Just about everyone here is inspired by nature but does anyone look at a cross section? If not, next time you slice a Tomatoe,Apple,Cucumber have a look at what you have revealed,is there a basis for design there whenyou look at how the seeds and core are laid out? Take a humble stick of Rhubarb,slice it and look at it end on,now what if I put 3 or 4 of those grooved pieces together ?
I paint and make a lot of Butterfly stuff but what if I took just the hind wing of a Peacock butterfly could I form the basis of a pendant ?
There are so many empty seed pods and things around that have another world revealed if you slice them and look at the cross section.
Have you ever looked at the wonderful rings you get inside a beetroot? They are like tree rings but they make one with every full moon so if you get an old mis shapen beetroot and cut it at a funny angle you can get patterns like malachite but in shades of pinky red. Or try putting a stick of celery in water + a few dops of food colouring so that it sucks the colour up into the stem and then cut it horizontally and look at the funky pattern of spots you get.
No,never looked at a Beetroot but it’s a very good example.There are all sorts of seeds that when magnified explode into a world of design.
Goodness, that’s my learning point of the day - beetroot rings and the full moon! I’ve spotted the rings but never knew that.
I came across a blog the other day where they were printing on fabric with sliced vegetables - including a firm cabbage http://andthenwesetitonfire.blogspot.co.uk/ (brilliant name for a blog, I thought).
Yes, cross sections inspite me, I have painted a pomegranate & gourde so far (although I haven’t yet made a print of the gourde just yet).
I’ve watched cross sections being taught as an art lesson, 4 on a page, with different mediums for each fruit or vegetable. Pastels, watercolours, collage and so on. Thought it was fantastic.