Botanical Art with Scientific Illustration E-Book

Sarah Jane Humphrey

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Beschreibung

Botanical and scientific illustration share many common themes - the meticulous observation, the crucial composition, the precision of rendering and the accuracy of colour are all intrinsic to this niche genre of art. In this beautiful book, Sarah Jane Humphrey explains the techniques of the botanical artist but also introduces ideas for scientific illustration, so that the illustrator has a fuller understanding when rendering the natural world. Detailed instruction on all aspects of illustration is given, from application and materials to research and field trips. There is practical advice on using monochrome and colour theory to bring your illustration to life. Illustrated with over 200 of the author's exquisite illustrations, it is an invaluable companion for both beginners and experienced artists, as well as a source of inspiration and joy. Beautifully illustrated with 429 colour illustrations including 200 of the author's own illustrations.

Leseprobe

BOTANICAL ART

WITH SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATION

SARAH JANE HUMPHREY

THE CROWOOD PRESS

First published in 2018 by

The Crowood Press Ltd

Ramsbury, Marlborough

Wiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2018

© Sarah Jane Humphrey 2018

All rights reserved. This e-book is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of thistext may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 78500 420 9

Frontispiece: Oyster Mushroom Beetle, Triplax lacordairii.

Acknowledgements

With thanks to my three incredible children, Harvey, Freddy and Isla, I hope to inspire you to pursue your dreams, and make great choices in life. Jon, thank you for giving me the freedom to be creative and curious, and sharing some of my adventures, there will be many more to come. Mum, Dad and Ed, an inspirational childhood, flooded with the perfect balance of nurturing with an uninhibited laissez-faire to explore this wonderful planet we live on.

Contents

Introduction

CHAPTER 1 The history of botanical and scientific illustration

CHAPTER 2 Scientific approaches to illustration

CHAPTER 3 Materials and equipment

CHAPTER 4 The collection and choice of specimens

CHAPTER 5 Drawing and the importance of sketchbooks

CHAPTER 6 Observation skills and perspective

CHAPTER 7 The use of monochrome

CHAPTER 8 Colour theory

CHAPTER 9 Principles of composition and the Fibonacci Sequence

CHAPTER 10 Techniques

CHAPTER 11 Professional practice

Conclusion

Bibliography

Index

Introduction

Born in Bedford 1977 and later moving to Cambridgeshire, I grew up living close to the embankment of the River Great Ouse, and enjoyed a childhood dipping in and out of rivers and streams, surrounded by nature. At around the age of two, my parents bought me a painting easel, which over endless summers was propped up in the garden, nestled in between the flowers and vegetable patch. Looking back, this is quite possibly where my passion for drawing naturally derived subjects began, and an eye for detail emerged. From the moment I could hold a pencil I was always drawing or writing.

Sarah Jane Humphrey in the studio.

Growing up in Cambridgeshire influenced my artworks. Here I was surrounded by nature, with a flourishing collection of butterflies and other curious insects, leaves and flowers – all of which were fascinating subjects to draw. A common theme that runs strongly throughout my artwork is the attention to details. As I grew older I was finding new techniques to sharpen my accuracy and observational skills. On leaving school (much to my teachers’ despair for not furthering my studies in literature and languages) I decided to pursue my artistic passion and follow my dreams – which at sixteen were strongly rooted in fashion design and, as it would turn out, floral drawings – and began a Diploma in Technical Illustration.

Dahlia ‘Ball’ line illustration. Commissioned by the Eden Project, for the Dahlia Garden.

Details from the life-cycle study of the Swallowtail, Papilionidae family.

I was swiftly introduced into a world of exploded illustrations of gear-boxes, perspective grids and Rotring pens. (The nibs on these pens incidentally, were as minute as one tenth of a millimetre, so you can imagine the accuracy and perfection.) This was a far cry from my previous drawing concepts, and a challenging course, but it was a marvellous education and offered a disciplined approach to learning about structures and dimensions, which is an intrinsic part of botanical and scientific illustration.

Some varieties of the dahlia, for example, have an invisible structure almost like a geodesic dome, with petals extending from this in a perfectly geometric form. It is having knowledge of these underlying structures that really aids the drawing process, much as the great Masters studied anatomy to have a clear comprehension of the human form. Grasping the concept of muscle and bone configuration underneath the skin enabled artists to produce far more accurate drawings.

