iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Oh! You also asked how it works. Honestly, formline gets crazy complex. The art form specializes in representing life in the world and its relationships. I'm not sure I could explain it through a comment section! Every shape has a unique meaning (and each nation has their own variations)!

Side note: when looking into formline, make sure the artist is native, as sometimes you get some naapikoan (whiteys) who dont do it right and try to make a profit! That's all, though. I hope this was informative! I adore Formline and wish it was better known. :> thanks for readin!

"How raven stole the sun" I encourage you to look into it if you're curious! You'll also find variation in how it goes, which I enjoy, personally! As someone who grew up all across the PNW, I've seen many types of formline (nowadays coast salish design) -6

It's similar to formline in that there's importance on using a specific set of shapes, and generally there's a flow to it, although it's far less strict and is more often literal (formline is full of symbology! My raven piece is simple as far as formline goes but it relates to a story called -5

But I will say that Formline has influenced art allllll across the PNW, for example the coast salish nations (such as the Puyallup nation) have an art form I usually hear called Coast Salish Design -4

Anyone can do formline, so long as you are taught by someone native to the PNW (ideally around northern BC to southern Alaska), I personally prefer non-natives (or even non PNW natives) not sell their own formline, as I prefer the money goes to the coastal peoples who developed this artform -3

Such as what you see on totem poles! It isn't strictly for PNW nations (I myself am from the southern Piikani Nation under the blackfoot confederacy, a northern plains nation), and anyone can do it! Of course, everyone may have their own thoughts on the matter, but generally -2

Óki! That's wonderful, thank you so much! My understanding: Formline traditionally comes from the Tlingit people (~southeastern Alaska region, where it meets with northwestern BC), it's an artform that has been developed for a few thousand years and is traditionally done in carving -1

My formline may be very rusty as I begin to pick it back up, but I'm forever thankful for the introduction the Sto:lo people gave me!

Nalanix @nalanix.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

Beadwork fo mah dad! Im new to beadworking, and spent about 2 weeks on this (got it done just in time for Christmas!)

Beaded Wolf medallion. It Is a gray wolf facing toward the viewer, with natural brown and gray colors, the wolf is outlined in black and a warm light blue, the background is red, above the wolf is a morning star surrounded with a dark shiny blue in the shape of an eye. There are two dark blue triangles on either side of the wolf coming from the edge, representing glacier national park, then there's 3 yellow circles symbolizing stars on either side of the wolf, one triangle/mountain has a star in it each.

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Nalanix @nalanix.bsky.social · 23/11/2025

Also I have some testing going on to figure out some pretty bad medical stuff (I'm used to it with my disabilities n all, so I can manage until I figure out a treatment plan), just a bit over a week until my endoscopy n biopsy! Hopefully I'll have more energy to create in a few months!

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Nalanix @nalanix.bsky.social · 23/11/2025

I've been taken my time, and I'm gonna get into beadworking! So I haven't been posting much, thank yall for the patience! I'll try to keep postin' my art as it comes, but admittedly, I forget But hopefully, yall will see some new stuff from me soon!

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Nalanix @nalanix.bsky.social · 16/11/2025

Omahkai'stoo ki ki'sómm "raven and sun" 1/3 in a short series of pieces I'd like to do!

A formline raven facing up with a glowing sun in their mouth, to the left is vertical text that says "Silenced no more" and above the wing says "light to the people." The piece has a blueish black, off yellow ish white, and bright orange

Alternative version with white lines, filled with dark blue. The background transitions from yellow to red to blue, as it radiates from.the sun

Alt with white lines with oranges, light blue, and red around the text

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Nalanix @nalanix.bsky.social · 15/11/2025

Kitsííksokaanisttotsi'pa! "Very well done!". Dis is gorgeous!! Love to see your work as always -I usually lurk, but I wanted to express my appreciation today

cerb (she/he) @cerberus.northsky.social · 14/11/2025

Reposted by Nalanix

wag̱aytdoot Txaamsm da wil ha'lidzog̱m - "raven is far from where we live (the earth)". sticker design for this month 🌌🐦‍⬛ #art #indigenousart #formline

a circular formline design of raven, floating upside down. his head is contained within a smaller circle, representing a space helmet, and he's holding a star in his beak. the rest of his body is coloured off-white like a spacesuit. a few connected ovoids in the circle's border represent the hose of the suit that delivers air to the helmet. the rest of the design's border contains stars and red, green, and blue galactic clouds.

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Quick late-night formline sketch

Formline raven holding the sun, in reference to the tale of how Raven stole the sun to give light to everyone. To the left is text that says "Silenced no more", and in the top right over Raven's wing says "light to the people"

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Here's some more examples of my art, I have a pretty broad variety I'd say, but I specialize in theropods for sure

Realistic illustration of 3 ravens flying over an ocean, surrounding the sun

Reference sheet of a semi-realistic young red tailed hawk, shows front and back, color and just lined version

Semi realistic dragon chasing a hawk, which is then chasing a vole

A very abstract being surrounding a hawk, high contrast pink/red, white, and an off-black, there's spines growing from the abstract being, all pointing to the hawk

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Any formline artists are free to give critique! Just keep in mind I was taught formline when I was like 7, and until recently I hadn't touched it for over a decade

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Lil formline sonic.exe for a friend of mine, still really rusty with my formline but I'm pretty proud of this!

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I will be adding alt text in the future, I just wanted to see if I could get any images to post at all, cuz it hadn't been workin!

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I believe that's all, I'll do my best to post my art when I remember, n' im happy to chat! Many thanks! -also don't be foken racist!!

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I love all kindsa animals, but I know the most about birds. You're free to ask me to identify a bird you saw! I'm gonna know North American birds best, but I'm happy to try elsewhere (details I might ask for: size, colors, wing/beak/tail shape). I'm no professional, but I am passionate about it!

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Proper introduction: Óki my friends, I'm Nala/Nalanix. You might see me as "GalliumYttriumSystem" elsewhere, I'm a disabled twospirit artist with DID who grew up in the PNW, but I'm blackfeet. I've been around a number of PNW nations, but I'm hopin' to find some other blackfeet ppl!

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Aye! Dis one posted! This is my character Ella Kiihtsipimiksiitsikomaakíí It's pretty rare for me to draw humans but I'm really happy with how this piece came out! (Character uses primarily they/them, sprinkle in she/her) The shawl is wings cuz that's how I always saw them as a kid

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I'm gettin' a bug that doesn't allow me to post images, I'd love to share some of my works! I'll try again in a bit and see if it let's me, hopefully I can share my art soon eee

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Óki all! I'm new around here, I may be slow to figure things out, but I'd love to get to know others! Especially other native artists (I don't see enough of us online!), but I'm happy to chat overall. I may be slow to see messages and figure things out on this app, but I don't bite...mostly. lol