Product Description: This reference and instructional manual contains a detailed, thoroughly analyzed, well-supported comparison of the four Pacific Northwest First Nations art styles. There are 800 clear, detailed illustrations accompanied by straightforward copy.
Topics include design formline, ovoids, U shapes, S shapes, heads, body parts, and design formation, as well as a step-by-step How to Draw section. 8 1/2" by 11", black and white, durable soft cover, 224 pages.
Great book!!! This is an excellent book with many examples of native art. The book takes you through step by step in drawing simple native shapes such as the ovoid. Eventually you will end up learning to draw eagles heads, killer whales etc... The book is well researched and well written with lots of pictures and informative information. This is a great book for begginers and those with an interest in native art.
Not what it could have been This is an excellent tutorial in some respects. The instructions are step-by-step, and it is packed with illustrations. However, there is little attempt to address the theme behind the art, to establish the "rules of the form" as, say, Aidan Meehan's books have done for Celtic Art. Bill Holm's classic "Northwest Coast Indian Art: An Analysis of Form" remains the best bet in this field if you are interested in creating original designs in this style. If however, you just want to copy preformed designs and get a feel for the modern trends in this style, this is a good introductory choice. And I do mean modern trends. The other glaring insufficiency in this book is its lack of a classic feel. Many of the designs are not strictly traditional, and though some see this as a sign of vitality, I see it as a blemish on a grand tradition.
If "doing" without understanding is enough... 37 pages of curriculum instruction, 3 pages of history/meanings, 11 pages to teach you how to draw two ovoids one within the other...
Nice instructors manual and handout source for a kids workshop, but the lack of _meaning_ and information density is very low.
I felt like more than half of the book is missing, perhaps volume 2 has more meaningful discusion.
All in all, not a bad book, but not what I was hoping for, if you want an intense course on the mechanics of drawing NWNA, then this is it. If you are teaching children, this is a good resource too.
good beginnings. This book is an excellent opening into NW Coastal art. It does not address the meanings or legends but mainly how designs are created and build up of elements. Lots of illustrations. Its an excellent reference for the carver or artist wanting to work with the designs (note: no carving techniques etc are discussed; just design but that is enough)
Full of information = full of courage I bought this book during an Alaskan cruise. By the time we reached our 3rd stop, Ketchikan, we were comfortably literate in North Coast Indian art. (Not experts!) I impressed a carver by being able to identify the animals in the totem pole he was carving. Being able to identify the animals gave our trip a richness we would not have had. But even better, this wonderful volume, full of instructions, gave me the courage to try to draw something and I am NOT an artist. However, we now have a family totem: a North Coast Indian art version of our Norwich terrier. This book was worth every penny. I can't wait until the volume 2 comes out.
Anything Goes Trivia
Megaton Man
Trevor
