Sunday, March 25, 2018

Japanese Magnolia Seed Book


Finished one copy.  Detail of cover plus first couple of pages
Pages 1 and 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Opened out book:  double accordion
Cover detail seed painting.  Still no title—

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Day 7 of Japanese Magnolia Challenge


The seeds are dropping today, and after a few hours the red seed heads turn black.  I checked with the outside tree, and its phases look exactly like mine that lived in a vase from bud to seed.  Must be self-pollinating.   Only the one lone petal hanging on.

I’m thinking of making little pocket-size accordion books of the seven days of Japanese magnolia seed-profuction using color copies.

Friday, March 16, 2018

Japanese Magnolia Challenge Days 4,5,6


On Day 4 the seeds are taking over as the main show.
On Day 5,  I realized that the stamens are on top and the seeds are at the bottom, with the seed head buried and emerging bright red.  Day 6 features two seeds that have fallen onto a fallen petal.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

The Japanese Magnolia Challenge


So I decided to draw a japanese magnolia seed factory every day for a week.  On the left is day 1, the closed bud, which I picked and put in a vase with water.  On the right is the newly opened bud on day 2.  The business part of the flower is still tightly packed together.
On day 3 the petals are fully opened and beginning to droop.  The curly stamens and multiple anthers are separating and growing.  There are tiny black tips appearing on the anthers.

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Seed Forming Tulip and Japanese Magnolia


First this Japanese magnolia that I picked from a tree in a nearby park.

Then the tulip showing its swelling ovary and the Japanese magnolia on day 2 with its anther opening out and petals receding.  Balletic.