ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The presentational task of ethnography is sometimes held to be 'painting pictures in words', 'capturing a likeness', recreating the 'very feel' of an event, evoking an image, awakening a spirit, or reconstructing a mood or atmosphere. I have discussed some of the methods used for these essentially artistic tasks. But what tools do we use in applying these methods? Are they as important to the ethnographer as they are, say, to the artist, musician or sculptor? What effect do they have on the process and on the finished product?
