Layers of Lichens
Project details
- Year
- 2024
- Programme
- Bachelor – Illustration
- Practices
- Commercial Practices
- Minor
- Materials & Systems
My project focuses on lichens, an unusual type of life that can be found in a variety of settings, including caves, snow-capped mountains, and deserts. Growing on gravestones, roofing, plastic surfaces, rocks, and tree bark, they are a common sight. They appear distinctive due to their wide range of hues, forms, and textures.
I explore screen printing as a means of simulating the growth process of lichens and showcasing a series of visual experiments, which led to the publication of a book about growth and a process-focused approach, based on research into the function of lichens in our ecosystems, their importance in the creation of new landscapes, and how they foster resilience in otherwise hostile environments.
I aimed to explore how the unique growth patterns and ecological importance of lichens can be effectively represented through screen-printed illustrations. By incorporating experimentation and systematic layering, I produced an illustrated book aimed at new students and illustrators and encouraged them to be experimental and focus on the process rather than the result. The project serves as both an educational tool and a source of inspiration. It demonstrates various design methods and insights from a systematic approach to screen printing.
