How to Decorate a Tipi
A tipi, also known as a teepee or a tepe, is a portable, conical structure developed by Native American Indians. They form it out of a half-circle of material, such as tanned buffalo hide or canvas. They hold it in place by a frame of mutually supporting poles that touch the ground in a circular pattern and connect at one point at the top, where it's held together with sinews or rope. The tipi's door flap is oriented against the direction of the wind to allow smoke from a fire inside to rise up through the hole in the top center. Occupants decorate tipis in a variety of ways, using paint to depict animals, gods and nature patterns. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Charcoal, chalk or pencil
- Water
- Large and small paint brushes
- Oil or house paint
- Sinew or leather straps
- Sewing needle
- Porcupine quills
- Dear toes
- Horse hair
- Tassels of grass
Instructions
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Spread the tipi material out flat.
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Sketch an outline of the images you will paint on it with charcoal, chalk or a pencil. You may prefer to draw geometric patterns, such as zigzag lines to depict lightning, or other pleasing shapes. Draw animals important to you, such as a grizzly bear, a wolf, a deer or a buffalo. You could also draw animal tracks, such as those made by grizzly bears or otters. You might depict a god, warrior or a medicine man, or hunters on the prowl, depending on who is going to stay inside the tipi.
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Spread some water on the material, if it is canvas, to keep it from absorbing too much paint.
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Dip a small paintbrush into paint and start developing the outlines you sketched in earlier. Use a larger paintbrush to fill in big areas of the images with bright, attractive colors to make the tipi distinctive. Leave the tipi to dry in the sun.
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Gather porcupine quills, deer toes, horse hair and tassels of grass, and sew them to the tipi cover. They serve as a decoration, and make a tinkling and rustling sound when the wind blows, like a wind chime.
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References
- Photo Credit tepees on the great plains image by Jeff from Fotolia.com
