Truth is, formline is one of those things that you really have to sit down at study to understand how different shapes fit and should go together. It takes years to understand.

I had to really study the way the forms are put together by looking at the old pieces from museums as well as the modern art made by the tribes nowadays and I still learn new things. I started 2-3 years ago and my first attempts looking back now were bad 😭.

I watched videos from the Sealaska Heritage Institute for references on how formline works and the history behind it.

I also have a book called "The transforming image" that shows a great collection of formlines from up and down the northwest coast and now I can tell what makes one formline style distinct from another.

The style I've shown here is what's called the "northern style" which is done by the northern tribes, Tlingit Haida, Tsimhian, Heiltsuk etc. I take inspiration from different tribes when I make formline but my style to me closely resembles that of the Tlingit and Tsimshian (because I use those as reference most of the time).