Assignment #1
I chose to recreate the Mantis Religiosa from Volume 1 on the Introduction to Entomology from The Naturalist’s Library by Sir William Jardine. This image is for both the edification and enjoyment of the public concerning animals and insects that exist in the natural world, specifically the world of the praying mantis. I chose this image in particular because of its efforts to reproduce mechanical objectivity of still living creatures. Oftentimes, in efforts to produce strict definitions of what creatures are and are not, we undertake the epistemological approach of compartmentalization. I think, however, the living world is more than the sum of its parts in that strict dissection of an animal does not produce a correct representation of what a living animal is like. This approach is often used in studies of the brain, where chromate dyes are used to understand the brain structure on mass, but fail to realize the living and active motion of the brain while in use. What I was attracted to by this picture was the approach of the initial artist to imitate what the animal would behave like in both its natural habitat and what seemed to be its movements. I think much more can be learned about what a living animal is by showcasing its aggregate parts compared to a minute dissection. In coming under this philosophical approach, I chose this photo. Once the photo was decided on, I wanted the closest approximation to the original image I found. In order to do this, I wanted color matching and minute details of the image chosen. I found the best way to do this was in my first approach by using an iPad application known as Notability where pictures can be zoomed in on and traced with color picking ability. Multiple layers of drawings can also be stacked for further manipulation. I moved on to taking much more creative license in the second rendition of my image, attempting to show movement in the wings, drawing seemingly more accurate eyes and filling in the details left behind by my original drawing. Finally, I felt the need to attempt a pencil and paper drawing of the creature in order to attempt immersion into how the original artist felt drawing his version of the praying mantis.
- What is this image for?
This image comes from Volume 1 an Introduction to Entomology coming from a series of libraries known as “The Naturalist’s Library” conducted by Sir William Jardine and James Duncan. According to the advertisement from the publisher to introduce the piece, the volume presents a “general exposition of all the Orders, predominance being given to those which were not previously noticed” and to render a “complete introductory view of the entire subject” of entomology (IX, Duncan). The particular theme being to “gratify the laudable curiosity of those who seek to discover and admire the good and the beautiful in the works of nature” (X, Duncan). My particular subject of interest is in the Mantis Religiosa.
- Where is the image coming from? What do we know of its source? Its audience?
The image is coming from The Naturalist’s Library Introduction to Entomology Volume I conducted by Sir William Jardine, Bart. F.R.S.E., F.L.S., &c. &c. And by James Duncan, M.W.S. published by Edinburgh.
From its introduction we can surmise that the source if predicated on the following quote: “these drawings have been made with great care and high artistical skill, from specimens which are to be found assembled only in the collection of the Zoological Society of London” (X, Duncan).
Presumably from earlier quotations, this media and image is meant for public use of those who “seek to discover and admire” nature (X, Duncan).
Materials & measurements
- Can we identify all the materials needed to make it?
According to the advertisement in the introduction of this library, a special thanks is given to a Mr. Westwood on page X for his “elegant pencil” which this volume is indebted to and a second announcement that another volume by the pen of Colonel Hamilton Smith and another library conjured by “his own admirable pencil” on page XI, leading to the assumption that the volumes of this library were drafted using colored pencils and paper.
- Are there multiple varieties of tools used to make it?
In the description of the Mantis Religiosa, references to the “light green colour”, “deep chesnut”, “brown”, “pale white”, and a “yellow spot bordered with balck” seems to indicate that those particular colors of pencil were used, but based on the drawing itself, no indication of any drawing tool other than a pencil on paper is present.
- What is the stability of a material over time?
Pencil and paper are convenient for easy translation, but difficult for long term storage due to paper’s inability to persist in particularly damp, dry, or hot conditions. Pencil is an interesting choice because, while the pencil marks easily fade over repeated contact, the coloring in them is less liable to photo-decomposition like many dyes used in paintings are.
Tools & equipment
- What tools are necessary?
Multi-colored pencils and paper are what is necessary for reconstruction of the image, as well as skilled penmanship.
- What are the best ways to replicate the effects of inaccessible tools?
The best way to replicate the colors of pencils used in the making of this image, in my circumstance, is to trace the image using an ipad with colored pens in the Notability application.
- How do technological changes impact our interpretation/expectation of the image?
