Spirit of the Land:
Exploring Layered Landscapes Through Native Basket Designs
Ithívthaneen Achip (Center of the World)
Notice/Wonder/Feel
Let’s take a full minute in silence to look at this work of art by Lyn Risling, titled, Ithívthaneen Aachip (Center of the World). What do you notice about use color, line, balance, shape, form, space, and texture?” As thoughts enter your mind, write them down. This isn’t a spelling test– all writing is good writing!!
Think, Jot, Talk
“What do you Notice”
“What do you Wonder?”
“What do you Feel?”
Ithívthaneen Achip (Center of the World)
WRITE YOUR NOTICE/WONDER/FEEL ON YOUR GUIDE
Karuk, Yurok, and Hoopa Basket Designs
Butterfly Design: Vertical line of symmetry, right triangles on top of isosceles triangles
Friendship Design (variation): Vertical line of symmetry, Isosceles triangle
Frog Foot Design: Vertical line of symmetry, right triangle and lines
House Ladder Design: Vertical line of symmetry, Isosceles triangles
Karuk, Yurok, and Hoopa Basket Designs
Obsidian Blade or Blades Design: Not symmetrical, Isosceles triangles
Snake Nose Design (variation - in triangle): Vertical line of symmetry, Isosceles triangles
Swallow’s Tail Design: Vertical line of symmetry, right triangle variation
Karuk, Yurok, and Hoopa Basket Designs
Sturgeon Back Design: Vertical line of symmetry, Isosceles triangles stacked or right triangles separated and stacked
Grizzly Bear Paw Design: No line of symmetry, right triangles
Centipede Design: No line of symmetry, isosceles triangles and rectangles
What are some outdoor places you enjoy?
Pick one outdoor space you enjoy
Imagine this space: What does it look like? What textures can you feel? What do you hear? What is the temperature? How does being there make you feel?
COMPLETE YOUR BRAINSTORM
In this project you will turn an outdoor space you enjoy into a work of art with patterns and shapes form local Native American Basket Designs
Step 1:
Choose the basket designs you might want to use in your collage.
Step 2:
Using the basket designs cut out different shapes for the foreground, middleground, and background of your landscape.
This can be clouds, mountains, a sun, trees, whatever you want. If it is helpful you can draw them first.
Step 3:
Color your background paper and your shapes.
Color Pencil Techniques
Layering
Burnishing
Gradation
Use light layers that overlap to develop color.
Start with a light layer of color and then applying a lighter color on top with heavy pressure to create a smooth, glossy finish.
Start by using the side of your pencil and light pressure and gently increase your pressure to transition to a dark color.
Step 4:
Try arranging your shapes on your paper different ways.
When you find what arrangement you like, glue your shapes down.
Step 5:
Make your design pop by outlining shapes in marker and give it finishing details like shading!