Blog: Illustrating Science, and what happened along the way
-Krista Anandakuttan
Swift Flight
Painted to inspire habitat conservation: an autumn evening sight, thousands of Vaux swifts gather and spiral into a chimney to roost. See footage of them here: http://www.californiareport.org/archive/R201110071630/e (detail) The Weight of Wings: Vaux Swifts by...
Fall away, chlorophyll
Ginkgo biloba leaves Colored pencil, watercolor and graphite sketch by Krista Anandakuttan Now that chlorophyll masks are off in the northern hemisphere, it's time to enjoy carotenoids (the yellows and oranges), and anthocyanins (reds and purples). It's what...
All in the Details
Pen and ink illustration (detail) for the article in Madrono: Carex xerophila (Cyperaceae), a new sedge from the chaparral of northern California by P.F. Zika, L.P. Janeway, and B.l. Wilson.I love every stage of a botanical illustration. From the first meeting with...
Sketching – with toes in sand
Velella velella washed up on Wrights Beach, south of Jenner, CA. July 30, 2014 All the others in sight were flyaway, transparent and dry; this one still wet and brilliantly blue. I ignored a beautiful beach scene just long enough to sketch a portrait. These relatives...
Notebook (painting of)
Aren't the best-loved books dog-eared and smudged? I once painted a notebook and page of pressed waterlilies and indigo-- Years later (now) I entered it in an exhibit celebrating books. Here is "The Botanist's Notebook" gouache on paper. Cast shadows, smudges and...
Measuring progress
A sign of busy days: empty paint pots. See some recent artwork on my Facebook page Art of Krista Anandakuttan
The Weight of Wings
Amazing to see masses of monarchs clustering in trees. Each butterfly weighs less than a gram. Ecologically? Emotionally? Mighty heavyweights. The Weight of Wings Fresco secco: mineral pigments, India ink, beeswax on plaster 36" x 24" ...
Why 8 Tentacles?
Why 8 tentacles? Exactly. Sometimes a question is just really good. Recently while giving a demonstration of science illustration techniques in a natural history museum, a visitor asked me this question. I quickly reassured the asker that no, this was not a case of...
Make a Wish on Earth Day
Earth Day 2014 "Make a Wish" Ink and gouache on scratchboard 8" x 11" by Krista Anandakuttan (click the image to see a print on "Ink Day" my Etsy shop)
Green Art (Chlorophyll, that is)
Chlorella Fresco I was so captivated by this microscopic green algae that I decided to paint it, and large! I imagined the composition of overlapping circles, and using the full sweep of my arm. All while contemplating the little photosynthesizers. Chlorella was a...
Where science meets art: Events!
Local science and nature events, education, and exhibits which I am thrilled to be a part of: BioBlitz 2014 Friday-Saturday, March 28-29, 2014 Friday-Saturday, March 28-29, 2014. This year's Bioblitz is happening in our own Golden Gate Park! To celebrate and protect...
Among Darwin’s Finches, “I am No. 3”
"I am No. 3" Geospiza parvula, Small tree finch of the Galapagos considers an illustration by John Gould Mineral pigments and India ink Fresco secco (dry plaster method) on burlap Known collectively as "Darwin's finches," the Geospiza genus are endemic to the...