Bde Maka Ska:
Interpretive Panel
This exercise was to develop skills in research and how to transmit that information into a consumable format. We brought in designers that have worked on interpretive panels for the US National Parks, as well as individuals who were knowledgeable on the history of the area before diving in. Following that we visited the space, and then got to work.
The challenge of this project is the story of Cloud Man’s village was a rather sparsely published story on the internet, with very little visual research available. Not only that, we were to do our own copy, and condensing such an eventful and important story down to three blocks of text is a terrifying task.
Process
Sketching
Sketching
Image Making
Draft 1
The image is a compilation of the center illustration of Bde Maka Ska, surrounded by contemporary art work from Artist of Dakota decent, and the figure is Cloud Man.
Whoops
If you couldn’t tell, my entire design revolved around the portrait of Cloud Man. Sadly the portrait was found to be of another Cloud Man, one of Assiniboine decent, a nation located largely in North Dakota, so I can see how the internet may have been a bit confused.
Final
I eventually found sources stating that Cloud Man had no photographs or portraits done, but he did have a lot of people influenced by him. And I felt a collage of his friends, kin, and descendents would do him justice.
