"Buffalo Hunter" by Ernie Pepion.
Rave, Jodi. "Buffalo Hunter" Digital image. Independent Record. Helena Independent Record, 30 Jan. 2005. Web. 26 Sept. 2016. The image below displays some of my experimentation colors for the wolf, eagle, and the forest background for the wolf. I used three shades of gray and silver to contrast the features of the wolf, and the wavy fur like it is walking or running. For the eagle, I had two different browns, but worked with a gradient to show the dark areas to the lighter brown areas on the wings of the eagle.
Process:
The picture above was my first sketch for this painting. In this sketch I have two eagle feathers, and a wolf paw print to symbolize the specific attribute that they represent. The attributes or characteristics that I chose them to represent do come from the culture, but I chose two that specifically represent my character. The two eagle feathers represent my Courage, and Intelligence. The wolf paw print on the other hand represents my Loyalty and Intuition.
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Title: Native Totem
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The sketch to the left is my third planning sketch. In this sketch, I decided that there should be a better representation to clarify some of the meaning behind the painting. This also allowed me to better connect my inspiration and the connection that the totems symbolize to the Native American culture, and to represent them and place them in the current American culture. My main intention in this sketch was to give a better visual representation to show the characteristics and connection between both the Eagle and Wolf in the context and inspiration in the painting.
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The sketch to the right is one of my fourth sketch, it is the closest sketch that I drew that led to my final sketch and my overall final design to paint. I decided that it would be the best and most appropriate for there to be the animal forms to distinguish the specific animals that I am connecting my characteristics to those totems in the Native American culture. I also included a land and ground barrier, to add a little bit of perspective toward the animals and their natural surroundings. Also, in several paintings of my artistic inspiration: Ernie Pepion, he included several animals into his paintings that have significance in his culture, and I included the wolf and eagle, and the feathers to display this significance within the painting that these specific animals have in this culture.
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The sketch to the left is my fifth and final sketch for my final design of the painting, in this sketch, it is similar to my fourth sketch but I decided to include more of the wolf and eagle's complete body. In my actual design, I was able to capture the tails of both the eagle and the wolf, which fully displayed the full structure and spirituality of these animals in the Native American culture. In my final design for the painting, the lower side of the canvas, I made a darker forest green which can be found in my experimentation part of this process, to fully display the surroundings that the wolf experiences and the main body of color it typically encounters in it's life. This also includes the upper part of the canvas in which I created a dark sky blue to display the soaring heights of the eagle in it's life too. Again, it includes the feathers and paw print to symbolize the specific characteristics that the wolf and eagle have in common with my overall character that I can connect to in these two specific totems.
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ACT Questions:
My artistic and cultural inspiration is identifiable in the painting, based on the symbolism and meaning behind the animals, and their specific features. I used the Native American totems and those characteristics based on the two animals featured in the painting and how they relate to my character. It is identifiable that the Native American culture is displayed through this painting in which it connects characteristics of the two animals to the characteristics of myself. My artistic inspiration is Native American and he is influenced by his own culture and his culture's values. It is significant because Ernie Pepion who is my artistic inspiration included common Native American animals that his culture connected with, and I felt that I share a connection based on my research of the Eagle and Wolf which are the two animals that I chose for my painting. One of the conclusions that I discovered about the Native American culture is that they closely connect to nature, and their values and principles are based on their connection with nature. Also the Native American culture specifically demonstrates the connection between their totem animals and how they give these totems to their kids in their tribe. My central idea and theme around my research was the animal totem characteristics that the Native Americans have. I wanted to connect characteristics of animals that I found to try and connect them to my character and to the American culture. Some of the inferences that I made while researching and painting is the significance that the animal totems have toward the Native American culture. This also includes their respect for nature, and how they value nature heavily and base their culture around these principles.
My artistic and cultural inspiration is identifiable in the painting, based on the symbolism and meaning behind the animals, and their specific features. I used the Native American totems and those characteristics based on the two animals featured in the painting and how they relate to my character. It is identifiable that the Native American culture is displayed through this painting in which it connects characteristics of the two animals to the characteristics of myself. My artistic inspiration is Native American and he is influenced by his own culture and his culture's values. It is significant because Ernie Pepion who is my artistic inspiration included common Native American animals that his culture connected with, and I felt that I share a connection based on my research of the Eagle and Wolf which are the two animals that I chose for my painting. One of the conclusions that I discovered about the Native American culture is that they closely connect to nature, and their values and principles are based on their connection with nature. Also the Native American culture specifically demonstrates the connection between their totem animals and how they give these totems to their kids in their tribe. My central idea and theme around my research was the animal totem characteristics that the Native Americans have. I wanted to connect characteristics of animals that I found to try and connect them to my character and to the American culture. Some of the inferences that I made while researching and painting is the significance that the animal totems have toward the Native American culture. This also includes their respect for nature, and how they value nature heavily and base their culture around these principles.
Reflection:
This painting went generally very good. I accomplished a lot specifically in the research and investigation part of this project. I learned more about the wolf and eagle in the way of how they are totems in the Native American culture, and how they associate with these specific attributes that can be connected to humans. In this project I used my inspirations from my previous experiences and additional research to my advantage to produce a connection of me into the Native American culture. I think that it's important to learn about varieties of cultures, and learn from them. Especially to gain experience and inspiration from them just like in my case with this painting that I created. In the painting one thing that needs to be fixed is the cleanness of the lines with each animal. Other than that the painting achieved the main intention that I wanted to display in the piece.
This painting went generally very good. I accomplished a lot specifically in the research and investigation part of this project. I learned more about the wolf and eagle in the way of how they are totems in the Native American culture, and how they associate with these specific attributes that can be connected to humans. In this project I used my inspirations from my previous experiences and additional research to my advantage to produce a connection of me into the Native American culture. I think that it's important to learn about varieties of cultures, and learn from them. Especially to gain experience and inspiration from them just like in my case with this painting that I created. In the painting one thing that needs to be fixed is the cleanness of the lines with each animal. Other than that the painting achieved the main intention that I wanted to display in the piece.