The process of painting Atriplex stipitata

The second in our series about how Roslyn Glow goes about painting her plant Atriplex stipitata. Her first post was about her research into her plant.

Colour matching

It is important to get the colours right before the specimen dries out /dies/fades. I paint little patches of colour and label them. I use the same paper as my final painting. 

Part of my colour matching (Photo copyright: Roslyn Glow, 2015)

I notice that, under a hand lens or microscope, the surface of the plant looks as if sprinkled with crystals of some kind. Since this is a salt bush, I infer that they are salt crystals.  I don’t know how to depict this. I discuss it with others.  Mali Moir, project leader, suggests that Margaret Holloway (an artist involved in this project) has solved a similar problem.  I make a mental note to consult Margaret when I get back to Melbourne.  

I paint a blow up of the fruit and of the male inflorescence, using the binocular microscope. I don’t have a digital microscope, so I try to photograph parts of the plant through the binocular microscope. This is not really successful.

(Photo copyright: Anne Lawson, 2016)

Composition

The next task is to decide on a composition.  

Ideally the painting should show the back and front of a leaf, a bud, a flower, a fruit and any feature used to identify the species, including microscopic studies if microscopic features are essential for identification. Since the plant is dioecious, these details should be present for both male and female plants. The habit of the plant should also be shown, either in full or by implication.  We can’t always reach the ideal.   

I play around with my specimens, before realising that with only one small fragment with a fruit and a couple of sprigs with male inflorescences, my options are limited. Celia Rosser, who painted all the banksias was careful to show all stages of growth of buds to mature fruits.  This often required her to paint more than one branch.  She carefully arranged two branches into a pleasing composition.  Sometimes, at first glance it looks like a single branch, but the two branches are always separated although they form a single composition.  I decide to follow a similar path. 

I arrange my two sprigs as best I can.    We are taught to do a series of ‘thumbnail’ sketches before committing to a composition.  I can’t think of any more than one.  I consult Pam McDiamid, a fellow artist whose skill in composition and speed of decision making I much admire.  She realigns my larger sprig.  I am happy with the result.  She advises me to do the thumbnails.  I prepare the thumbnail sheet, but can’t think of any alternatives.   The big decision is whether or not to include microscope studies, and if so, which details should I depict, at what magnification.  And where should I place them.

Recording the composition

I photograph the specimen in its chosen position.  I will print these photos when I return to Melbourne.

Rough sketch

I make a series of rough sketches, using my softest pencil (an 8B), on sketch paper.  The size doesn’t matter, in fact the bigger the better, to get the character of the plant.  The series ends with one in 2B, at about the right size.   This is the part of the process I enjoy the most. 

Next time, in the last in the series, Roslyn will take us through the painting stage, and you will be able to see the finished painting.

At work in the Hall

We set up in the Civic Hall in Menindee. Each artist has her own table -- or sometimes two! -- which becomes covered with microscopes, specimens, and all manner of artistic equipment from paint and brushes to backing boards and natty pencil holders.

Amy Wells

Amy Wells -- Botanic artist

Zygochloa paradoxa -- Sandhill canegrass

Why did you become involved in the Project?

Amy's specimen and drawing. (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2013)

I saw the project as a way of being introduced to doing botanical art in the field. As well it was a way of going to parts of Australia that I haven't been and a chance to look at that landscape in a different way. It was also an opportunity go away with a group of people with similar interests, being able to spend time with experts, looking at how they do things and learning. This is not just artist skills, but lots of other areas, including Australian history.

I have continued to be involved because it is a way of having a break but still keep mentally engaged. It is very different what I would normally do.

What plant are you painting?

It is a Zygochloa paradoxa, also called sandhill canegrass. It has male and female plants. What attracted me to that one was that I saw lots of straight lines. It is a very architectural plant, a very patterned growing habit. They look like mobiles!

