There was a time before photography. Really! I know it’s hard to imagine, but there was. What do you do, then, if you are a botanist, and have found a new plant to tell the world about? You need an illustrator. Thus, the amazing world of Botanical Illustration was born, and it is still flourishing today. In fact, one of the very few educational programs in the world is located here in Colorado at the Denver Botanic Gardens (botanicgardens.org).
Why is the art of Botanical Illustration still flourishing today? A drawing can sometimes (if I were not a photographer I would have said oftentimes) do a better job than a photo in representing a plant. The plant is reproduced in it’s entirety without random effects of light and potential damage from obtaining the specimen. And, the drawings are always beautiful!
Currently, I am taking a class at the Botanic Gardens on Botanical Illumination. This technique, first perfected by the folks who would copy manuscripts by hand, adds metallic ink (mostly gold) to illustrations. The result is beautiful art with bright effects.
The above drawing is far from complete—I still need to add the color and gold lettering. But art is not made in a day. I hope to post the finished work soon.
I’m just back from Death Valley National Park will loads of new photos. It’s only mid-March, and the daily high temperatures are already breaking the 100 degree mark. Does this foretell what will happen to this summer’s temperatures here at the eastern edge of the Rockies?
