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Material Research 11: More plant monoprints

4.7.25 (tall kangaroo paw ("orange cross" and "big red"), pearl acacia, correa reflexa, Brisbane box tree leaves, grevillea seedpods, and banksia serratta leaves)

5.7.25 (pearl acacia and Brisbane box tree leaves)

24.7.25 (grevillea banksii)

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Material Research 10: Pewter-casting plant material - test for the creation of touch/sculpture element (19.6.25-23.6.25)

Plant material - Brisbane box tree and buds from unknown plant (plasticine used to support thin branches)

Making the Pinkysil silicone moulds

Pewter casting (results and work station)

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Material Research 9: Installation set-up test with scent distribution via diffuser (17.6.25)

Installation shots

Note that the Perfect Potion essential oils are native Australian plants:

Fragonia

'Great Outdoors' blend - eucalyptus (blue mallee, lemon ironbark, lemon-scented, and peppermint), tea tree, lemon myrtle, lemon-scented tea tree, kunzea, and Australian sandalwood

Installation video (warning for flashing lights and volume)

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Here's my avatar Minami!

She's basically a toon version of myself (bookworm/nerd (in biology, fandoms, etc.), creative, chatty, cheerful, etc.) - and I'd imagine her to be both fascinated by toon Lux/Mr Ring-A-Ding and find him absolutely adorable (and then they'd be toon besties too :] - even if she unwillingly gets caught up in his antics despite regularly trying to remind him not to cause mischief/chaos).

Images below (top row = art from 2024 (left)/2025 (middle) and ref sheet from 2022 (right), bottom row = Magma doodles from 2025):

(EDIT: Forgot to add that Minami is 5'6"ft/~167cm so she's taller than toon Lux. 🤣)

To Ring a Ding/ Lux fans

I got big plans for future Lux related drawings, and yeah I know there's nothing wrong with self inserting, but I feel like my sona is too lame and/or ugly for some of the drawing. Also putting in an anon in the art would ruin it. So if any of y'all would be ok with me drawing your self insert/Sona/oc in my art, reblog this post (with an image of your characters if you'd like) so I can keep your characters in mind.

Btw, obviously I'd ask first if you're ok with the context of whatever I'd be working on in the moment.

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Material Research 3.7: The Mulka Project's Yalu (2025) (visit - 16.7.25)

Material research: Why drawn to this work?

I'm drawn to this work bc of how its installation in terms of the sensory, thematic (the natural world) and physical/spatial design.

I felt it could be a useful point of reference in developing the installation of my own project.

Material research: About the work

Yalu is a light-sound installation created by The Mulka Project, an art collective of Yolŋu people (a group of Indigenous Australians located in North-Eastern Arnhem Land), and displayed in The Tank of the AGNSW (June-July 2025).

According to The Mulka Project themselves, "'Mulka' [in many Yolŋu languages] means a sacred but public ceremony, and, to hold or protect."

The name of the installation itself is a reference to the connection the Yolŋu people have to the natural world: "'Yalu' is a crocodile nest, a termite mound, a womb, a home, a sanctuary that protects new life. It serves as the foundation that connects us to our birth, people, land, and saltwater."

Each 'stage' of the installation indicates seasonal change, natural landscapes and the interconnected cycles that occur within them, and/or significant cultural moments between distinct Yolŋu clans:

Gadayka (stringybark) - Marrakulu clan (Yalanba Wanambi (songman), Gadayka manikay (songline))

Djapana (sunset) - Wangurri clan (Djakapurra Munyarryun (songman), Djapana manikay (songline))

Gurtha (fire) - Maḏarrpa clan (Wurrandan Marawili (songman), Gurtha manikay (songline))

Gumatj clan - Dhapanbal Yunupinu (songwoman), Gurtha milkari (songline)

Muluymuluy (thunder clouds) - Dhugi-Djapu clan (Muluymuluy Marawili (songwoman), Muluymuluy milkari (songline))

Wäwilak (two sisters) - Rirratjinu clan (Ishmael Marika (songman), Wäwilak manikay (songline))

Shifting between these 'stages' relies on colour, light intensity and soundscapes (natural sounds, manikay (ancestral songs) and milkari (sorrow songs)) mirroring both natural and cultural events.