The male and female plants look the same; it's the flowers that are are the identifiers. It is easy to tell the difference. Female flowers have stigmas that are like white, feather boas! The male flora have rusty orange canoes for stamens -- and lots of stamens that contrast against the colour of the plant. Under the microscope the female flowers look like lettuce leaves.

It took lots of microscopic work to try to find the seeds. They are small and it was difficult to know if they were ripe. I found jelly blobs instead of seeds. The botanist said jelly blogs qualify as seeds but the artist didn't agree! I have harvested seeds and will let them ripen some more.

What is your process for painting?

They look like mobiles!

I have done my drawings, done my colour swatches and done my microscopic drawings. My composition will depend on whether I can find some seeds. It will be done in watercolour. There is enough cream and green in the microscopic work to be able to do that in watercolour too.

It had been nice to have plugged in with people up here who give permission to go to different places, such as the pipeline. It is good to know that they trust us. We have explored other areas this trip, and that has been good. I have been out to the Park in the early mornings, which has been a magic experience -- the colour, the smell, the light. It is a great way to start the day and not feel so despondent about spending time indoors. I have seen more fauna -- an echidna, live pigs, kangaroos munching on the side of the road.

Lyn Gras

Lyn Gras -- botanic artist

Pycnosorus pleiocephalus -- Billy Button

Why were you interested in being involved with the Beckler Project?

I am interested in Burke and Wills because I have an ancestor who was involved in early exploration of inland Australia and northern South Australia, at about the same time -- around 1850. That interest in exploration, because of my family, sparked the enthusiasm to become involved. It fitted in with my love of botanical art.

Lyn's work area

I am also interested because I live in the alpine area of Victoria, and like to illustrate the plants of that area. I thought it would be a great contrast, and wanted to be involved in something so worthwhile. I am really enthusiastic because I have been working on plants of the same genus that I have been working on at home.

What are you painting?

I am painting a billy button Pycnosorus pleiocephalus.

It is a beautiful plant because it has round yellow balls as flower heads on short stalks. Beautiful little round balls! The Alpine Billy Button from Mt Buller I have painted has longer stalks and much bigger flowers.

Pycnosorus pleiocephalus
(Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2013)

It's a small perennial with one to ten stalks, each with a yellow button on the end. It has small leaves that get smaller further up the stem. This species is special too because it has an extra flower 'bulge' out of some of the flower heads. It is the only one that does that.

The extra flower 'bulge', a distinctive feature of this plant.
(Photo copyright: Anne Lawson, 2013)

It is a member of the daisy family Asteraceae. The round ball is a compound flower consisting of multiple tiny, yellow flowers. I dissected the flower head, looked at it under the microscope and I am now drawing the little parts that comprise the flower -- the florets, bracts, anthers, and even the hairs on the leaves.

Out in Kinchega National Park there are beautiful drifts of these flowers amongst other daisies, salt bush and prickly acacia.

How will you paint it?

I will do a watercolour painting of the whole plant and graphite pencil drawings of what I have seen down the microscope.

Will it take me long to do? Yes! About 4 to 6 weeks to complete.

The mature seeds (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson, 2013)

Evelyn Brandt

Evelyn Brandt -- Botanic artist

Chenopodium cristatum
Crested goose foot

I just love being part of the group project, knowing that I am part of something historic. This is my third year in a row and the project is important enough to me to come here in my holidays!

Evelyn's work space (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2013)

It happens that I have been following plants that have the same habit. They are not in the same genus or family, but it means that I will have a series of paintings that look similar.

Chenopodium cristatum

At the moment I am really interested in microscopic work. I want to understand the important botanic characteristics that define the species. The key characteristic for this one, Chenopodium cristatum, is the perianth. This is part of the flower. There are 5 perianth segments that encapsulate the seed, which you can only see under the microscope. It is the characteristics of the perianth that define it and differentiate it from the other chenopodium species.

Our botanist found it out in the field because it had a distinctive aromatic smell. However we had to confirm it under the microscope back in the Hall.


