These are some of my botanical sketches from over the years, mostly a lot of experiments with angiosperm flower morphology. I think that botanical sketches are still an important skill to have, especially in regard to plant bio-engineering. A sketch is more personal, analytical, and investigative than simply snapping a photograph. With my sketches I can imagine, theorize, and model different structures or explore anatomy that could help me get a better grasp on possible specimens. I think a lot about pollinator relationships when it comes to flower sketches, especially since many cacti and succulents have non-normative pollination strategies. See Yucca brevifolia (Joshua Tree) and their Prodoxidae moth pollinators or Carnegiea gigantea (Saguaro) and their bat pollinators Leptonycteris curasoae yerbabuena (Lesser Long-Nosed Bats). By taking the time to explore how form might effect function in these sketches, I feel like I can get a better understanding of morphological motifs and the reasoning behind their evolution. This will hopefully better inform me when attempting any bioengineering projects, especially in the interpretation of genotype to phenotype relationships, and the possible effects such phenotypes would ultimately exhibit. Of course, some of my sketches are also just to have a bit of fun, and play around with aesthetic.
