Plains Indians Brain Tanning
Brain tanning is an ancient, traditional and natural method of processing hides and pelts. It was known not only to the Native American peoples of
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Plains Indians Art by Lukas N
Focused on historical accuracy,
balanced design
& material authenticity
Historical accuracy
Historical accuracy is the holy grail of www.matotope.com. The concept of each reproduction is based on careful research of extant historic pieces, paintings and photographs. Every aspect is taken into account. The goal is a reproduction that fully respects and preserves historical and tribal frameworks.
Design
Design is equally important. I put great emphasis on attractive and balanced design. Finding a suitable pattern takes a lot of time, because it is necessary to try different combinations of colors and patterns to achieve the optimal result.
Material authenticity
I use only authentic materials, the same as Plains Indians used in the 19th century: brain-tanned leather (wet and dry-scraped), saved list broadcloth, old color beads, old color quills dyed with natural dyes, natural pigment colors for painting and of course genuine sinew for sewing.
Indian wars and fur trade
I consider the Indian Wars and Fur Trade to be the most fascinating periods, which is why I focus on them. To the contrary, I don’t deal with the reservation period (after 1880) at all, because Indian art in the reservation period declined and lost its free spirit, the spirit of the old buffalo days.
Beadwork, quillwork and bird quill showcase
Latest articles
Quill-Wrapped Horsehair Technique
The quill-wrapped horsehair (QWHH) technique is one of the most exacting and fascinating quillwork techniques ever. It involves using thin bundles of horsehair as a
Porcupine Quillwork
Porcupine quillwork decoration was widespread in most northern regions of the North American continent in pre-reservation times. Prior to the contact with whites, who introduced glass
Saved list cloth
The Plains Indians were very fond of the woollen cloth supplied by the white traders, skilfully making clothing and every other conceivable article from it. The white,
Cloudways