sculpture are
copper, brass, bronze, gold, silver, and lead. Aluminum is a
recent addition to the list.
 METALS
• Bronze- one of the oldest alloys of metal composed chiefly of
copper and tin with color. It is one of the most popular metals for
cast sculpture. Bronze as a material is strong, durable, and
resistant to any atmospheric corrosion. It is best suited for
sculptures in open or outdoor places like parks and plazas as well
as for large-scale modeling. Polishing will give the bronze
sculpture a shiny finish.
 METALS
• Brass- an alloy of copper and zinc, is not popularly used by
contemporary artists because of its limitations as a medium. It
has many practical uses, as brass does not rust and takes a
brilliant polish.

• Copper- has a peculiar brilliance, is used as a costing medium. It

is basically shaped by hammering and fashioned into relief forms.
The rich reddish color and strength offer many possibilities to te
sculptor and the craftsman. One characteristic of this medium is
the resistance to atmospheric corrosion.
 METALS
• Gold and Silver- are used as casting materials for small objects
like medals, coins, and pieces of jewelry. Because they are quite
expensive, they are used either for personal accessories or for
religious adornments.

• Lead- a bluish-gray metal, is used for casting and forging. It is a

flexible and permanent material. With the help of a welding torch
iron, it can be worked into a variety of unique and exciting forms.
 PLASTER
• Plaster is composed of lime, sand, and water.
• It is worked on an armature of metal wires and rods in
addition to various materials and fibers.
• It is applied on walls and ceilings and allowed to
harden and dry.
• The medium is used extensively in making manikins,
models, molds, architectural decoration, and other
indoor sculpture.
 CLAY
• Clay is a natural earthly material that is plastic when wet.
• It consists essentially of hydrated silicates of aluminum and is
used for making bricks and ceramics.
• Clay is generally fragile so it becomes necessary to cast it in
another durable material.
• The surface of the finished product made of clay may be painted
or glazed.
• Earthware, commonly referred to as terra cotta or “baked earth”,
is cheap compared with stone or bronze.
 CLAY
• Brilliant cloves are made possible by glazing.
• Like all pottery, terra cotta is easily broken.
• As a medium for sculptor, it has been used during the
early times.
• Most oriental sculpture come in the form f terra cotta.
 GLASS
• Glass is a medium that is hard, brittle, non-crystalline,
more or less transparent substances produced by
fusion, usually consisting of mutually dissolved silica
and silicates and contains soda and lime. It can be
molded in various colors and shapes. It is used to make
beautiful but fragile figurines.
 WOOD
• Wood as a medium is easier to carve than any other mediums available
because it can be subjected into a variety of treatment.
• It is lighter and softer to carve despite having greater tensile strength
than stone; hence, it can be used in long pieces without breaking.
• The character of the grain and the color of the wood are the most
important qualities that the sculptor considers in choosing what kind of
wood he will use.
• Wood should be treated to preserve its quality.
• Common wood used for sculpture are dapdap, white lauan, oak, walnut,
mahogany, narra, and dao. They are selected for aesthetic purposes and
permanence.
 ARCHITECTURE
• Architecture is an art.
• In its strictest meaning, it is the art of designing abuilding and supervising
its construction.
• It may also be regarded as the procedure assisted with the conception of
an idea and its realization in terms of building materials.
• In its broader meaning, architecture is producing shelter to serve as
protection od men in carrying out his activities– work, recreation, and
sleep.
• One of the primary purposes of architecture is to fulfill man’s needs.
 ARCHITECTURE
One of the primary purposes of architecture is to fulfill man’s needs.
These needs include:

1. Physical Needs- shelter (for self-preservation and reproduction) which

must have the necessities (kitchen, bedroom, bathroom) and comfort
(heat, ventilation, furnishing.)
2. Emotional Needs- endowed with rich beauty and interest.
3. Intelectual Needs- a building for science, education, government, etc.
4. Physical Needs
a. For recognition, prestige, civic, and personal– places, skyscrapers,
cathedrals, public buildings, monuments, etc.
b. For response– due to love, friendship, and sociability (fraternal
buildings, city clubs, banquet halls, ballrooms, living rooms)
 FACTORS IN THE CHOICE AND USE OF
ARCHITECTURAL MATERIALS
There are various factors to be considered in the choice and use of
architectural materials. These are:

