In his original graphite drawing, as shown in Dorothy LaBarge’s 1986 Glenbow Museum catalogue From Drawing to Print (p. 16), Kiakshuk includes a third tier of figures in his composition — four monstrous creatures brimming with nervous energy. By simplifying the composition, the print shifts focus, celebrating the everyday inhabitants of Kinngait's skies rather than merging the natural world with frightful fantasy – almost; the two creatures at the top left look hybrid, but seem playfully benign. The nine birds are brought to life through the printmaker Eegyvudluk’s expert use of stencil, blending black, blue, and a striking touch of an almost maroon red to create vibrant, dynamic forms.

Literature: Nine Arctic Birds is illustrated alongside Kiakshuk’s original drawing in Dorothy LaBarge, From Drawing to Print: Perception and Process in Cape Dorset Art (Calgary: Glenbow Museum, 1986), pp. 16-17.