Sketchbook Assignment

NAC1O - Expressions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Cultures

This course examines Indigenous cultures in Canada through an exploration of art forms such as drawing, painting,
sculpture, beading, storytelling, and land-based learning. You will learn to identify Indigenous art forms and describe
relationships between the art and traditions, philosophy, and culture. You will also create your own art forms to
express your understanding of Indigenous identity, relationships, and sovereignty.

You are expected to complete each of these tasks in your sketchbook by the end of the course. You may
choose to complete these on blank paper, create a sketchbook, buy a sketchbook, or create online
illustrations - it is up to you! Please organize your work!

✔ Task + Description
1) Twenty-Five Trees. Think of the word “tree” and note what’s in your mind. Draw that tree on the page. It doesn’t
have to be perfect. Now make a new tree somewhere else on the page. Continue until you have 25 trees in total.
Don’t forget that they can be all different kinds of trees. Look outside and see how many different kinds you can
see.

2) Bridge to Your Future. Draw a river that divides the page. Using your own experiences, draw people,
experiences, thoughts, habits, and things you would like to leave in the past on the left side of your river. On the
right, draw images that illustrate the future you want to create. Draw a bridge over the river. Colour the image.

3) One Day, One Theme. For this drawing exercise, choose one theme or one kind of object, and only draw that
thing during the course of a day. You can vary your approach to this by choosing an animate or inanimate object, a
colour, a size of something, things that are scary or make you laugh, or things that start with a specific letter. For
example, shoes. You will continue to draw shoes and make as many drawings of shoes as you can today.

4) Draw a Dream. We can learn a lot from what goes on in our dreams. For this task, create a drawing or
illustration about a dream that you had that you can remember very vividly. You may include some writing to
explain what happened in the dream.

5) Spirit Animal. Create a drawing of an animal you feel a spiritual connection with. Try to add as much detail as
possible.

6) Inspired by an FNMI artist of your choice. Search up different FNMI artists online. Choose one that interests you
and create a drawing based on their style. Think about what kind of imagery they use and what colours are
incorporated into their artworks.

7) Woodland Style. Use pencil crayons and/or markers to do a drawing in the Woodland Style.

8) Choose a symbol or theme related to the land and the natural world and represent it through writing,
drawing OR video (circle, infinity sign, inukshuk, trees, birds, antlers, earth, the moon, the sun,
feathers, flowers, water; themes: the impact of climate change, the importance of responsible land use,
the sacredness of the land, the spiritual connection between the people and the land).

9) Design a flag that reflects your own cultural heritage. Consider colours and symbols that are
important to you.

10) Look up a video of Inuit Throat Singing and record your response in your sketchbook.