The next milestone was a move to Lancashire to begin a degree in Scientific and Natural History Illustration at the Blackpool and The Fylde University, where I had the opportunity to observe and specialize in each particular subject matter. Field trips, hours of studio work and a deeper understanding of the science underlying plants were invaluable in creating the high-calibre artworks I create today. Working with scientists, cross-referencing against diagrams, and using photographs and living specimens are all part of the studies, not to mention biodiversity.

Not long into my studies the Falmouth School of Art offered me a place on their degree course in Cornwall. The pull of living by the sea and gaining a degree from one of the most prestigious illustration courses in the country was far too great. I swiftly packed up and moved south, propelled by an inspiring Professor, Alan Male, a specialist in scientific illustration of palaeoecology and evolution with whom I shared an appreciation of details and realism. Art in Cornwall became a wonderful source of continuous inspiration. I have never looked back, living with an abundance of floral hedgerows and exotic looking coastlines; there is never a shortage of beautiful plants and wondrous specimens to draw. Spending the next three years working hard and gaining a BA (hons) in Illustration I maintained a flow of commissions since leaving school, through university years, and thankfully this continued after graduating.

In 1998 my first book, Friends at Sea, was published in New York, by McGraw Hill, an educational publisher. It was the beginning of a rather exciting career in botanical and scientific illustration, over the years exploring drawing techniques from full-colour illustration to monochrome ink drawings using line and tone – both of which have proved to be successful ways of rendering and have gained me many commissions. The Eden Project in Cornwall commissioned me to illustrate a number of plants for use as signage around their grounds. The Eden Project is a complex of botanical gardens dominated by two huge biomes, each of which houses thousands of plant species. The largest of the two biomes simulates a rainforest environment; the second supports a Mediterranean environment. It was a great opportunity to work with the botanists to ensure that each artwork was absolutely true to form. There is great skill to be learnt in producing highly accurate illustrations, and finding other resources of reference when the flower may not be in bloom or even accessible, in rarer or more exotic cases.

Field trip illustration, detail of the Horse Chestnut, Aesculus hippocastanum.

This was the instance when I was asked to draw a series of illustrations of the plants to be used as signage tiles in the Mediterranean biome. At the time of year I was offered that commission those particular flowers were coming towards the end of their bloom. The petals were beginning to fade, and their form was deteriorating, as one would expect. To overcome this common problem I always use an array of other resources, alongside as many of the actual living plants as I can gather.

To gain a true depiction of each plant it can also be valuable to study botanical descriptions to cross-reference against photographic material. I can clearly remember illustrating a collection of lavenders, again for the Eden project. For these particular paintings I was working alongside one of the gardeners and was fortunate enough to have access to the extensive experience of one of the botanists. Using my natural tendency to replicate and observe the plants in as close detail as possible, I had nevertheless slightly mis-represented the typical colour of the Lavandula viridis.

Myrtle, Myrtus communis. Commissioned by the Eden Project, for the Mediterranean Biome.

Artemisia absinthium. Commissioned by the Eden Project, for the Mediterranean Biome.

Lavandula viridis. Commissioned by the Eden Project, for the Mediterranean Biome.

This was due to working from reference books; fortunately this minor discrepancy was picked up by one of the Eden Project experts and I was pointed in the right direction, rendering the Lavandula viridis in its true lemon- and lime-toned hues. It is the continual scrupulous cross-referencing that enables the botanical and scientific illustrator to deliver the most precise artworks, which arguably makes illustrations at times a more valuable source of information than photographs. The illustrator has the choice of how to best visualize each specimen to present a greater understanding of the form. I can manipulate elevations and scale in order to reproduce an artwork, which gives a greater sense of accuracy for identification for the viewer.

Around the time that I was illustrating for the Eden Project, I was taken on by my former agents the Wildlife ART Company, founded by Mark Carwardine (BBC zoologist) and endorsed by Michaela Strachan (TV presenter). They could boast being the largest stock agency of its kind in the world. I was very fortunate to be the first female scientific and natural history illustrator to grace their list of artists. The agency covered a wide selection of illustrations ranging from entomology and ornithology right down to the depths of the ocean with marine biology. It was a true honour to have my work represented alongside that of some of the best illustrators in the field. Surprisingly for a seemingly niche area of illustration, there is great demand for botanical and scientific artworks across the board. My commissions have come from varied clients from the cosmetic industry and fashion textiles to much more serious scientific projects such as endangered and invasive species. The latter were absolutely fascinating with quite a substantial tilt on environmental issues.