1. Structural Property: workability with tools when used as construction

materials
a. Compressive strength e. Durability
b. Tensile strength f. Rigidity
c. Porosity g. Gracefulness
d. Lightness h. Flexibility of use
 FACTORS IN THE CHOICE AND USE OF
ARCHITECTURAL MATERIALS
There are various factors to be considered in the choice and use of
architectural materials. These are:

2. Physical Property: use of the material for aesthetic purposes

a. Texture
b. Tonal quality
c. Color
 FACTORS IN THE CHOICE AND USE OF
ARCHITECTURAL MATERIALS
There are various factors to be considered in the choice
and use of architectural materials. These are:
3. Weakness of the Material:
a. Rotting d. Discoloration
b. Corrosion due to moisture e. Solar radiation
c. Susceptibility to infection by f. Fungus growth
wood-boring weevils,
termites, and other pests
 FACTORS IN THE CHOICE AND USE OF
ARCHITECTURAL MATERIALS
There are various factors to be considered in the choice and use of
architectural materials. These are:

4. Longevity of the Material– Lifespan of the Material

a. 10 years c. Half a century

b. 20 years d. More than a century
 FACTORS IN THE CHOICE AND USE OF
ARCHITECTURAL MATERIALS
There are various factors to be considered in the choice
and use of architectural materials. These are:

