Blends Gradients and Biodiversity

So what do Blends Gradients and a book on biodiversity have in common ... ?

Not just this cover !

Yes its a beautiful cover and an excellent example of using gradients. 

I am presuming the designer combined several separate grouped objects with gradient filters into one final layer.

But what inspired this look? 

Who remembers papercut stencils used for dyeing and printing on several materials?

Yes if you are wondering I am old enough to have done this at school! 

How were these done before we had software filters creating gradients or digital pencils for outlines?

Well you had to have a good silkscreen and heavy paper or thin cardboard taped to the silkscreen and to get the range if colors you see on that cover probably use several screens if you were doing it as a poster.

Plus also the need for a good sharp cutting blade and a steady hand.

But for blended colors and gradients with a photoscreen or a resist screen ? 

You had to very carefully apply multiple colors to a brush or spatula and then brush or sponge them together or use a spatula and ... and ...

Using software cuts down on the number of chemicals and the time and its easier to align layers.

So how does this tie in to biodiversity?

Its not just rare food plants or animals or traditional production methods effected by monocultures.

Think about mining for mineral pigments or industrial processing of the pigments that go into modern printers.

What would happen if in order to reduce pollution or because of an ecological or societal collapse we had to go back to only using paper or leather or sheet metal for stencils. 

What if plant varieties lost included dye plants? 

How many people have plants in their area that have roots fruit leaves flowers or bark you can process pignents from for painting or dyeing?

Or a claypit or quarry for minerals like oxides of copper sulphur or iron ? 

Biodiversity is an issue that effects artists too.

And which causes more impact?

Traditional methods if plants are over harvested and not replanted?

Indigo n woad need fertilizer

Saffron yellow needs a whole feld of flowers.

Whichever methods you use please think about biodiversity and pollution and resources 

The Japanese have a word 

Mottonai 

Dont waste 

Recently I ma nbaged to take some more photos of old book covers frintispieces and chapter headinds so expect to see a series of these in upcoming posts.

Also my apokogies for the LOOONG break but I had other projects to finish so follow if you want to see more regular posts please !