What I personally gain from each project is to immerse myself in not only the artwork but also the research; I believe that a detailed understanding of each specimen leads to a deeper empathy when it comes to creating the artwork. More recently I have focused on my passion for botanical illustration. To give an example, during my research for some plates on invasive species, I became increasingly aware of the importance of pollinating insects in the reproduction of plants. It seemed an absolute necessity to find a way to include them within the artworks. For some plants it may be just one particular pollinating species combined with the right set of circumstances that is imperative to its survival.

For me, something that truly drives my passion for botanical and scientific illustration is the uniqueness of every project. No species are the same: one week I might have my head buried in research for the Oyster Mushroom Beetle; the next it could be orchids native to Indonesia. One thing for absolute certain is that there is never a dull moment for a self confessed naturalist. It has been a wonderful journey so far, and has expanded from commissions for prestigious companies, to lectures, and teaching botanical illustration art classes. I couldn’t have asked for a more exciting diversity of work and subjects and hope this book will inspire the reader to take a closer look at the natural world.

Raft Spider, Dolomedes fimbriatus. Also known as the Jesus Spider, the name is derived from its ability to walk on water. This is part of a series of illustrations giving information on how these spiders catch their prey.

Comma butterfly, Polygonia c-album, on a Japanese Knotweed leaf.

Large Blue Butterfly, Maculinea arion. Study of the Large Blue in pencil crayon and its fascinating life-cycle; it spends the majority of the year underground with the nest of red ants. Unfortunately this species is now extinct in the UK.

CHAPTER 1

The history of botanical and scientific illustration

Scientific illustrations first appeared in Alexandria, as long ago as the third century BC. Rendered on individual sheets of papyrus, these Hellenistic illustrations covered a variety of anatomy, obstetrics, surgery and botanical illustration of a medicinal value. Theophrastus (c.371–286 BC), known as the ‘father of botany’, wrote many books, including the 10-volume set, Historia Plantarum (‘Enquiry into Plants’). His curiosity led him to research and findings on germination, cultivation and propagation – amongst many other discoveries, which included the grouping of plants into categories. He was a student of Aristotle, the Greek philosopher and scientist, and is probably deemed as one of the earliest founders of botanical research.

Himalayan Balsam, Impatiens glandulifera.Scientific plant study.

Later on, in the first century AD, the first known copies of De Materia Medica (‘On Medical Material’) were produced, translated into both Latin and Arabic. These were written by a Roman physician of Greek origin called Pedanius Dioscorides. In this illustrated book he covered 600 plants with around a further 1,000 medicines made from them. It was widely read for thousands of years and was regarded as a pharmaceutical ‘bible’ for those in practice, becoming the most influential work on medicinal plants in both Christian and Islamic cultures. Astonishingly, a copy of the illustrated manuscript, dating back to the sixth century, is still in existence, held in Istanbul, Turkey.

THE VOYNICH MANUSCRIPT

The Voynich manuscript was written much later but is believed also to perhaps have some relevance to medicinal and herbal remedies, containing many botanical and medical illustrations. The most likely presumption is that it was perhaps deemed to have served as a pharmacopoeia or to give an understanding of medieval medicine. Either way it has proved to cause much intrigue over the years with its peculiarly written text in an unknown language and obscure unidentifiable illustrations.

Carbon dating suggests that the vellum dates back to somewhere between 1404 and 1438. However, the first records of this book were made in the early seventeenth century, and stylistic analysis of the illustrations suggests that it was written in Northern Italy during the renaissance period. Bought in 1912 by Wilfred Voynich, a Polish antique book dealer, the manuscript has since been studied by numerous amateur and professional cryptographers who believe the book contains a secret code. Many codebreakers have tried to unravel the extensive text and illustrations. The text, written using a quill pen, is arranged on the pages with the words reading from left to right, in an undecipherable language, although some parts are written in English, Latin and Chinese text; to confuse matters further there are no punctuation marks or alterations, just fluid writing.

As a botanical and scientific illustrator, the content of this book is rather fascinating, regardless of the crude nature of the drawings. The Voynich manuscript is divided into five (or possibly six) sections according to the illustrations: Herbal, Astronomical, Biological, Cosmological, Pharmaceutical and Recipes. Although the author cannot be identified, it has been established that the pigments for the paints in which the illustrations were rendered were not expensive. Out of the hundreds of illustrations throughout the book, only thirty-seven plants and six animals can be determined, including the ‘Wild pansy’ and the ‘Maiden hair fern’.

