Overview
This LoRA is inspired by the artistic style of the Pacific Northwest. First Nations of Canada, and their American Indian neighbors, have a tradition spanning hundreds of years for carving totem poles and masks, and creating intricate formline designs on chests, boxes, or houses. This LoRA is versatile, rather than specialized in any one aspect of this art style. Using the LoRA, you can create lithography (prints on silkscreen), totem poles, wood carvings, glass etchings, bentwood boxes, and panels. There are three versions of the LoRA so read below on which one to choose depending on your targeted style.
Which LoRA to use
The SDXL type is the most faithful to the original style. It is particularly convincing for prints and flat applications of textures. It also does a good job at Potlatch ceremonies, people holding masks and dancing, etc. The main challenge with SDXL LoRAs is that you need to match them with a good SDXL checkpoint. I do not recommend Juggernaut. Rather, use FluentlyXL, TamarinXL or Boltning
The FluxDense gives Pacific Northwest 'vibes'. The patterns tend to be very dense, so either you're just looking for an inspiration or you plan to pair it with a LoRA that's more tame, such as a wood marquetry LoRA (see examples in the gallery). When the patterns are dense, you may get some of the right style (e.g., ovoids, V shapes) but it can be hard to distinguish particular elements (e.g., salmon lost in the mass of patterns).
The FluxSparse produces patterns that are less dense, edging towards folk art.
How to use
There is no single word to trigger it, because there isn't "one" first nation style. You either trigger what you want (e.g., totem pole) and/or how it should look (e.g., traditional Haida).
How to use: prompting for styles
The first nations have a formline style but they are different, so you need to pick a specific nation. Expressions of styles have varied over time, so you should pick an era. Here are your choices:
Choose a cultural tradition: Haida, Salish, Tlingit, Nuu-chah-nulth
Choose an era: Traditional (classic style), Contemporary (some innovations in shapes), Pop (creative take with non-canon inks and shapes)
For example:
contemporary Salish lithography print of wolf and bear
postcard of Paris in the style of a contemporary Haida print
colorful pop print of Stormtrooper at a barbecue with Darth Vader, helmets painted in Haida style, capes and armors covered in vibrant Salish salmon prints
How to use: prompting for content
Alternatively, you can trigger specific elements, including: totem pole, blown-glass sculptures, box, lithography/print/silkscreen, woven basket, painted cedar masks.
For example:
photo of a forest, each tree trunk is a totem pole of different animals stacked
daylight, sculptures of playful orca jumping out of the water, large Haida sun
Hillary Clinton amused with face painted in pop Tlingit style, wearing traditional Salish clothes, carrying a Tlingit painted woven basket
Longer sample prompts used in the galleries
For Flux, you can refer to the position of specific elements:
Close-up side view of a masterpiece wood sculpture on an onyx pedestal, illuminated by spot lighting. The sculpture is a traditional Haida mask of a raven, painted in acrylics, with horsehair.
raw photo of Darth Vader, helmet painted in Haida style, cape and armor covered in vibrant Salish salmon print. Behind Darth Vader, an army of Star Wars stormtroopers with helmets painted in Tlingit style. Background of the Death Star from the Star Wars movies. ultra detailed, vivid, masterpiece, cinematic
Professional studio photo. On the left, (a large wood sculpture of a traditional Haida mask of the moon, painted in acrylics, on a white marble stand). On the right, (a large wood sculpture of a contemporary Salish mask of the sun, painted in acrylics, with horsehair, on an onyx pedestal). The sculptures have a vibrant glowing pastel silhouette. Ethereal
DLSR photo of an elegant museum exhibit. On the left, a (masterpiece wood sculpture on an onyx pedestal, in traditional Haida style, mask of a raven painted in acrylics with horsehair). In the center, an (elegant wood sculpture of a Coast Salish sun mask painted in acrylics). On the right, an (intricate pop Tlingit mask of a bear painted in acrylics). Each mask is illuminated by spot lighting. Professional museum installation.
For SDXL, you need lists of items:
traditional Haida cedar wood panel and acrylic, beaver, masterpiece, 8k
a pop Tlingit lithography print on silkscreen of people in a canoe, on a lake, with traditional Haida orca jumping from the water, at night, masterpiece, high quality
contemporary Haida lithography print on silkscreen of salmon in the river under the moon, masterpiece, 8k
When using SDXL, you can have negative keywords. The artistic style tends to produce symmetric objects, particularly on prints. If you do not want symmetry, include the word "symmetry" as a negative. It can work on prints (because there exist non-symmetric prints), but it may not work on other media such as wood panels (as all those in the training data are symmetric).
Disclaimer
This LORA seeks to promote the appreciation of an artistic style, which is the product of a long cultural heritage. If you wish to know more, you can check out the ********* pages for some of the nations whose work is represented (Haida, Coast Salish, Tlingit, Nuu-chah-nulth). If you wish to support them, you can buy their art from various galleries, where the affiliation of an artist is clearly stated. Selling art is an important economic activity for first nations, which is why this LORA does not allow for sales. While cultural objects have a deep meaning, you are welcome to express your interest for this style by integrating it in your own work as you see fit. It would be offensive to use this LoRA on erotic images.
Books to learn more
For a complete source, consider:
"Transforming Image, 2nd Ed.: Painted Arts of Northwest Coast First Nations"
For more thematic overviews, see:
"S'abadeb / The Gifts: Pacific Coast Salish Art and Artists"
Knowledge Within: Treasures of the Northwest Coast"
For collections, see:
"Transformations: The George and Colleen Hoyt Collection of Northwest Coast Art"