How to Decorate a Model Tepee

Any colors can be used for tepee decorations.

Tepees are traditionally a type of shelter used by various Native American tribes. Today, however, tepees are not commonly used for shelter and safety purposes, but rather in themed businesses and classroom lessons about the people native to the United States. Whether your tepee model is a life-sized replica or a small class project, you can use traditional techniques to decorate it and make it as authentic as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Pictures of designs
• Pen or pencil
• Tepee canvas
• Water
• Bucket
• Paintbrush
• Paint

Instructions

1. Look for examples of the traditional art Native Americans used to decorate their tepees. Then print out or make copies of the pictures. The Plains Indians often painted pictures of animals, such as wolves, deer, buffalo, otters and grizzly bears. They also drew warriors, animal tracks and other artifacts. Many tepees also have symbols on them. Straight lines circling the tepee represent water, triangles in a straight line are mountains, zigzagging lines are lightning and small, curvy humps are hills.

2. Spread out the tepee canvas on the ground. If you have assembled your tepee, you do not have to take it down, but decorating is easier if you lay the material flat.

3. Sketch out your decorations on the canvas, using a pencil or pen. Draw any fine details so you know where and how to fill in the details when you paint over the sketches.

4. Wet the canvas by throwing buckets of water on it. This will prevent the paint from bleeding through and soaking too far into the canvas material.

5. Paint over your sketches using oil paint. Add details to the wet canvas and explore with colors, patterns and themes, using Native American art as an inspiration. Allow the paint to dry before erecting your tepee.

References

• Shelter Pub: Plains Indian Tepee