SPECIAL CONTENTS
‘Botanical’ collaboration
Azuma Makoto & Katie Scott
How did flower artist Azuma Makoto feel when he crafted his arrangement? How did illustrator Katie Scott express that arrangement in her illustration? Read on and find out how you can enjoy a unique opportunity to colour a line drawing of the piece the two collaborated on.
Arranging flowers grown
in different environments
in different countries.
Gathering a diverse range of flowers grown in different environments in different countries, Azuma Makoto brought together diverse, real flowers to create a single piece. Selecting flowers such as strelitzia and crocosmia from warmer regions, while opting for species such as the tiger lily and poppy from colder areas, the idea was to combine these flowers to create an image of one world, a representation of nature itself.
“The key lay in combining textures and shapes that would never naturally coexist as the seasons and surrounding vegetation differ. By doing this, the uniqueness of each individual flower stands out and gives it a sense of movement” .
And then Katie drew Azuma’s arrangement. She managed to express not only the interior of the flowers, which is something people wouldn't usually see, but also the meaning Azuma wanted to convey.
"I always try to express the real vitality of life using flowers; I say, ‘It’s alive!’ or ‘It’s going to move!’ and in Katie's illustration, I can always feel that same sense of life. I'd be delighted if people seeing our work could sense these aspects, and I hope it leaves a different impression depending on how you look at it".
Curiosity breathes new life
into flowers.
Katie illustrated Azuma’s arrangement, which uses flowers from different regions and is very diverse in its physical shape. By bending, twisting and experimenting with the sizes of the flowers, she also incorporated more fantastical elements such as curiosity and exploration in creating the line drawing for this illustration.
“Perhaps Azuma is already doing that with the living flowers, though. For the first version, I wanted to faithfully recreate Azuma's vision, so the shades of orange, yellow and green are the same. For the second version, though, I let my imagination run wild and breathed a different kind of life into them”.
Arranging flowers,
drawing flowers.
The culmination of their collaboration
There were three stages in the production process, beginning with the flowers themselves existing as art. In creating the arrangement, Azuma then added his touch. Finally, Katie further enhanced it by adding her illustration, creating a truly captivating piece.
The opportunity for people to add their own colours to the piece is like adding another new collaborator. The same as Azuma's original, Katie began colouring from orange. Then, she added more fantastical elements, using colours that wouldn't exist in reality. In the same way, it's up to you whether you want to make it realistic or let your imagination run wild. Many may want to stay within the lines, but feel free to go beyond them. That way, the brushwork will be more visible and convey a vibrant energy. Katie coloured elegantly along the lines but liked both styles. On the other hand, Azuma also thinks that flowers are living things and that the beauty of painting flowers vividly, as Katie said, is that they have life in them or that you can put life into them. So go on, try your hand at expressing flowers as if they are indeed alive.
ENJOY YOUR
COLOURING
Add your own unique colours to beautiful floral line drawings.
Colouring sheet
Download the printable colouring sheet or use a drawing app on your tablet. Add your own unique colours then snap and share. #LanterneHermes
Azuma Makoto
A flower artist running an haute couture flower shop called JARDINS des FLEURS in Minami-Aoyama. He holds solo exhibitions mainly overseas and launched an experimental botanical collective, “Azuma Makoto, Kaju Kenkyusho (AMKK)”. He has worked on plant-themed decorations for Hermès and window displays at the Ginza Maison Hermès.
Katie Scott
A London-based illustrator whose work combines fine-line art (hand-drawn line illustration) and digital watercolour. Drawing inspiration from botanical anatomy, she has collaborated with botanists to create illustrated botanical reference books. She is known for designing Hermès carrés and textiles featuring botanical designs.
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