Technological changes impact our interpretation of images in that the most authentic expression of nature is expected. Even in the library itself, in the Mantis Religiosa description section, mention of further attention to detail was the expectation: “It has now been demonstrated, that, in order to obtain just views of the geographical distribution of insects, as well as other tribes of inferior animals, more importance must be allowed to minute characters than they were thought to deserve by the older naturalists” (234, Duncan). An evolution of representation strives after that which is the truth to nature. In seeking out more information, I even looked up 4K videos to see how a praying mantis might look with the best technological representation we have now, video formatting. Images are personally hard to be content with when it comes to living creatures. Living creatures have animation, intention and influence about the world they live in, so accurately canvassing a living creature in a picture seems disingenuous to the creature when its life is characterized by motion. Libraries such as the one I am imitating had vast technological challenges in representing the motion of the creature accurately that we overcame because of our ready access to video. Our society would much more readily accept the video documentation of the praying mantis compared to the illustrations previously done by this library. The usefulness of such libraries then is no longer, but an introspection into how they have developed our understanding of image and our expectation for it is quite notable.
FIELD NOTE 1 OF 3
Date: 2/11/2022
People Involved: Allison Price (my fiancée), Katherine Walter, and I
Location: Katherine Walter’s Home in Dallas, TX
Reconstruction conditions: I was outlining the image while on my future sister-in-law’s couch while a pleasant conversation between sisters occurred about one of the sister’s new baby.
Time and duration of reconstruction: 1:30-4:35 pm CST, approx. 185 minutes
Equipment and tools used: Ipad, using the Notability application and a tablet stylus
Subjective factors, e.g., how things smelled/looked/felt: I had a slight headache because of the conversation, I believe I was dehydrated in this instance. No particularly notable smells were present. The couch was quite soft and plushy.
Prior knowledge that you have: I had looked up and watched videos of praying mantis on Youtube in order to better understand the animal that was being represented by the library. In this case, however, I did try to trace a strictly pure imitation of the image in the library without reference to the animal videos.
Reflection on your practice: This was the image rendition that by far took the most time. I felt the need to be fairly accurate, but seeing as this was a process and not necessarily the final product, I was not as meticulous as I could have been. I began by drawing the darkened outlines that the original image had in order to place a frame around the animal. I then attempted to draw in the colored lines beside the black outline, but that would only result in the outline being drawn over. What I resorted to was creating multiple different layers: the outline, colored base, and the bodied details. I found this the most appropriate was to organize the sketching in a manner that was also consistent with appropriate representation of the image. Interestingly, despite using what was perceived to be mechanically objective modern technology in the iPad, my tracing was still not perfectly overlapped which is seen in the white spotted areas within the outlines and the green background spilling over the edges.
Photos/video documenting process:
Questions that arise:
How did the lines of the outline and background not match up when a more “objective” device was used?
The limitations of the Notability app are most noted in the minimum line width of the drawing device, how does this affect the exact representation of minute details? Do those minute details matter, or is representation more than just aggregation of precise details?
The mantis seems to be in an attacking posture, based on the arms and leg positions of the mantis, but the wings do not appear to be moving to enable effective attack. Is the artist meaning to conflate two ideas simultaneously: the accuracy of anatomy and living representation of the use of the anatomy, while failing to do both?
FIELD NOTE 2 OF 3
Date: 2/11/2022
People Involved: Allison Price
Location: In the car on the drive back home from Dallas
Reconstruction conditions: I was in the front passenger seat of my car as Allison drove us back from Dallas. We were listening to a sermon about the book of Hebrews chapter 11 defining what faith meant for the Christian. It was also snowing on the drive back which was quite an enjoyable spectacle. I typically do not like focussing on reading or writing in the car because I get headaches, but it was a long drive back home and I felt like using that time appropriately on a project for school. I did get motion sick after a while
Time and duration of reconstruction: 11:00 AM to 11:45 AM, 45 minutes
Equipment and tools used: Ipad, using the Notability application and a tablet stylus
Subjective factors, e.g., how things smelled/looked/felt: The snow was a nice accompaniment to the ambiance of the car ride. It smelled like my car, so nothing out of the ordinary or notable. I did notice that my SUV seemed much larger sitting in the passenger seat compared to driving so I felt like I was just sitting in a room.
