March 17, 2014

Botanical Prints

As you might know, I work for an organization which is 215 years old. We have documents that I routinely handle that were written in the early 1800’s. Our collection of portraits dates back into the late 1700’s and I have a 50,000 volume library with tomes 300+ years old at my disposal. History means a lot to me, and books mean even more.

I pulled the trigger, so to speak, and cut the botanical prints out of the book. I think that knowing that the book would never be salvaged and that I was its last chance gave me the confidence to weld the Xacto knife and cut the pages.

018Before x018After

Here’s a final version I did of this print. I cleaned up the stains, sharpened the contrast, sharpened the image a little bit and made the background a little more even. I save each iteration in a different file, so that if I go too far, I have an earlier and an original copy.x018_edited-1

I might even go one step more on this and remove the colour from the leaves. I don’t mind the shading around the edges, but I’d de-saturate the leaves so the yellows/browns didn’t show.

Here are a few more that I liked, but which I haven’t really edited.

This one says it’s a Venus’s Flytrap. Some have the names on them, but others don’t. x005

This one is a passion flower. I discovered these around the corner from me a few summers back and was amazed at them!x023

Several of the plates were wider than others and had been folded to fit into the book.x010

This is one of the more unusual ones.x026

Thanks for your advice on what to do about these. It made my decision a lot easier.

15 comments:

  1. I think leaving the botanicals the way you found them gives them more authenticity than the extreme editing. I collect antique botanicals, both flowers and ferns and the discoloration is much like the sought after patina on a fine antique piece of furniture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree... and these images didn't translate well with my scanner as I thought they would.

      Delete
  2. Hi Meg, Having collected and sold antique botanicals, I think that the original engraving needs to be left as it is. The yellow cast make it appear to be an altered scan. I love the old foxing and condition issues, although the condition does detract from the value on resale. These botanicals are wonderful just as they are.
    xoxo Mary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree... the colours also aren't the same when i look at at them on the scans as in real life. I was using my cheapie scanner!

      Delete
  3. Passions flowers. Love them. Someone was on some pretty trippy drugs when they got designed. Or perhaps they just had lots of left-over designs...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Totally true! I saw one when I was walking the dog a few summers ago, and was totally gob-smacked! I'd never seen one before and didn't know that they grew in our area. They're crazy looking.

      Delete
  4. I must have missed your earlier post about these, Meg. What are you planning to do with these prints? Frame them for display, or are you cleaning the digital images up so you can create something with them in a design software program?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rebecca... check yesterday's post at the bottom. I found an old book, horrible condition with great prints. Could i cut them out? Short answer: yes.

      Delete
  5. I love the last one. Ditto on Rebecca's question.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Check yesterday's post on what the quandary was!

      Delete
  6. hi meg! i am an antique print dealer and always have a difficult time "freeing" prints from the bound book. may i suggest the next time to gently break the binding to release the prints instead of using an Xacto to cut them out. you get a much nicer edge and lessen the chance of cutting into the image...i adore all antique prints and books no matter the condition...such a great find!! enjoy them! MM

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for that advice. Next time... Actually, it's not the image I am worried about cutting, it's ME!

      Delete
  7. For ages I had a book of botanical plates on my Amazon wish list. I finally removed it, figuring I'd never be wiling to pay what they wanted. Your post made me go back to see if I could find it. Didn't find the exact one, but they have lots of others. I had to laugh when I saw how cheap the Kindle versions were, because, duh, how are you going to frame the Kindle version? :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OMG, Kathy... you can hang a bunch of kindles on the wall and have them rotate through prints! maybe that's what they were thinking. Look on ebay instead of Amazon. You might have better luck there.

      Delete
    2. I'm reminded of comedian Steve Martin's quip about not being able to afford the New York Times delivered daily via his iPad, because who could afford a new iPad every day?

      Delete

Thank you for reading and commenting on Pigtown*Design. I read each and every comment and try to reply if I have your e-mail address.