By Jim Gilbert and Karin Clark
Master the Building Blocks of Pacific Northwest Coast Formline Design
Learning by Designing Pacific Northwest Coast Native Indian Art: Volume 1, by Jim Gilbert and Karin Clark, is a comprehensive reference and step-by-step instruction manual for learning how Pacific Northwest Coast designs are constructed.
With 800 detailed illustrations, this book takes you from fundamental formline elements through increasingly complex designs, making it useful for beginners, experienced artists, teachers and students.
Learn how the design system works—not simply how to copy a finished image
Explore formlines, ovoids, U shapes, S shapes, heads, body parts and design formation, with hundreds of examples showing how these elements work together to create complete designs.
Step-by-step instructions and detailed illustrations help you simplify complex designs, and understand how they are constructed. Learn through creating by exploring how individual design elements work together.
The book also provides a detailed comparison of four Pacific Northwest Coast regional art styles, helping you recognize both shared design principles and important regional differences.
Explore hundreds of Indigenous animal and creature designs
An extensive collection of animal, human, natural and mythological designs gives you examples to study and compare as you learn how the design system works.
Find designs featuring eagles, bears, orcas/killer whales, salmon, hummingbirds, butterflies, crows, and many other creatures represented in the different cultural and artistic regions of the Pacific Northwest Coast.
The book's extensive index makes these examples easy to find, providing a substantial visual reference whenever you want to study a particular creature, form or design element.
Learn Pacific Northwest Coast formline design step by step
- Understand the building blocks of formline design through clear explanations and detailed illustrations.
- Simplify complex designs with straightforward, step-by-step instruction.
- Learn through creating by exploring how individual design elements work together.
- Compare four regional art styles of the Pacific Northwest Coast.
- Learn at your own level, from fundamental design principles to increasingly complex applications.
- Save hours of research with hundreds of organized examples, cultural background information and regional comparisons.
- Teach and learn with a substantial reference resource, including history, cultural information and applied design techniques for teachers, students and homeschoolers.
- Learn from respectfully developed material. Raven's books have been reviewed and recommended for accuracy and respectful presentation by First Nations artists, educators and community members.
Learning through creating—with respect
Our book uses drawing and creating as ways to understand the art form more deeply. By working with formline, ovoids, U shapes and other design elements yourself, you can begin to see how Pacific Northwest Coast designs are constructed and appreciate the knowledge and skill within them.
For readers who are not of First Nations heritage, we encourage you to use what you create through these exercises for your own learning, understanding and personal enjoyment, rather than reproducing Indigenous designs for sale or commercial use.
Our purpose is to help people understand and appreciate Pacific Northwest Coast Indigenous art through the experience of doing, while respecting the artists, families, Nations and cultural traditions from which the art comes.
More about Learning by Designing, Volume 1
- 800 clear, detailed illustrations with straightforward explanations.
- Step-by-step “how to draw” sections.
- Detailed coverage of formline, ovoids, U shapes, S shapes, heads, body parts and design formation.
- A thoroughly researched comparison of four Pacific Northwest Coast regional art styles.
- Hundreds of examples of animal, human, natural and mythological designs.
- An extensive index for quickly locating designs and subjects.
- A glossary explaining important terms and a bibliography providing further resources.
- Durable black-and-white softcover.
- 224 pages.
- 8.5" × 11".
- First published in 2000 and reprinted in 2002, 2005 and 2012.
- More than 25,000 copies sold.
Continue with Volume 2: Explore the Cultural Context
Learning by Designing Pacific Northwest Coast Native Indian Art, Volume 2 builds on Volume 1 by exploring the cultural knowledge, values, ethics, history and perspectives that provide deeper context for understanding Pacific Northwest Coast Indigenous art.
Don't forget to buy the companion manual
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Customer Reviews
“This book provides valuable information about the complex variations of Northwest Coast designs. It is well researched, and all artists should benefit from this information. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK. Congratulations.” — Chief Tony Hunt Mupin Kim, Klah Kwa Tzee Four Times Chief/Big Copper - Kwagulth Master Carver and Artist. Tsaxis/Victoria, B.C.
“This well researched and richly illustrated book will be of great benefit to anyone, from children to adults, who wants to learn about the art styles of Northwest Coast First Nations."— Steve Brown, Author and Artist, Associate Curator, Native American Art, Seattle Art Museum. Seattle, Washington.
“An incredible teaching resource that can be integrated into the curriculum for the teaching of art in a comprehensive manner ... will provide a bridge of understanding to the diversity of the art styles of the Northwest Coast." — Nella Nelson, First Nations Education Division Coordinator, Greater Victoria School District, Member of the Tsawataineuk Band, Kwakwaka’wakw Nation. Victoria, B.C.
“A font of information for those who feel a need to understand more about the fascinating complexities of Northwest Coast Native Indian Art ... Excellent, the best yet." — Reg Ashwell, Art Collector, Consultant and Author. Saltspring Island, B.C.
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Goals
Overview of Learning by Design
Aboriginal Art within a Cultural Context
Map: Culture and Art Style Regions of the Pacific Northwest Coast
Map: Four Major Art Style Regions of the Pacific Northwest Coast
History and Description of the Mid Coast Art Style
History and Description of the South Coast Art style
History and Description of the West Coast Art Style
Basic Design
Formline: An Introduction
Formline
Ovoid
U Shape
S Shape
Joining Design Units
Salmon Head Design
Heads
Examples of Heads in Design Units
Examples of Free Form Heads
Head Components
Beaks and Bills
Cheeks
Ears
Eyebrows
Eyes
Foreheads
Gills
Hats, Headbands, Hair
Moustaches, Beards
Mouths
Noses
Body Parts and Appendages
Body and Appendage Designs
Split Body Designs
Balance, Apparent Symmetry, and X-Ray Design
Comparing Bodies Across Art Styles
Arms and Hands - Human
Legs and Feet - Bird Toes, Claws, Webs
Fins and Tails - Fish and Sea Creature
Tails - Otter
Tails - Whales
Tails - Animal
Wings and Tails - Bird
How to Draw
How to Draw Ovoids
Approaches to Drawing Ovoids
Making Ovoid Patterns or Templates
How to Draw Ovoids Across Art Styles
Ovoids Used in Designs Across art Styles
How to Draw a North Coast Art Style Eye and Eyelid
How to Draw U Shapes
Approaches to Drawing U Shapes
Making U Shaped Patterns or Templates
How to Draw U Shapes for Design Purposes
U Shapes Used in Designs Across Art Styles
How to Draw an Eagle Head
How to Draw a Salmon Head
How to Draw a Human Head
How to Draw a Killer Whale
How to Draw a Wolf Head
Glossary
Glossary of Art Terms
Bibliography and Resources
Index