Prior knowledge that you have/reflection on my practice: In this image, I tried to really lean into my knowledge of the videos of the praying mantises. I chose this image of the praying mantis, for example, because it seems to be in a posture of striking an object of prey. Based on my independent research of praying mantis videos, it is extremely difficult to not only understand, but also even accurately portray the chaotic motion of the wings on the mantis when it is lunging at something. The wings beat at a rate that is too fast to interpret. Because of this, I attempted to make more confusing wings that would be representative of extremely fast beating wings. I did this by overlapping multiple sets of the wings previously drawn to preserve what the wings were previously represented by. Another thing I noticed going into the drawing was that the eye shape of many of the modern praying mantis representations I researched did not have the large black area around the eyes (as shown in the image I was imitating), but instead, most of their eyes were the color of the rest of their body apart from what seems to be their pupils. Because I did not see the original praying mantis the original artist was looking at, I took creative license to conform the image I produced to images and videos I had more often been exposed to in my independent research. Finally, I noticed that in my first rendition of the image, I was limited by technology that I was using in that the size of the drawing stylus (which created a line of the same sized circles) created less realistic straight lines inappropriately on the figure that did not look natural. I therefore roughed out many of the edges with a smaller point stylus option. As small amendments, I tried to fill out the coloring and match the boundaries with the background color as best as possible and I evened out the spikes along the forearms because they seemed uneven in the original image, and, when compared to the mantises from my research, the forearm spikes all seem to be colored very similarly.
Photos/video documenting process:
Questions that arise:
How would a less technologically precise image compare to a method more true to the paper and pencil method of drawing the image?
How are my poor drawing skills highlighted by an inability to copy, paste, and delete using the iPad?
How does zooming into a picture affect how accurate a picture can get on the larger scale?
How will not being able to “zoom in” affect how accurate a picture I can create?
How does a lack of color affect how “true to life” the picture from pencil will be?
Is there a space to accurately portray anatomical precision, or does movement and living representation take precedent?
Why does our culture seem to be so focused on the anatomical detail when living creatures are so much more than definitions of body parts?
FIELD NOTE 3 OF 3
Date: 2/14/2022
People Involved: Allison Price and Kianna Broadman
Location: Martel College Commons
Reconstruction conditions:
Time and duration of reconstruction: 10:08 PM to 10:45 pm, 37 minutes
Equipment and tools used: iPad to project the original image, notebook paper, lead mechanical pencil
Subjective factors, e.g., how things smelled/looked/felt: I was in the college commons of Martel sitting next to my fiancee and her friend who were studying chemistry. I was drinking warm earl grey tea that had its tea bag unfortunately ripped open. I was also dosing in and out of a conversation held by a group of students at a table next to us talking about various complications with friend dramas.
Prior knowledge that you have: I know that I am not very practiced at drawing images so this venture seemed quite intimidating. I know that the original drawing was done with pencil and paper, and presumably, did not include an iPad outline to follow, making things previously much more difficult than my position. I do, however, also have the benefit of having previously drawn out and meticulously edited this same image previously, so I know much of both its detail and aura.
Reflection on your practice: This image creating process started out very much like it was going to be a train wreck. I did not have access to a printer, so whenever I tried to move my notebook paper on top of my iPad, the image zoomed in and moved inappropriately. I managed to get an extremely rough outline of the bare edges of the creature. From there I tried to fill in dark lines that were more noticeable within the body of the insect. Fleshing out detail lines were then added as I removed the notebook paper I was drafting on to the side and used the iPad image as a reference. Once most of the details were filled in, I tried to imitate adding color by shading differently the areas that had colors of darker hues. No attempt was made to show movement or fidelity to other documents outside of the Naturalist’s Library as was done in the second rendition of the image. Because of the back and forth referencing for the details of the body, it can very clearly be seen that I did not appropriate proper space to include an accurate upper body portion to the mantis. Its truncated upper back, and other details that were not appropriately planned for in the drawing process are part of the reason why human intervention into objectivity was limited in the first place. This mistake was indeed not intentional and only found out upon attempting to fill in the back.
Photos/video documenting process:
Questions that arise:
Why did the upper body of my praying mantis get so distorted when I drew looking back and forth compared to strictly tracing? Is this the primary motivation for the move to “technologically-based” mechanical objectivity?
How would one properly shade the animal to demonstrate color without losing detail in the body?
Which is more “accurate”: the paper and pencil drawing or the iPad tracing?
Which details should be approximated or give up to creative license?
How do I know when to stop drawing?
Is there a point where a drawing essentially becomes a photographic image, what is that point, and should that be where artists stop?