Saturday, May 28, 2011

Strangler fig


Strangler fig, originally uploaded by Elizabeth Smith.

A fascinating tree found in the tropical hammock areas of south Florida is the strangler fig. It is a member of the fig genus, which in turn belongs to the mulberry family (Moraceae). The common name comes from its frequent habit of germinating in the tops of trees, sending encircling roots down along the trunk of its “host,” which usually results in the death of the original tree.

Strangler fig is not a true parasite as many people think. It starts life when a bird eats the fruit and then eliminates the seeds, usually from a perch high above the ground. The seed lodges in a crevice of rough bark, the crotch of a tree, or in the base of the fronds of a palm tree. After germination, the seedling lives on nutrients and water from the air while it sends aerial roots to the forest floor; it does not take any sustenance from the host tree.

Once the roots can take up water and minerals from the soil below, it grows further, competing with the host tree for sunlight and nutrients. The roots enlarge and often encircle the host tree, preventing it from growing. The host tree often dies later, shaded out by the fig’s canopy of leaves, and weakened by the growth of its roots. Strangler figs will also germinate in the soil, developing a conventional trunk, and can grow to 50 feet high.

The shade of its broad crown is welcome on our hot Florida summer days, its canopy composed of distinctive deep green leaves with a pale midrib. The color of the fruit inspired the scientific name of Ficus aurea (Golden Fig). The yellow to sometimes reddish-purple fruit is valuable to birds and other wildlife, and are reportedly edible for humans as well. The milky sap contains latex, which was used historically as a chewing gum – but is also a skin irritant for many people. The elliptical to oblong leaves are the larval food of the ruddy daggerwing butterfly.

The pointed tip on the end of the leaves is sometimes referred to as a “drip tip,” a tropical leaf design that allows for quick water drainage. It channels rainfall to the end of the leaf where it drips off. It’s thought that it helps protect the canopy from getting too top heavy with water, and protects the leaves from fungus. Another theory is that the dripping (instead of sheeting) action also protects the roots from too much soil erosion.

The fruits of the fig family are unusual: the inflorescence is turned inwards inside of the “berry.” In other words, the inside of the fruit contains tiny flowers that grow on the inside, toward the center. This presents a problem for normal pollinators, but a tiny wasp has developed a relationship with the fig family. You can read more about this relationship here.

The different forms that the roots of the strangler fig take are amazing and often quite artistic. The pale gray smoothness of the trunks reminds me of intertwining elephant trunks, and it amazes me the ways the aerial roots grow together and meld, sometimes creating intricate patterns.

To learn more about the strangler fig:


You can view these on my Flickr photostream, just click the caption on the top image.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day!

For Mother's Day: a watercolor of a White M Hairstreak butterfly.  Can you find the "M"? 

I painted this for the North American Butterfly Association's Count Report; they solicit volunteer artwork each year for the annual report that they can reproduce in black and white.  I'd like to thank Sharon Wander for giving me permission to use her wonderful photo as a reference.

Happy Mother's Day, and thank you Mom, for making a difference.


Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Painting water in landscapes

Marl pond waters reflecting sunny blue skies (painted from my photo reference).

On our sketching trip to Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park recently, my friend Karen asked me how she could represent water realistically. Like so many of us, she discovered that water is challenging to draw or paint. Along with the challenges of textures, reflections, and transparency, there is also movement – either from the surface being broken by wind, fish, or birds or by the currents below the surface.

There are a number of good books and online resources that address ways to represent water. I am by no means an expert, but I’d like to share some of the techniques I’ve found that work for me, especially when sketching in the field and trying to get a quick capture.

Water changes colors: blue where it reflects the sky,
 brown where we can see the mud flats below the shallow water.
White sparkles added with a craft knife (painted in the field).
First, I observe the water and what’s happening with wind and reflections, because sometimes it’s hard to separate out the different shapes and colors present.

My motto is to simplify; I look for the broadest colors and shapes, and for a direction of flow.  If I’m painting in watercolor, I start with the most gestural of lines in the lightest color, leaving some white areas. There are almost always white (or very light) bits of sparkling color where the sun’s rays bounce off of the surface. If you leave too much white at the beginnning you can always add a glaze of color over it.


I like to add flowing lines that indicate movement. 
I take the subtle ripples and flow that I see and
exaggerate and simplify them (painted in the field).

Next, I look for the darker colors, which may be reflections or shadows. Many times a body of water is darker near the foreground, becoming lighter as it nears the horizon. There are often many colors in water: it may contain minerals or tannin that color and cloud the water itself, there may be submerged rocks or logs that can be seen through the water, and the surface of the water often reflects the surrounding countryside. Picking up even just a few of these colors adds dimension and depth.

Ripples are circular in shape, spreading outward in broader and broader rings from the point of disturbance.  The angle these ripples are viewed from will determine how elliptical they will be.  Sometimes it's good to practice sketching and painting ellipses or ovals so we can feel more confident when we start depicting water.

You also might find it easier to practice illustrating water from a photo reference - at least nothing is moving! I hope seeing one way that one artist approaches a tricky subject like water is helpful. 
Notice reflections: they are like a mirror image
 of the object they reflect, broken by
horizontal layers of water
(painted in the field).

 


The water in this canal has dissolved
limestone in it, making it less reflective
and a bit murkier.  I kept the reflections of the
limestone rocks in the water simple -
they are mere suggestions (painted in the field).