Observing the detail of nature

Student activity
Task No. 1

Observing the detail of nature

Collection 24: Australian flowers, 1787-1799 / by George Raper

Look closely at the shapes and lines of the image.

Questions:

What shapes do you see in the plant and insects
What shapes do you see in the spaces in between the leaves or between the legs of the insects?
What do these shapes remind you of? An hourglass? A long, skinny triangle? The beak of a bird?
What tools do you think the artist used to create this image?