08/18/2021
Northwest coast formline design is characterized by ovoid and u-shapes painted in thick, well-defined lines, primarily black and red, which flow throughout a space and compose a creature or design within a web of lines. The shapes of formline design cooperate to create symmetry and harmony in positive and negative spaces. This kind of design dates back more than two thousand years, and before European contact, the formline styles of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian were clearly visually related, alluding to the length of this artistic practice. Around the nineteenth century these styles began to diverge, and we can now attribute differences in styles to a variety of factors, including the innovations of artists in both local villages and larger cultural regions. It can take practice to recognize the different animals and stories present within formline art, but acquiring this visual language begins with recognizing the basic shapes that comprise formline design. “Formline design is part of a living culture, and integral to the life ways of the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian. It surrounds us and holds us up. Our Northwest Coast art is ingrained in the social fabric and oral histories of our clans’”—A Basic Guide to Northwest Coast Formline Art .
A rich array of formline designs can be found here: https://quintanagalleries.com/collections/northwest-coast-collection-1
