Exercise 2.2: Creating a Contour Composition of Leaves

In this exercise, we were to create a composition of three or more leaves that overlapped, first in pencil and then in pen/ink.

For the pencil one, I wanted to have three very distinct leaves. While composing, I spent about a half hour considering diagonals, tangents, and empty space.

For the ink one, I thought I’d try to compose something with the golden mean in mind, but it wasn’t working, so I tried a circular pattern with the stems of varying sizes/ages of camellia leaves.

Scarlett Oak (guess), Fig, and Oklahoma Red Bud, ~8x8in, pencil, 6/23/2024

Camellia Leaves, ~ 7x7in, Gillott #290 with Dr. Ph Martins Black Star Ink, 6/27/2024

Exercise 2.1: Learning to Use Line in Leaf Drawing

The exercise was to do three contour drawings of leaves, ones of different shapes and size, in pencil, and then in pen. I’m using a quill pen and ink, and it’s pretty challenging. I don’t really have the control I want with the quill pen and right now, I’m not sure if I’ll stay with it or not.

Contour Leaf Drawings, Pencil, 6/21/2024

Contour Leaf Drawings, Pen, 6/22/2024

Exercise 1.3 Leaf Morphology

I was excited to start learning some botanical terms for leaves. Putting names to plant components helps me to identify, understand, and remember them better.

Exercise 1.2 Blind Contour

Blind contour is something I’ve done awhile ago and hated it. Now, being more curious about the assignment and “the why,” it was great to re-try this exercise. It really makes you slow down and focus and really see the intricacies of the plant components. I spent 20-30m on each.

Blind Contour Drawings, pencil, 6/14-16/2024

Exercise 1.1: Observation of plants in their Habitat

“Budding Oranges,” Pencil, June 13, 2024

In this assignment, we were to find a plant life interesting to us. We were to focus our attention on the shapes, sizes, patterns, textures and groupings of the plant life and draw what we see. We were to notice how the light falls on objects such as twigs and limbs unevenly, leaving some details in darkness and others fully illuminated and to take note of the shapes produced by the shadows on overlapping leaves or branches. We were to experiment with different componsition framings using a viewfinder.

I chose a snippet from my orange tree of budding oranges in June. Typically these oranges are not ready for eating until late December and in the summer they look like key limes. I love “new growth” in plants and also I liked how all the leaves in the snippet were different sizes, on different diagonals, and some forshortened. I tried to have a decent composition like I saw in “Beautiful Botanicals” - trying to avoid tangents, converging lines, and even spacing.

I spent ~3hrs on “Budding Oranges.”

"If you create from the heart, nearly everything is possible..."

For our class, our main instruction book is Beautiful Botanicals by Bente Starcke King. I’ve read the Introduction chapter and skimmed through the book, and find it to be lovely, informative, and inspiring. Some of the quotes in the Introduction chapter that stood out to me are:

“Taida Blush Orchids,” Colored Pencil, June 9, 2024

  • “If you create from the heart, nearly everything is possible; if from the head, almost nothing.” by Marc Chagall, one of my favority painters. He has an expressive, storyteller style that is easy to fall in love with. I’m not sure I TOTALLY agree with his quote, as I feel both the mind and heart give vital information and listening to both are important for illustration. However, as I approach my assignments, I am going to open my heart to my wonderful plant specimens and listen to what they say to me.

  • “…a work of art is a personal encounter with a reality, not a copy.” - Van Gogh. As I study my plant subjects, I will ask them, “Hey beautiful and strange plant, what do you want to say to me?” and I will listen and see if I can capture some of their spirit and not only what I initially see.

I currently have a flowering Phalaenopsis Taida Blush orchid that is so pretty, delicate, and translucent. I think it’d be best expressed through watercolor, but right now I’ll spend some time drawing them. All the curves of an orchid feels so organic and feminine. After I was mostly done coloring the flowers, I thought I’d try a somewhat-complementary-colored geometric background. I thought the contrast of the diagonals would pop the flowing curves of the flowers or provide some interest. I’m not sure if it’s “successful,” but part of this class is going to be exploring and trying ideas.

Getting Ready for Class

“Five Cherries,” Colored Pencil and Ink, June 2, 2024

This week, I start the online Cornell University Botanical Illustration 1: Basic Drawing Techniques ~8-week class. For awhile I feel like I need a focus, and since I’ve always been interested in flowers and plants, this seemed like a fun way to spend some of the summer.

Before class officially started, I thought I’d do some drawings…and then maybe compare them to my drawings at the end of class to see how I have improved. With “Five Cherries,” my intent was to have a simple composition, taking into account the positioning of the curves of the stems and different angles of the cherries.