5. Other Inherent Properties

a. Weight d. Acoustic Values
b. Water Resistance e. Availability
c. Heat Resistance f. Economy
 Classification of Architectural Materials
(Salvan, 1999)
Materials used in Architecture are classified into
three:
1. The Materials found in nature (direct product of
nature)
2. Materials Manufactures or made by man
3. Indigenous Materials
 MATERIALS FOUND IN NATURE
• These materials are direct products of nature, given as
gift to man.
• Often, these materials may be used directly without
preliminary work of any kind, only requiring shaping
and at times, minor conditioning.
• Examples of these materials are stone (granite,
sandstone, marble, limestone) and wood.
 MATERIALS FOUND IN NATURE
STONE
• One of the oldest and perhaps the most permanent building material.
• It is used in most of the great architectures of the world.
• Concrete is a building material made of sand and gravel mixed with
cement. Like stone, it has high compressive strength. It doesn’t easily
crumble or break down when subjected to heavy weight. It does not
corrode and is fire resistant. For stronger structures, ferro-concrete is
used. It is concrete reinforced with steel.
 STONE
A.LIMESTONE
• This type of stone has a fine, even texture.
• Its color ranges from a light cream to a buff and from a
light gray to a darker, bluish gray.
• It is most useful in walls and exterior parts of the
building and lends itself very well to carving.
 STONE
B. GRANITE
• This is a coarse-grained stone useful for large, bold forms
with little carving.
• It is the hardest and the most durable of the types of stones.
• It is often applied to base courses where protection is
desired.
• When polished, it is commonly used as shafts or columns
with limestone or terra cotta capitals and bases.
• The nature of this material makes it very adaptable to
monumental work.
 STONE
C. MARBLE
• This is metamorphosed limestone which is capable of
taking a polish
• There are two (2) types of this material:
a. Brecciated Marble- consists of angular fragments
b. Serpentine Marble- characterized by its variegated patterns
and often used in larger flat planes.
 STONE
D. SANDSTONE
• Consists of various colors from white to different tints
of red, brown, blue, or gray.
• Widely use in buildings which have informal character
than informal ones.
• Much easier to quarry and shape than the other
stones.
• Can be found in structures of the earlier years up to
present.
 MATERIALS FOUND IN NATURE
WOOD
• Not a permanent material, but with proper care, it can last for a century.
• Common building material before the 90s.
• Owes its popularity to its abundance, relative durability, and high tensile
and compression strength.
• However, it can be easily destroyed by moisture, insects, and fire when
unprotected.
• Plywood, a new material, has greatly improved the structural possibilities
of wood. It is stronger than other wood products. It is cheap and also
readily available.
 MATERIALS MANUFACTURED BY MAN
• This type of materials constitutes the majority of building materials.
• It requires the manipulation of man before it acquires its finished form.
• Clay is a product of nature, but as a new product, it must be processed so
that it can be used in architecture.
• Examples of man-made architectural materials: ceramics (bricks, tiles, terra
cotta, glass), metal (bronze, wrought iron, copper, lead, chrome-nickel steel,
nickel silvers), concrete (hollow blocks, washout stones, synthetic cement),
and plastics.
 MATERIALS MANUFACTURED BY MAN
1. CERAMIC MATERIALS
• Clay
• Glass
 MATERIALS MANUFACTURED BY MAN
2. METALS
• In the early years, objects of iron and other metals
were cast in form.
• Today, rolling and pressing are considered as the most
important methods in manufacturing metal products.
 METALS
Common Metals Used in Architecture
a. Bronze
• Its permanency and beauty are very prominent in
architectural features.
• Popularly used for banking screens, doors and grills,
and hardware and lighting features
• Can be found in numerous textures and colors.
 METALS
Common Metals Used in Architecture
b. Wrought Iron
• Elastic and fibrous
• Worked upon the anvil while it’s cooling.
• Used for brackets, grills. Hinges, locks, gates, and
balconies.
• Iron bars, rods, and plates are heated and then
hammered and twisted into attenuated forms.
 METALS
Common Metals Used in Architecture
c. Copper
• Ductile and is adaptable for cornices, spandrels, and
roofing.
• Has protective green carbonated upon its surface
which gives an interesting quality to the material.
 METALS
Common Metals Used in Architecture
d. Chrome-nickel-steel
• A hard, non-corrosive metal which can lend itself to
welding, stamping, and forging.
• It may be polished or left dull.
• It is used in interiors for doors, panels, grills or railings.
 METALS
Common Metals Used in Architecture
e. Aluminum
• A white metal noted for its lightness.
• Non-corrosive and non-staining and can be cast or
forged into various shapes to produce a desired design.
• Used for shop fronts, doors, grills, hardware, and
exterior covering.
 METALS
Common Metals Used in Architecture
f. Monel Metal
• A mixture of nickel and copper wit an addition of iron,
silica, and manganese, giving an appearance that
resembles that of a nickel.
• Non-corrosive metal.
• Generally used for doors, grills, balustrades, and
screens.
 METALS
Common Metals Used in Architecture
g. Nickel Silvers
• Soft, has a dull texture, and combines well with marble
and wood for stylistic types of architecture.
• It is most ideal forinterior work.
 MATERIALS MANUFACTURED BY MAN
3. Concrete Materials
• These are becoming more and more favored among
architectural building materials because of their
availability, durability, and flexibility.
• This has high strength, and a surface and texture
capable of contributing to the aesthetic quality of
building.
 MATERIALS MANUFACTURED BY MAN
4. Plastics
• Opened up new architectural forms and designs due to its versatility.
• These may be sowed, cut, bent, drilled, and treated.
• They can also be molded, cast, extruded, and laminated depending upon
their composition or use.
• Cast plastics may come as sheets, rods, strips, cylinders, and cones and
can be used for walls, ceilings, and doors.
• Strips of the materials can be bent into table legs, chair backs, or light
reflectors.
• Laminated plastics are thin sheets of synthetic materilas veneered to a
plywood or fiberboard vase and regarded for decorative or functional
purposes. They are capable of resisting water, acid, fire, or wear.
 INDIGENOUS MATERIALS
• These are founded in the locality and are widely used in
architecture.
• Some of the indigenous materials are sawali, coco coir (trunks,
leaves, husk), bagasse, abaca, bamboo, palm frond stems, earth
and mud bricks, cane wood (rattan), rice husk, and cogon.
 INDIGENOUS MATERIALS
1. Sawali- Comes from the outer covering of bamboo poles. It is woven
into mats and ideal for cement backing.
 INDIGENOUS MATERIALS
2. Coco Coir- This by-product of coconut is used to minimize the use of
cement and as sandwich panels for insulation.
 INDIGENOUS MATERIALS
3. Bagasse- This is a sugar cane waste used for insulation or cement
backing.
 INDIGENOUS MATERIALS
4. Bamboo- Has a low degree of elasticity, low concrete adhesion, and wide
variable moisture content. This is very useful in architectural forms and
designs, mainly as reinforcement to concrete. The use of bamboo
materials can lead to substantial savings and increased employment in
the locality. Bamboo materials are mostly found in Nueva Viscaya and
Isabela.
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5. Abaca- A fiber material obtained from the leafstalk of a banana plant.
Most of these materials are found in the Bicol region.
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7. Palm frond stems- This material is often used for non-structural panels,
walls, screens, and bases of houses. Despite being widely used, it is
susceptible to termites and have to be replaced every 4 to 5 years. To
raise its life span to 15 years and above, tis material must be treated with
anti-termite chemical like solignum or the structure must be raised above
the ground.
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6. Mud Bricks- This material is brittle, has less strength, and cannot stand
up well to tension. However, it is the choice of building material in places
with hot, dry climates due to its low thermal conductivity.