This week in art, we created imaginative botanical “monsters” inspired by the extraordinary portraits of Giuseppe Arcimboldo, the Renaissance artist famous for building faces out of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and plants.

To spark ideas and observation, we explored illustrations from Botanicum from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Students searched through the pages to find a botanical specimen that interested them — seed pods, roots, flowers, fungi, garlic, leaves, or unusual plants with interesting textures and shapes. In my example, I chose garlic as the inspiration for my creature.

We worked entirely in black and white to emphasize contrast, texture, and detail. First, students carefully drew their botanical form using black ink, filling in large dark areas to create strong shapes and dramatic shadows. Once the ink dried, white lines and highlights were added on top to bring out texture and create depth. The white marks helped transform the botanical drawing into something mysterious, dramatic, and alive.

To give each creature personality, students created oversized eyes on separate paper. The eyes were moved around and tested in different positions until the perfect expression appeared — funny, creepy, curious, or mischievous. Once satisfied with the placement, the eyes were glued onto the artwork, instantly transforming the botanical study into a unique “monster.”

This project combined close observation with imagination and encouraged students to see ordinary plants in completely unexpected ways. The limited black-and-white palette also challenged students to focus on line, contrast, and composition rather than color.

The results were wonderfully strange, expressive, and full of personality!