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How did African artists finish and decorate carved wooden surfaces?

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raffia-fiber cloth — African art Raffia-fiber cloth, made by the Kuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, mid-20th century; in the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

African artists employ several techniques to finish and decorate carved wooden surfaces, often utilizing the natural properties of the wood and local materials to achieve specific textures and colors.

Surface Finishing

To refine the surface of a sculpture, artists may polish the wood using the side of a knife or sand it down with rough leaves. While some carvings are left with a faceted, chiseled appearance—created by the precise use of an adz—others are smoothed to create a uniform finish.12

Decoration and Coloring

Artists use various methods to enhance details or alter the color of the wood:
* Charring: Details are often picked out by charring the surface with a red-hot knife, a technique notably used by the Ibibio people of Nigeria.1
* Darkening: To achieve a dark surface, some carvings are immersed in mud before being oiled, a practice observed among the Dan people of Côte d’Ivoire.1
* Oiling: Following treatments like mud immersion, the application of oil helps preserve and finish the wood, contributing to the final aesthetic of the piece.1