Painted Covers

Painting, Cleaning and Fire resist are at the bottom

                                                                                                     

The examples shown on these pages are traditional and contemporary interpretations of tipi cover designs.  It is not recommended that you copy any of these covers as they are owned by family or the individual owner and passed down through the family or the rights have been transferred to a new owner.  The Laubins book shows many examples of tipi cover designs, it is to show examples and not really for copy.  If you choose to paint your cover, it is highly recommended that you do your research before putting on the first paint stroke.  Once you start painting there is NO going back.

Canvas, linen or cloth covers for tipis started becoming popular among the Native Americans around 1851.  According to Kurz's  1851 journal, more of the wealthy men were already getting canvas for their lodges.  Treaty annuity payments in the late 1850s and 1860s, also were accompanied by lots of canvas bed ticking an other fabrics.  As the 19th. century wore on, the covers got bigger.  More bolder surface designs were applied with the new industrial paints and dyes that did not wash off or fade.  Looking at old photos of Blackfoot tipis, drawings of the Kiowa, Cheyenne, and Sioux depicts spectacular cover paintings in their sketch books.

The pictures on this page are of Powwows, Encampments, Rendezvous and any camp that has painted tipis.  This includes some European set ups.  These people have a love of the tipi and wish to reproduce the time period of the Plains Indian.  Others just like to go camping.  As pictures come in, I will up date them by adding more and changing others. If  you recognize your tipi, let me know.  My pictures cover a time period of 1970 to 2000 and come from the old NAPR to today's NMLRA, National Powwow, Crow Fair,  Powwows and many more groups over the years.         Words in Italics are the makers of the tipis and not necessarily the owners.

Designs on Covers

This area will cover Painted Cover Designs.  

 

Johnson-Montana				Dakotas
Holley-Holley 17'-Fla.		Awning Canvas c.1910 Nez Perce 10' Four Winds Trading Co.		18' Holley-Idaho
Awning Canvas     Wood-Wood 17'-North Carolina	Holley-Holley 15'-Fla.	Utah		Custer Trading Post    Montana
Rick Peterson  17'              Wood -North Carolina		22'Nomadics

	Steve Jarrard 21' -Georgia-Spring Valley lodges-			Bill Walters-4Seasons lodge  Michigan
	Carl  Miller-Mo. Garry Winders/Warren Blitter- Mo.
Holley-Holley 12'-Fla.		Kim Henry 19'-Fla.	Anadarko-20'Okalahoma	Tennesee-18'-Holley

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*Painting a cover...what ever  you do, do not use enamel or something that takes mineral spirits to clean.  Enamel can cause the cover to crack which will lead to leakage and canvas splits as the material separates.  A good paint is  Liquitex Canvas paint or use Acrylic house paints and WATER them down.  About 50/50 is good as your tipi needs to breath and bend.  Too much paint and it will get real stiff and very heavy.  It will also shrink the canvas in the areas painted.  I did my 17' all over and it shank at least 3".  Pulled the pegs right out of the ground.  Then  you will have to re-water proof the cover as the paint takes the water resistance right out.  It would also be a good idea to test your colors and paints on an extra piece of canvas to see the results.

*Cleaning a canvas cover....A simple but effective solvent to remove mildew from tents or other canvas like fabrics can be made using ordinary household items.  In about eight ounces of water dissolve two teaspoons of salt and two teaspoons of concentrated lemon juice. Wash the mildewed cloth with this solution, then rinse with fresh water.  Let dry in open air before using.  You will need to Scotch guard or re-water proof the area effected.   Mold & Mildew Remover Color and fabric safe! Removes mold, mildew, dirt, and algae stains from virtually every boat surface. Also removes stains from vinyl, plastic, canvas, carpeting, wood, fiberglass and painted surfaces. Just add water to the biodegradable, concentrated powder and apply the solution to the soiled item. Makes three gallons of solution. 12 ounce jar.

*Fire Retardant...home made addative                                                 9 oz. 20 Mule Team Borax    4 oz. Boric Acid    1 gal. Luke warm water    Spray or paint onto canvas.