Material research: How does it link to other artist/theory research?

As said previously, it'll be useful as a point of reference for installing my work in a way that meaningfully engages with the audience on a sensory/experiential level.

I have also drawn connections to Tomás Saraceno's practice, as The Mulka Project similarly engages in the translation of mediums (i.e. the natural world and cultural songs -> soundscapes and coloured lights) and the translation of knowledge (i.e. Yolŋu cultural knowledge).

Installation shots

Installation video (warning for volume and mild flashing lights)

Material research: Notes on other works

The Mulka Project's previous works encapsulate the natural landscapes of Arnhem Land and the connections the Yolŋu people have to it (spiritually and culturally)

Watami Manikay (2020) = connections to natural world and to culture, facilitated by the winds

Dhaŋaŋ Dhukarr (2022) = relationships between the sea, the land, the sky, and the seasons

Djarraṯawun (2023) = spiritual/cultural connections to fire, lightning and sunlight

Rarrirarri (2023) = tribute to the botanical, animal and cultural/spiritual designs of Yolŋu artist Mrs. Mulkuṉ Wirrpanda

Other works: Watami Manikay (2020, sound-film installation with projection mapping on a larrakitj (hollow ceremonial log) painted white with gapaṉ (ceremonial clay))

Other works: Dhaŋaŋ Dhukarr (2022, sound-film installation with projection mapping on a larrakitj (hollow ceremonial log) painted white with gapaṉ (ceremonial clay))

Other works: Djarraṯawun (2023, sound-film installation with projection mapping)

Other works: Rarrirarri (2023, sound-film installation with projection mapping on a fibreglass guṉḏirr (mound))

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Material Research 3.6: State Library NSW Botanical Illustration Showcase (visit - 16.7.25)

Material research: Why drawn to these works?

Since the trip to the Beauty Rich and Rare exhibition in January and the preliminary research for this project, I've been fascinated the history of botanical art, specifically the history and production processes of botanical illustrations.

Material research: About the works

The botanical illustrations are from the State Library NSW's collections.

While multiple botanical publications and works were shown, the ones that caught my attention the most were the ones below for their artistic presentation (merging scientific documentation with poetic, illustrative and abstracted/speculative depictions) and rich histories:

Temple of Flora (Robert John Thornton, 1812)

Select Orchidaceous Plants (Robert Warner, 1865)

Flora Dalinae (Salvador Dali, 1969)

Florigelium (Joseph Banks, 1770/1980-1990)

Material research: How does it link to other artist/theory research?

I feel that it is important to look at these works - through the perspective of medium translation and knowledge translation - as an additional point of reference for the creation of my own project/s.

As stated previously, this showcase also link to the Beauty Rich and Rare exhibition in how both explore the diverse history of botanical art (albeit the showcase displays it in a more "traditional" manner).

Book excerpts with accompanying library info cards

Robert John Thornton's Temple of Flora (1812)

Robert Warner's Select Orchidaceous Plants (1865)

Salvador Dali's Flora Dalinae (1969)

Joseph Bank's Florigelium (originally created in 1770, printed in 1980-1990)

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Material Research 3.5: Tomás Saraceno's practice - spider webs, the cosmos, "the web of life" and the interplay between them all

Material research: About the practice - according to Sasha Engelmann's Of spiders and simulations: artmachines at Studio Tomás Saraceno (2019)

According to Sasha Engelmann, Saraceno's practice involves the consideration of two ideas - the artmachine and the haecceitic proximity.

Below are simplified definitions of both terms.

Artmachine: The interconnectedness between many ideas, themes, materialities and/or species.

Haecceitic proximity: Combines the ideas of haecceity (what gives something its individuality and makes it unique from everything else) and proximity (overlap/interplay between multiple things).