Bizarrely, many of the plant drawings are a jumble of roots from one plant species, leading to leaves from another and then flowers connected to a third. This has all added tremendous intrigue for codebreakers across generations, but the general consensus is that the Voynich manuscript is a hoax, written with little sense or distinguishable meaning. Whether there is an underlying code in the manuscript or not, what remains is an early, albeit inelegant, representation of botanical and scientific illustration that has been mostly preserved; out of the 270 original pages, 240 vellum pages still remain intact. Despite the inaccuracies and flaws, one can’t help wondering what possessed the author to write and illustrate a book of such depth, and what his motivation might have been in creating his own versions of the true specimens. Whilst there are still findings being made, it is hoped that one day the truth behind the Voynich manuscript will be uncovered.

RENAISSANCE ANATOMICAL AND MEDICAL ILLUSTRATION

Lavenders have been used as medicinal plants over many years; their oil is extracted and used to soothe a number of ailments including anxiety and insomnia. Commissioned by the Eden Project for the Lavender Garden.

Thyme, Thymus vulgaris, is used for culinary and pharmaceutical purposes. Medicinally it can be used to aid stomach aches and other digestive problems. Commissioned by the Eden Project for the Mediterranean Biome.

During the Renaissance period Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) was considered to be the pioneer of medical scientific illustrations. With over 800 anatomical drawings, he conveyed a superior understanding of scientific and anatomical studies, developing a new style of drawing that included cross-sections and exploded illustrations to convey a deeper understanding of his subjects. With his drive and passion to understand the complex workings of the human body, his findings were centuries ahead of his time; despite his genius, however, his work wasn’t actually printed until the nineteenth century.

Many artists of that period were intensely interested in anatomy; however, it was Leonardo’s sharp observations and accurate drawings that set him ahead of his peers. It was in the latter years of his life that his fascination with the heart and in particular the valves were explored and recorded through notes and drawings. He discovered the complex inner workings of the heart and its fundamental qualities as an organ pumping the blood in and out and in turn the opening and closure of the valves. Remarkably, this observation – made back in 1513 – wasn’t revisited until the twentieth century. To put this into context, a 2013 exhibition in the Queen’s Gallery in the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh displayed the sheets of Leonardo’s investigations alongside an MRI scan of blood flowing through the aortic valve, and with only minor discrepancies his theory was correct. Further exploratory tests at this exhibition showed many of Leonardo’s formulative theoretical sketchbook sheets were frustratingly close to what we know today as being the correct findings.

The scientific illustrators of the Renaissance period were recording anatomical and medical illustrations with new and macabre sources of reference. Some of the Renaissance artists specializing in anatomy were physicians and scientists also, with a thirst for knowledge. Although a little unorthodox, in the name of science (and curiosity, perhaps) they resorted to dissecting human corpses, rather than animal carcasses.

This practice undoubtedly took their understanding of the human anatomy to another level. Mostly they would be given the bodies of executed criminals, although in their obsession to observe and formulate theories some would go to more extreme lengths. Andreas Vesalius (1514–64), anatomist and artist, was reported to have begun a human dissection on a skull only to discover the attached body was very much alive!

With all of today’s resources – scans, X-rays and cameras – it is quite astounding to appreciate just how far medicine has come on since those early days. Whilst what would seem almost grotesque in the dissection and drawing of putrid deteriorating bodies, and those of the diseased and deformed, it was the staggering efforts of those early artists and physicians that has moved medicine and treatments forward. Were these scientists dabbling with art, or indeed were they artists trying to understand science? Whatever the answer, this rather wonderful melée of art and science still holds a deep fascination today.

As with many of their predecessors, physicians and surgeons of the nineteenth century built close relationships with scientific artists. For the Renaissance physicians and artists the collaboration was deemed more of an elite enlightenment of medicine, an understanding of the relatively unknown. Although macabre in content, anatomical drawings provided mesmerizing intrigue to the anatomist, who could view plates of the inner workings of the body in precise still detail.

