In one of the gallery sections of Dorothy Leung’s website, she describes how viewing vintage cartoons at a museum in Basel created a turning point in her style as an illustrator. The influence of that style is apparent in the tiny line after line after tiny line and minuscule details of this plant series. The dark lines seem scratched into the surface so deeply and precisely as if they are etched in my screen. I see more influence than just the vintage cartoons in these pieces – she has imitated the bare layout used in old drawings cataloging flowers, plants and vegetables.
Dorothy is an expert in creating delicate dimension with only these small lines. With mostly very thin objects, she knows how to meticulously layer the lines to create a tiny shadow. She is creating all these drawings of plants as a part of #The100DayProject, and will have a beautiful, complete series – her own plant catalog – once the 100 days come to an end.