In Saraceno's case, both ideas - and the overlap between them -are integral to his practice of translating and merging images, disciplines, relationships and mediums.

Engelmann applies these ideas to Saraceno's projects, specifically the ones centred around his interdisciplinary research on spider webs and the cosmos.

His research into spider webs and the "cosmic web", with a focus on their shared structures, the computer models created to study them, and communicative vibrations that travelled through their filaments.

He therefore proposes the implication of them being the dual "web of life", and the broader interplays between biology and astronomy.

Therefore, he engages in translations of materiality and of knowledge.

Material research: How does it link to other artist/theory research?

Saraceno's interdisciplinary practice - through the perspectives of the artmachine and haecceitic proximity - mirrors John Charles Ryan's idea of "poietic openness".

Additionally, translations of knowledge and materiality are shared with artists such as Anicka Yi and Marshmallow Laser Feast.

Left: Galaxies Forming along Filaments, like Droplets along the Strands of a Spider’s Web (2009, sculptural installation with elastic cord)

Right: Algo-r(h)i(y)thms (2018, sculptural installation with rope, contact microphones, computer software and subwoofer speakers)

Left: How to Entangle the Universe in a Spider/Web? (2018, installation with red lasers, spider silk and carbon fibre)

Right: Webs of At-tent(s)ion (2018, installation with spider silk and carbon fibre in glass-metal frames)

Material research: Notes on other works

Saraceno's translations of mediums/materials and knowledge can also be observed in his other works.

The Poetic Cosmos of the Breath (2007) = Visualising the relationships between the sun, the clouds, and the air/heat currents

Sounding the Air (2018) = Using threads of spider silk to visualise the interactions between sound, air, heat, dust particles, light and electrostatic forces

Silent Autumn/Silent Spring (2020-ongoing) = The chemical, environmental, material, historical and symbolic relationships within the "web of life", specifically associated with the seasonal cycles from Autumn (deciduous tree leaves) to Spring (poppies) and vice versa

Ha Chi Ki… (2021) = The importance of breath in the "web of life", and its cultural (i.e. many cultures/languages equating breath with spiritual/cosmic energy) and environmental contexts (i.e. air pollution)

Other works: The Poetic Cosmos of the Breath (2007, on-site installation with a iridescent foil solar dome)

Other works: Sounding the Air (2018, installation with spider silk, carbon fibre, microphone, transducers, speakers, lights, and computer)

Other works: Silent Autumn/Silent Spring (2020-ongoing, dried and pressed leaves/flowers on paper)

Other works: Ha Chi Ki… (2021, ink and soap on paper) `

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Material Research 8: Soundbank of Ableton music

Notes: Aims and process documentation

Aim: Since this is a multi-sensory work, what if I did a speculative soundtrack (combining music ) to emulate the sounds plants may "produce" (see example video below) as well as "perceive" in their natural environment (e.g. wind, water, birds, insects, etc.)?

Tracks were produced using instrumentals in Ableton.

First session: 9.5.25

Second session: 15.5.25

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Material Research 7: Tactile plant prints - including ones using moulding paste instead of ink (27.4.25)

Notes: Aims of this material experiment

Wanted to experiment with moulding paste as a textural medium for printing.

Additionally wanted to produce more monoprints.

Notes: Reflection and observations

The moulding paste was unsuccessful at carrying any detailed imprints onto the paper.

Additionally, it had a tendency to crack after drying.

However, some of the normal monoprints (especially the eucalyptus ones) can be used for animations.

Moulding paste experiment

Initial monoprint tests

Proper monoprints

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Material Research 6: Soundbank of field recordings (23.4.25)

Notes: Aims and process documentation

Aim: Since this is a multi-sensory work, what if I did a speculative soundtrack (combining music ) to emulate the sounds plants may "produce" (see example video below) as well as "perceive" in their natural environment (e.g. wind, water, birds, insects, etc.)?

Sounds were recorded in a forest reserve in my neighbourhood.

