"Ranunculus Relief"
Size: 5" x 7"
Papercutting on archival paper with vintage map scrapbook paper for background.
Relief refers to elevations and depressions of the land or sea bottom on a map. There are various ways to illustrate relief within cartography: contour lines indicating points of equal elevation, hachures lines showing the relative steepness or gentleness of a slope, or relief shading that uses graded shadow effects to make features appear three dimensional. Generally, features are shaded as though illuminated from the northwest.
I have always been struck by the artistic beauty of maps, especially old maps. Relief is one area where a cartographer can be either more scientific, and use precise contour lines to indicate the relief of a land, or they can be more artistic, and indicate relief through hachure lines and shadowing effects. The choice depends on the purpose of the map.
May this "Ranunculus Relief" piece remind you to choose the right methods for the right purposes in life. May you be accurate and precise when required, and may you take joy in being artistic and general where needed likewise.
Created as part of the Cartography of Flowers Collection.
This papercut art piece is hand-cut from one sheet of white archival paper and matted with a printed colored vintage road map. The floral bouquet is made up of three open ranunculus flowers with one budding ranunculus, surrounded by eucalyptus leaves and twigs.
Ranunculus Relief
SIZE: 5" x 7"
MEDIUM: Papercut Archival and Scrapbook Paper
FRAME AND MAT NOT INCLUDED.