I have developed my own process for the microscopic work I do for my paintings. I make reference drawings that I can use long after the plant has expired. I start with a habit photo in the exact position that I am going to paint. My next step is to dissect all the parts of the plant that require microscopic investigation, and check the plant's characteristics against descriptions in botanical reference books. I then sketch the subject and colour each sketch in, as the colour fades quickly under the lights of the microscope. I take USB microscopic photos of the fresh specimens and dissections as well.

Evelyn's drawing on tracing paper, with the actual specimen. (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson 2013)

After I have all the reference drawings, I start working on the final painting. The reference drawings are important in case the plant dies before I have a chance to finish the painting. I usually keep most of the plant samples in the fridge and keep one out to dry for reference material.

Shu-Yen Ee

Shu-Yen Ee -- Botanic artist

Atriplex limbata (Saltbush)

Why did you get involved with the Beckler Project ?

I became involved in the Project in a roundabout way. I must admit the lure of a trip/adventure to the outback was what enticed me initially. I can say now that I have been fully exposed to the Project and what it entails, and am keen to continue being involved and to contribute in what way I can. 

Shu's work space, showing the specimen and her drawing on tracing paper. (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson, 2013)

What attracted your plant, Atriplex limbata?

Atriplex limbata (Photo copyright: Anne Lawson)

It is a saltbush, from the Chenopdiaceae family.

I was drawn to its pale minty colour, and hardy structure (the leaves, stems, fruit are fairly robust and could withstand a bit of handling). It turned out to be a good choice for me as I have a preference for drawing in pencil and I believe the pale colour of the plant would work well if presented in graphite, with potentially a hint of colour using dry brush technique.

A unique way of holding the specimen upright while keeping it in water!
(Photo copyright: Anne Lawson, 2013)

How are you going about your drawing?

I like drawing tiny things!

Very slowly, as with all my drawings. I studied the plant closely whilst in Menindee and have taken a number of close up photos of individual stems and of the plant itself. I did a couple of sketches to start, made various notes about the plant and worked up some colour samples. The drawing will have to be completed in Melbourne.


















Have you enjoyed your time at Menindee?

Yes, thoroughly! It was good to do something that was, for me, completely out of the ordinary and I look forward to making a trip out to Menindee with the BBBs again sometime in the near future.

Painting in Menindee, September 2013

Our time in the wonderful Big Sky Country of Menindee and Kinchega National Park has come and gone.

Menindee Civic Hall

Ten botanic artists, one botanist and our fabulous support crew (of one!) gathered in the Civic Hall in Menindee.

From there we went out into the local area to find the plants that were on Hermann Beckler's original list.
(Click here for the background to our project.)

Back in the Hall we would work on our paintings. This involved getting to know the plants in detail. We used microscopes to explore the intricate worlds of seeds, reproductive parts and leaf surfaces.

Working in the Hall

Many artists drew enlargements of those dissections to include on their finished paintings. We created detailed drawings of our plants. While we were preparing this visual information we were conscious of the composition of the final painting. decisions had to be made about where to place the microscopic drawings, how to show the habit of the plant and which parts of the plant were vital for identification.

Drawing from live specimens means a race against time before the plant wilts and dies. Sometimes the angle of a leaf will change or a seed head will continue to develop. Reference photos become really important.

We investigated a number of options for keeping our specimens alive. The chip bucket was handy.....




















..... until Valerie discovered that the take away coffee container was even better!

Over the coming months there will be posts on this blog from individual artists, talking about their plants, their paintings and why they have travelled so far from home to be involved in the Project.

Also there will be a post about the town of Menindee. So thank you to the people who live here, who welcome us each year. People recognise us in the street and pub now. Some come into the Hall to see what we are doing and tell us stories about the area.

But our adventure up here would be very different without the help of Margot, Bruce and Lorraine. So an extra big thank you to them. They provide us with plants, information, assistance and resources -- invaluable support that we could not provide ourselves.