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Article Open Access January 23, 2026

Synthesising Stage Blood Using Ghanaian Indigenous Materials: From Material Scarcity to Artistic Self-Reliance

Johnson Kwaku Edu 1, Sika Koomson 1,* and Solace Emefa Adzei 2
1
Department of Theatre Arts, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
2
Department of Graphic Design, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana
Publihed in: Current Research in Public Health (Volume 6, Issue 1, 2026)
Page(s): 1-14
DOI: 10.31586/jad.2026.6251
Received
November 19, 2025
Revised
December 30, 2025
Accepted
January 21, 2026
Published
January 23, 2026
Keywords
Stage Blood; Indigenous Materials; Special Effects Makeup; Appropriate Technology; Cassava Starch; Sustainable Theatre
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright: Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by Scientific Publications
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Cite This Article

APA Style
Edu, J. K. , Koomson, S. , & Adzei, S. E. (2026). Synthesising Stage Blood Using Ghanaian Indigenous Materials: From Material Scarcity to Artistic Self-Reliance. Current Research in Public Health, 6(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.31586/jad.2026.6251
ACS Style
Edu, J. K. ; Koomson, S. ; Adzei, S. E. Synthesising Stage Blood Using Ghanaian Indigenous Materials: From Material Scarcity to Artistic Self-Reliance. Current Research in Public Health 2026 6(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.31586/jad.2026.6251
Chicago/Turabian Style
Edu, Johnson Kwaku, Sika Koomson, and Solace Emefa Adzei. 2026. "Synthesising Stage Blood Using Ghanaian Indigenous Materials: From Material Scarcity to Artistic Self-Reliance". Current Research in Public Health 6, no. 1: 1-14. https://doi.org/10.31586/jad.2026.6251
AMA Style
Edu JK, Koomson S, Adzei SE. Synthesising Stage Blood Using Ghanaian Indigenous Materials: From Material Scarcity to Artistic Self-Reliance. Current Research in Public Health. 2026; 6(1):1-14. https://doi.org/10.31586/jad.2026.6251 
@Article{crph6251,
AUTHOR = {Edu, Johnson Kwaku and Koomson, Sika and Adzei, Solace Emefa},
TITLE = {Synthesising Stage Blood Using Ghanaian Indigenous Materials: From Material Scarcity to Artistic Self-Reliance},
JOURNAL = {Current Research in Public Health},
VOLUME = {6},
YEAR = {2026},
NUMBER = {1},
PAGES = {1-14},
URL = {https://www.scipublications.com/journal/index.php/JAD/article/view/6251},
ISSN = {2831-5162},
DOI = {10.31586/jad.2026.6251},
ABSTRACT = {This study addresses the critical challenge of material scarcity within Ghana’s creative industries by pioneering the synthesis of professional-grade stage blood from indigenous, locally-sourced materials. In the context of Ghanaian theatre and film, practitioners face significant barriers due to the high cost and limited availability of imported special effects products, often resulting in the use of inadequate substitutes that compromise aesthetic realism, safety, and narrative authenticity. This paper responds by exploring the potential of cassava starch, tapioca, kenkey dough, and fufu wax. Grounded in Schumacher’s theory of Appropriate Technology, the paper reframes indigenous resources not as inferior alternatives but as technologically and contextually appropriate solutions that align with Ghana’s economic, environmental, and social realities. The study provides detailed, reproducible recipes for both flowing and clotted blood variants, validated through practical application in simulated special effects such as gunshot wounds and deep-tissue scars. These formulations meet key performance criteria: visual fidelity under theatrical and cinematic conditions, controlled viscosity, ease of application and removal, and performer safety. Beyond technical innovation, this research contributes to shifting academic and professional discourse from dependency and scarcity toward resourcefulness, sustainability, and artistic self-reliance. It offers a practical framework for reducing production costs, enhancing the quality of visual storytelling, and fostering local value chains within Ghana’s growing creative economy.},
}
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%U https://www.scipublications.com/journal/index.php/JAD/article/view/6251

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AB  - This study addresses the critical challenge of material scarcity within Ghana’s creative industries by pioneering the synthesis of professional-grade stage blood from indigenous, locally-sourced materials. In the context of Ghanaian theatre and film, practitioners face significant barriers due to the high cost and limited availability of imported special effects products, often resulting in the use of inadequate substitutes that compromise aesthetic realism, safety, and narrative authenticity. This paper responds by exploring the potential of cassava starch, tapioca, kenkey dough, and fufu wax. Grounded in Schumacher’s theory of Appropriate Technology, the paper reframes indigenous resources not as inferior alternatives but as technologically and contextually appropriate solutions that align with Ghana’s economic, environmental, and social realities. The study provides detailed, reproducible recipes for both flowing and clotted blood variants, validated through practical application in simulated special effects such as gunshot wounds and deep-tissue scars. These formulations meet key performance criteria: visual fidelity under theatrical and cinematic conditions, controlled viscosity, ease of application and removal, and performer safety. Beyond technical innovation, this research contributes to shifting academic and professional discourse from dependency and scarcity toward resourcefulness, sustainability, and artistic self-reliance. It offers a practical framework for reducing production costs, enhancing the quality of visual storytelling, and fostering local value chains within Ghana’s growing creative economy.
DO  - Synthesising Stage Blood Using Ghanaian Indigenous Materials: From Material Scarcity to Artistic Self-Reliance
TI  - 10.31586/jad.2026.6251
ER  -