Scholarly record

MOTION GRAPHICS FOR BOTANICAL ILLUSTRATION: NEW EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES

J. Pertinez-Lopez, C. Alonso-Valdivieso

Abstract

Beauty and accuracy are the two features that a botanical illustration must have in order to be considered as such, rather than simply as an artistic representation of a plant. The scientific and teaching focus must take priority over questions of aesthetics and art. From the first example of botanical illustration on the walls of the Temple of Thutmose III in Karnak, to the illustrations of RedoutГ© in the 19th century, the evolution of botanical illustration has been constant and parallel to science, until photography came on the scene and it began to lose its scientific value. The 21st century is providing us with a whole series of audio-visual innovations that we intend to bring into the field of scientific illustration, since we are quite convinced that a good image is more powerful than a photograph. What we propose, therefore, is to use current animation techniques to revisit the teaching purpose of illustrations, adding movement and the passage of time to them. Motion Graphics are an innovative technique that help us combine detailed drawing, movement, life and information about the same plant. In addition, we can use animation to recreate all the processes or stages a flower passes through, thus allowing us to view its entire life cycle in just a few seconds. We have introduced a subject that combines these concepts as part of course content for the MasterВ’s Degree in Drawing at the University of Granada. Our extensive searches revealed that there are not many works in this area, so we set out a series of animation pieces on diverse botanical subjects.

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DOI resolver: doi.org/10.5593/sgemsocial2018H/61/S16.062

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