Field recordings

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Material Research 5: Flower pressings (21.4.25 - 24.4.25)

Notes: Aims of this material experiment

I wanted to experiment with potentially including actual plants into my work (perhaps in the monoprints themselves).

Notes: The materials and process

Collected the following plants: camellias, rosy periwinkle flowers, marigolds, globe amaranths, bottlebrush and grevillea

Followed an adapted/short-hand version of botanical pressing (using heavy books and layers of kitchen paper), as detailed in the "Pressing and Drying" segment: https://www.botanicgardens.org.au/discover-and-learn/plant-conservation-and-discoveries/preserving-plant-specimens

Notes: Reflection and observations

The bottlebrush was the most successful for pressing.

Unfortunately, the fleshier flowers (e.g. camellias) became too fragile and fully pressing thicker plants (e.g. grevillea) with this method would take weeks to months (at least).

While I could incorporate actual plants in a different form, due to time and resources, this method will be scrapped for the time being.

Collected plants (before printing)

Floral pressings

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To the artists who enjoy Lux/Mr Ring-A-Ding: I need your help please!

I’m currently working on drawing some proper Lux/Mr Ring-A-Ding character studies and I’m a little stuck on how to draw his torso and his tailcoat.

Here’s my first attempt during @velka-art’s Magma hang-out last month for reference (please ignore the missing shirt error) - btw I’m pretty happy with how I did the face and hair even if it needs a couple of tweaks:

Personally I envisioned his torso to be pear-shaped in my artstyle (narrow chest with a chubby/round stomach), and I’m a bit stuck on how to draw the tailcoat (and its lapels) in a way that retains its iconic shape/s without being too distracting when paired with his waistcoat, shirt collar and bow tie.

If anyone can please reblog/comment with any tips specifically for the torso and tailcoat, that would be great! 👍🏻

(Yes, I’ve had a look at the clips and concept art of him way too many times for reference - and I’m still stuck. 🙃)

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(Proceeds to reblog/repost this for later)

The Maestro guide is definitely helpful, thank you very much!

Love your art of the Pantheon of Discord! :D

(They may or may not have contributed to inspiring to make my own AU surrounding these gods - specifically Lux, Toymaker and Maestro - and two of my own fan OC gods. Shh!)

Only if you want to, have you considered exploring the dynamics between Lux and the other members through illustrations/comics (if not, through writing)? Regardless, I'd love to see more of the funny toon god (who stole my heart, waltzed into my brain unannounced and stayed there without me even questioning it)! ✨💙🎞🐜

(Also do you have any tips on how an earth to draw Maestro and their iconic piano outfit? I only ask bc I want to draw Maestro for the AU, but the details both confuse and terrify me. 🤣😅 Please and thank you!)

(you get the first glimpse of my work in progress set of Maestro reaction pics ahah)

I saw your AU, actually, it's so cool!! Extremely glad that I have inspired that in any way, eheh. I do plan to have more of Lux appearing in the Polycule AU, but he is not the focus of it- so it will definitely be more about how the two main gods of my AU (Maestro and Toymaker) perceive their relation with him. For now, I kinda hinted that Toymaker finds him deeply annoying (perhaps out of jealousy, for light definitely was something he craved in the dark), which is not a resentment Lux is sharing at all. I also think Maestro would find him cool to hang around, but would probably get frustrated with his constant energy if they were forced to deal with him for too long! They do be liking their quiet fr fr

Now, for the dreaded piano outfit!! What might help you make sense of it is actually the harmony of the shape- it's all about triangles. An very badly made example:

There's also the piano key lapel of the vest, triangles, and the hair, triangles. There's a lot of details, but it's very organised! You can rely on the many lines, too, so you won't get lost in the fabric- like the lines on the vest. You can add the piano keys on every white surfaces, which are basically the inside of the coat, and it will already be pretty recognisable !

There's another triangle, also, not visible on the first pic, which goes reversed from the one of the train:

It contributes to give them a very hourglass shape from shoulders to train, and interestingly deconstructs it with the added form triangle around the hips, following the shape of the shoulder to the waist!