The microscope was invented in 1590, and gave great insight into the study of plant anatomy and intrigued physicians, although until many years later it was perhaps perceived as something of a novelty. In the nineteenth century the European physicians began to touch on the developments of the first achromatic microscopes and the first permanent photo etching, invented by Nicéphore Niépce. This allowed the physicians and surgeons a deeper level of accuracy in their research and, one could argue, a challenged perspective of how anatomical art should be visualized. Although perhaps horrifically graphic to many outside the medical profession, to those with a curious mindset the cut-away internal sections of the body, including those of diseased and sick patients, gave tremendous clarity. The cross-analysis between the laboratories studying bacteriology, for example, and the artist being able to visualize their research as an illustration, helped the practitioners of scientific medicine to make significant progress.

Developing an understanding of the human form, and the anatomy within, is a great practice for any artist. Life drawing classes can be hugely beneficial for learning many techniques.

Books of anatomy and dentistry tools from the early nineteenth century.

Limited editions, printed and bound on exquisite, fine papers in oversized books, were the first publications but, as time moved on and the numbers of medical students increased, more inexpensive books were made. It must have been quite a feat of expertise and teamwork to make each and every medical illustration, starting with the corpse, to the pathologist on advice from the surgeon or physician on the matter of where to dissect. The dissected section would then be prepared for the illustrator to make the initial drawings, carefully recording colours and textures for the engraver to make either copper plates or woodblocks as true to the specimen as possible. Sensitive drawings publications but, as time moved on and the numbers of medical students increased, more inexpensive books were made. It must have been quite a feat of expertise and teamwork to make each and every medical illustration, starting with the corpse, to the pathologist on advice from the surgeon or physician on the matter of where to dissect. The dissected section would then be prepared for the illustrator to make the initial drawings, carefully recording colours and textures for the engraver to make either copper plates or woodblocks as true to the specimen as possible. Sensitive drawings closely together would ensure the best results and the finest artworks that we still see in print today.

A perfect example of this wonderful collaboration was between the anatomist and surgeon Henry Gray, and Henry Vandyke Carter, artist and surgeon-apothecary from London. Together in 1858 they produced Anatomy Descriptive and Surgical or, as it more commonly known today, Gray’s Anatomy. What with staggeringly beautiful detailed illustrations and complex informative text to complement it is no wonder it went onto become probably the world’s best known medical book. Keeping pace with technology, apps have been made from this original book for students.

HERBAL ILLUSTRATION

Herbal illustrations, although being some of the earliest known type of botanical illustrations, are not actually found in print until the fifteenth century when the first printing presses were invented. Their purpose would largely have been to aid apothecaries in making up prescriptions for physicians. Beyond the medicinal use, herbal illustrations depicted by physicians and natural historians of the sixteenth century were appreciated many years later as a creative art form, becoming the inspiration for some of the most exquisite floral fabrics and wallpapers of William Morris.

Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis. An incredibly useful plant in the kitchen, it also has medicinal uses: it is an anti-inflammatory, it improves memory, and is believed to fight cancer and also prolong life expectancy.

Elizabeth Blackwell was born during the eighteenth century in Aberdeen, making a name for herself after writing and illustrating A Curious Herbal (published 1737–39). A typical affluent lady living during this time would have participated in painting and drawing classes; as the daughter of a successful merchant, the skills Elizabeth obtained during her tuition were to stand her in good stead. When she was twenty-eight she married Alexander Blackwell, a well-educated man. Despite not completing his formal training in medicine he pursued a doubtful – if not fraudulent – venture, practising as a physician. After this was challenged the couple swiftly left for a new life in London. Following that, and partaking in a new career in the printing industry, he found himself in a spot of bother. Once again, due to not obtaining the necessary qualifications he ended up with substantial fines for not following the trade regulations. This led him to a conviction at a debtors’ prison and Elizabeth and her child had to support themselves.

Fortunately Elizabeth Blackwell had an excellent head for business and saw a gap in the market for creating an up-to-date herbal book for apothecaries, covering some of the recently discovered species from overseas. She gained support from the Society of Apothecaries and from leading doctors, taking a room in the Chelsea Physic Garden to aid her with her project. Whist spending time in the Chelsea Physic Garden she began illustrating the plants from life, and then sought advice for their identification from Alexander, whilst he was in prison (incidentally, he was able to name many of them in different languages). His skills from the medical and printing field were a near perfect collaboration for Elizabeth, and with their combined knowledge and talent she set about engraving copper plates for printing.

Herbal illustration of Myrtle with a collection of artistic paraphernalia. (Photo: Anya Rice)