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ledger art project

native american ledger art lesson


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Ledger drawing of a Cheyenne war chief and warriors (left) coming to a truce with a Crow war chief and warriors (right)
The following is a 3rd grade art lesson on Ledger Art with colored pencils, using Native American Rock Art symbols. 

Scroll down to find:
  1. examples of rock art images
  2. step-by-step instructions with pictures of the project
  3. a lesson plan (including California State Visual Art Standards)

native american colored pencil ledger project

This is a third grade Native American Ledger Art lesson plan using colored pencils.  Students look at original ledger art, learn it's history + characteristics, then create their own piece.  Since Ledger Art is primitive in its implementation, every student successfully completes this lesson.  This lesson plan includes reference materials, introduces an artist whose style is influenced by Ledger art, and a lesson plan.

Mandan, Crow, Sioux, Pawnee, Arapaho, + Cheyenne


Ledger Book Art was started in prisons by Native Americans who lived in the plains states.  It was historical records which grew out of pictographs.  Records of hunts, brave deeds, Pow-Wows, + major events.  Characteristics are flat colors, outlines, no shading, no sense of place, no depth or perspective.  They had limited colors like red, blue, green, + pencils.  Many Ledger art pieces were not signed, so artists are unknown.
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Ledger Art Drawing of Lakota Dancers by Chief Blackhawk, born CA
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                           Pawnee Indians Drawings Pencil
​                           Artwork used for lesson below

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draw a rectangle on an angle - notice placement on horizontal page
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add curve for horse cheek
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add back legs- 2 lines for each leg - erase unneeded lines on ends of legs
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add 2 upward facing lines that gradually get closer to each other-curve on top line
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erase end of original rectangular shape
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erase unneeded lines- add hooves 
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add small open rectangle - add curve on top as seen in sample
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add front legs-upperpart wider than lower part
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2 overlapping triangles on back of horse

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erase inside of triangles- add 2 thin lines on each side for arms
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agg 2 vertical lines for neck - add circle for head
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add 2 lines for legs, feet - notice angles of lines + width between lines
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add circle inside circle hanging on 1 hand for shield - add horse blanket with parallel, angled lines-rectangle on upper body
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add rectangular shapes for legs- arms, neck, head, belt on enemy
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add black
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add written details as original artist did 
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join horse shapes  -  add 2 triangles 4 rider body  - add arms, legs  -  add mane + tail hairs with pencil - curves on ends of lines around circle shield 
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add feet on enemy + curved triangular shape on enemy's chest
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add a blue color
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finished work on old math handouts
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horse rider is in battle - draw curved rectangle, rectangle for neck + circle for head head of slain enemy - triangles at ends of curves for feathers around shield
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add one color at a time - use limited number of colors
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add green - 4th color
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finished work - horse may be colored or not colored
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decorative spots may be added on horse body
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completed drawing
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completed drawing

ledger art lesson plan

objective

Students will, successfully make a drawing in the traditional ‘Ledger Art’ style.  They will gain knowledge about artist ‘Jose Bedia’ and his personal original Ledger Art collection.  They will learn + know the characteristics and origin of Ledger Art made by the Plains Native Americans.

materials

- lined, used or old paper (eg. math sheets, maps, documents)
- pencils
- erasers
- colored pencils (red, green, blue, turquoise)

activity

  1. Show students examples of actual ledger art + explain its origins.
  2. Demonstrate drawing large enough for all students in class to see details.
  3. Show students the artwork + Ledger art collections of Jose Bedia for inspiration.
 4.  See example pictures for illustration of drawing steps. 
 5.  Use only colors which the Native Americans were able to use. (red, blue, green, graphite)      
 6.   Use lined paper held horizontal, with the lines vertical.  The Original Ledger Art was drawn on ledger books, that were recycled, + held horizontally.  
                                                    

vocabulary words

  • Balance - Visual equilibrium in a composition; achieved by organizing the weight and attention of all elements in an artwork.  Types of balance are symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial, and crystallographic. 
  • Color - The visual sensation dependent on the reflection or absorption of light from a given surface.  The three characteristics of color are hue, value. and intensity.  Color Harmony; The use of compatible colors to help unify a composition.
  • Ledger - A book or other collection of financial accounts of a particular type.
  • Line - A point moving in space.  Line can vary in width, length, curvature, color, or direction.
  • Outline - A line or set of lines enclosing or indicating the shape of an object in a sketch or diagram.  To draw, trace, or define the outer edge or shape of (something). (verb)​
  • Plains Indian - A member of any of various North American Indian peoples who formerly inhabited the Great Plains. (Cheyenne, Comanche, Blackfoot, Cree, Sioux)
  • Perspective -A system of rendering the illusion of three-dimensional depth on a flat, two-dimensional surface. 
  • Space - An area in which objects or images can exist.- Variety - The differences which give a design visual and conceptual interest; notability, use of contrast, emphasis, differences in size and so forth.
  • Value - Lightness or darkness of a hue or neutral color.  A value scale shows the range of values from black to white.

curriculum tie-in

- Native American History

ca state visual arts content standards  

2.0 CREATIVE EXPRESSION
 Communication and Expression Through Original Works of Art
  2.4 Create a work of art based on the observation of objects and scenes in daily life, emphasizing value change.
3.0 HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT
 Role and Development of the Visual Arts
3.1 Compare and describe various works of art that have similar theme and were created at different time periods.
  • art lessons + projects for kids
  • Who's Website Is This Anyway?
  • Principles of Design
  • Elements of Art
  • kindergarten art lessons
    • Kinder Color Wheel Still Life
    • Mondrian for Kids
    • sea life collage
    • four seasons project
    • draw paul klee cats
    • how to draw chicken + chicks
    • draw a cow
    • Repetition for kids
  • 1st grade art
    • How to Draw Flowers
    • How to draw still life fruit bowl
    • Kids mixed Media Art work
    • How to draw a Ladybug
    • how to draw a dog
    • warm colors art project
    • cool colors - geometric shapes
    • neighborhood art lesson
    • self portrait
  • videos
  • 2nd grade art lessons
    • Abstract Lesson Oil Pastel
    • grey scale painting
    • monochromatic art for children
    • van gogh's irises art lesson for children
    • Georgia O'keeffe skull lesson
    • Miro art project
    • draw a still life oil pastel
  • 3rd grade art class
    • Pop Art Roy Lichtenstein
    • How to draw a tree - charcoal
    • soap carve for kids
    • native american ledger art lesson
    • rock art lesson
    • 3rd F.RInggold
    • pueblo art lesson
  • 4th grade art lessons
    • Contour Drawings of bottles
    • how to use oil pastels
    • positive - negative space lesson
    • draw an insect
    • how to print for kids
    • fall corn art project
    • Wayne Theibaud art project
  • 5th grade art lessons
    • 5th How To Draw Landscape
    • 6 pillars of character
    • Liberty Bell art lesson
    • El Dia De Los Muertos Kids Project
    • digestive system lesson
    • Ben Franklin lesson
    • Charles Burchfield tree art
  • Clay
    • clay dinasour 1st gr
  • art room stories
  • reference sites
  • privacy policy