For the jewelry, I'm not great at it- so I've taken to make little circles to contour it. Like this:

If you think about it, don't hesitate to add the partition tattoo on their neck- it really serves the vibe!

I hope this helped 🙏

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Hello there, Whovians and Lux Imperator/Mr Ring-A-Ding enjoyers!

(I wanted to make this post sooner, but life got busy and I'm currently recovering from being sick as of writing this so oh well...)

I have two projects to mention that you guys may be interested in, one is currently a WIP and the other is more an interest check for said project… (if you want to just look at the latter, feel free to scroll past the other project I talk about in this post)

Project 1: Doctor Who AU (WIP)

A couple of you may be aware of an AU that I’ve been inspired to create since learning more about the Pantheon of Discord over the last few months (specifically Lux but also the rest of who I like to affectionately nickname “The Giggle Trio” (Toymaker and Maestro)).

While it is still a WIP, I want to confirm/clarify a few important details for now:

I first came up with the OCs (and some of the story) for this AU prior to the release of the episodes “Wish World” and “The Reality War”.

Therefore, this AU will NOT reference those episodes, but rather will be set in a timeline where the 15th Doctor is still around (but has long since parted with Belinda who’s living a happier life).

I have two gods (fan OCs) in the works: Acoíris (God of Art) and Seimei (God of Biological Life)

In terms of the canon gods who are featured in the story, the “Giggle Trio” will be front and centre (yes, there will be a tad more focus on Lux, his character and his relationships with the other gods (both canon and fan OCs) bc I’m a little biased, shush!).

Sutekh will be mentioned several times - especially in relation to Seimei - but he won’t make a physical appearance.

The story will take place in the present time (just in different countries), and will be split into two parts (one focusing on Acoíris and one on Seimei).

Yes, I will also have human fan OCs too…

Also I want to send a quick thank-you to:

@starleska for their posts explaining the lore of the Pantheon, which I seriously appreciate (plus said posts got me intrigued about the potential interactions between the gods)!

@modmad and @janus-cadet for their own DW AU projects inspiring my own AU.

@velka-art and a few others for reading/seeing my rough designs and WIP AU ramblings during the Lux/Mr Ring-A-Ding Magma hang-out a couple of weeks ago.

ROWS 1-2: A couple of out-of-context colour keys (and the grey-scale versions to practice values in doing concept art) for certain scenes in the AU

ROWS 3-4: Doodles from @velka-art’s Magma hang-out featuring rough designs/doodles of my fan OC gods (btw some of the drawings of Lux/Mr Ring-A-Ding are hers)

Project 2: Interest check for potential Lux/Mr Ring-A-Ding fan collab artbook

I’ve had this idea in my mind for a while, and decided to put an interest check here… ✨💙🎞️

Please note that me actually being able to organise it all hinges on my ability to sort out my other priorities - including another artbook fan collab (specifically a Portal one - @portalmakingscience) I’m organising currently.

And while I may confirm the specific details later, it’ll be a smaller, less ambitious (FREE TO ACCESS) artbook collab compared to my Portal one (plus I hope it’ll be something for both Whovians and non-Whovians to enjoy)!

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Applications for a collab project I'm organising are currently open!

Artist applications are now open!

(Please reblog/share to spread the word)

Linked below is a Google form if you are interested to to apply as an artist contributor for the collab artbook project:

Please read the rules carefully before applying.

Artist applications will be open from today (April 19th) to July 5th!

Wishing all the Portal fandom artists out there the best of luck! 💙🧡🎨🤖

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Material Research 3.4: Pierre Huyghe's "UUmwelt" exhibition (2018-2019)

Material research: Why drawn to this work?

I'm drawn to this work primarily for reasons similar to the ones I stated when discussing Marshmallow Laser Feast's installations.

Huyghe, like Marshmallow Laser Feast, abstracts the fluid nature of biology through sensory experiences and digital technology.

