Premise | Research and Ideation [2]
In relation to the style and artistic recording of this particular subject matter, I've also done research into existing wildlife books, and the art of capturing the natural world within a historical context.
Older historical examples of plant/animal guides naturally delve into medieval bestiaries. Interestingly, the Europeans have their own reimagined version of 'exotic' animals back as far as the 11th century when the only information they could illustrate from was what they'd heard by ear 5.
More modern examples of 'bestiary's' have, arguably, taken form since in film/moving picture. More accurate sources include documentaries such as 'Blue Planet', and BBC Two's 'Natural Curiosities', as presented by David Attenborough (2018). Particularly Series 4, Episode 1 of 6: 'Animal Frankensteins' which discusses hybrid animals which can sometimes owe their existence to human interference- both in global warming and the transfer of species across the globe, from their original habitats:
I managed to get my hands on the 'Field Guide to Wild Flowers Of Britain' by The Reader's Digest Association Limited (1981) 1, and in regards to a more South American body of work: 'Tropical Wild Flowers' by V.E. Graham, B.Sc.' (1963) 2:
I've also found a video talking through the work process of Angela Lober; botanical artist, produced for 'Florilegium: Sydney's Painted Garden' show at the Museum of Sydney, (30th July- 30th October 2016) 3:
Alternatively we have a botanical drawing with pen and ink as seen with this short video- which doesn't illustrate colour variance but could give a strong illustrative style to the work 4 .
Older historical examples of plant/animal guides naturally delve into medieval bestiaries. Interestingly, the Europeans have their own reimagined version of 'exotic' animals back as far as the 11th century when the only information they could illustrate from was what they'd heard by ear 5.
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| Crocodiles from the encyclopaedia 'Liber Floridus' (Book of Flowers) by Lambert, Canon of Saint-Omer. Estimated to date between 1090-1120. |
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| A crocodile from the Rochester Bestiary, c. 1225-1250 |
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| "A crocodile from the Northumberland Bestiary, fol. 49v, mid-1250's" |
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| Elephants from the Rochester Bestiary, c. 1225-1250 |
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| A rather colourful panther from the Rochester Bestiary, c. 1225-1250 |
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| An Antelope from 'The History of Four-Booted Beasts and Serpents' by Edward Topsell (1658) |
More modern examples of 'bestiary's' have, arguably, taken form since in film/moving picture. More accurate sources include documentaries such as 'Blue Planet', and BBC Two's 'Natural Curiosities', as presented by David Attenborough (2018). Particularly Series 4, Episode 1 of 6: 'Animal Frankensteins' which discusses hybrid animals which can sometimes owe their existence to human interference- both in global warming and the transfer of species across the globe, from their original habitats:
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| An example of the pizzly bear, a cross between a grizzly and a polar bear as the two encounter after moving to colder/warmer climates in response to global warming. |
[1]
Contributing Artists: Leonora Box, Wendy Brammal, Josiane Campan, Philippe Coute, Franky Coventry, Helen Cowcher, Colin Emberson, Maurice Esperance, Sarah Fox-Davies, Victoria Goaman, Marie-Claude Guyetand, Stephanie Harrison, Shirley Hooper, Rogers Hughes, Delyth, Brenda Katte, Norman Lacey, Stuart Lafford, Line Mailhe, Guy Michel, Marie Claire Nivoix, John Rignall, Derek Rodgers, Jim Russell, Marjory Saynor, Helen Senior, Barbara Walker, Rosemary Wise, Paul Wrigley and Peter Wrigley.
[2]
V.E. Graham moved to South America in 1946, and spent 15 years collecting and identifying tropical plants- mostly from British Guiana, and some from West Indian Islands. The drawings often had to be made on the spot, as the plant flowers wouldn't last very long.
[3 & 4]
'Drawing & Painting - The Virtual Instructor' (2017), 'Pen and Ink Botanical Drawing', [Online Video]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8YaLk_M-h0
[Accessed Date: 26/03/2018]
'PlantPop', (2016), 'Lynne Frailing: Botanical Illustrator', [Online Video]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QSqlJNzydc [Accessed Date: 26/03/2018]
Sydney Living Museums, (2016), 'The Art of Botanical Illustration; A Norfolk Island Pine by Angela Lober', [Online Video]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B97t6L_Q3i8 [Accessed Date: 26/03/2018]
'todgrim', (2009), 'Rosie Sanders Part 2: Rosie at work in her studio', [Online Video]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQmj4FQe4sk [Accessed Date: 26/03/2018]
[5]
Miklós, Vincze (2014), 'How Europeans Imagined Exotic Animals Centuries Ago, Based on Hearsay', [Online]. Available at: https://io9.gizmodo.com/how-europeans-imagined-exotic-animals-centuries-ago-ba-1545362205 [Accessed Date: 26/03/2018]
'The Metropolitan Museum of Art', (n.d.), 'Animals in Medieval Art', [Online]. Available at: https://metmuseum.org/toah/hd/best/hd_best.htm [Accessed Date: 26/03/2018]
Nguyen, Donny (n.d.), 'Drawing Page 9', [Online]. Available at: http://www.donnynguyen.com/tag/drawing/page/9/ [Acceessed Date: 26/03/2018]
[6]
'BBC TWO', (2018), David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities: Animal Frankensteins | Series 4 Episode 1 of 6', [Online]. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09sv1f5 [Accessed Date: n.d.]
Honeyborne, James and Brownlow, Mark (2017), 'Blue Planet II'. England: BBC Books.
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