Material research: About the work

UUmwelt is a multimedia exhibition created by French artist Pierre Huyghe and displayed throughout the south gallery in London's Serpentine Gallery (2018-2019).

The name originates from the idea of 'Umwelt' (coined by German biologist Jacob von Uexküll as a term describing the unique way each organism perceives and interacts with the world depending on their biology).

The exhibition consisted of the following:

Digital films (displayed on LED screens) made of footage created from deep image reconstruction, a process where images are reconstructed from fMRI brain activity.

Live flies, which have allowed to reproduce, grow and fly within the central gallery.

Synthetic fragrances, inspired by the concepts of "human", "animal" and "machine".

Sensors that changed certain aspects of the exhibition (the frame rate of the films and the type/intensity of the fragrances) depending on changes in humidity, light and temperature in the gallery.

This exhibition explores the idea of speculative evolution occurring within the living/non-living intelligences and natural/digital environments.

"Even only as reconstruction, to capture the life of human and artificial imagination, by generating infinite possibility of its appearance." - Pierre Huyghe

Material research: How does it link to other artist/theory research?

While investigating and reflecting on the idea of "'real'/faithful vs. abstract representations" of nature and biology, I became intrigued by artworks that explored the overlaps between these two forms of "representations" (e.g. the works of Anicka Yi and Marshmallow Laser Feast).

Additionally, the material approaches in this exhibition align with ideas mentioned in the readings by Giovanni Aloi and John Charles Ryan - as well as Aloi's interview with Matt Collishaw.

Installation shots

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A quick intro/run-down of The Art of Making Science: A Portal Fandom Collab...

Firstly, who are you?

Hello there, my name is Minami!

Some of you may know me for a lot of different things (fandom or otherwise) that I love making drawings and other creative projects about.

I'm currently on Insta, Tumblr, Cara and Vimeo if you want a peruse of my LinkTree: 

I have been in the Portal fandom since 2020, creating fanart of some of the AUs and canon characters. I am also developing a biology-centric Portal AU of my own, Portal: Biologica, that I hope to share with the rest of the world very soon. 

What is "The Art of Making Science"?

A collaboration project between several artists in the Portal fandom, including myself.

As a tribute to Portal 2's 15th anniversary next year (April 2026), it is an opportunity to celebrate both the canon games and how they inspired the AUs, reinterpretations, and fan-mods (e.g. Portal Stories: Mel) many know and love!

The project is intended to be accessible to all, and will therefore be a digital printable artbook that you can download for free from my LinkTree!

Why this collab project?

Since Portal 2's 15th Anniversary is in April 2026, I want to contribute a love letter of sorts to these games and their wonderfully-creative fandom. 

Lately, I've also been feeling a bit sad over the current state of the fandom: 

My fellow artists and friends distancing themselves from the fandom and/or their AU projects.

AU projects (that have long since concluded or been abandoned) falling into obscurity, with a few that were almost considered "lost media".

A few individuals being incredibly hostile towards other people's perspectives, using "canon" to discredit what fandoms are intended to be: places of community and creativity.

Therefore, I hope for this project to bring together members of the fandom, both past and present. 

Regardless of whether you're participating in the project or you're just following its development, I hope you all enjoy the artbook, both in its creation and upon its public release!

Project Timeline (may be subject to change)

APPLICATIONS: 19th April-July 5th 2025

FINALISING THE LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS AND COMMUNICATING TO APPLICANTS: July 6th-July 15th 2025

ARTISTS WORKING ON CONTRIBUTIONS (ESTIMATE): Mid July-Late November 2025

ME WORKING ON DESIGNING PROMO BIOS AND FINAL DIGITAL ARTBOOK (ESTIMATE): Early December 2025-Late February 2026

PUBLIC TUMBLR RELEASE OF PROMO BIOS FOR CONTRIBUTORS (ESTIMATE): Early March-Early April 2026 (TBC - will depend on the actual number of final contributors)

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE FOR ARTBOOK (TBC): 18th April 2026