STORY BEHIND THE ART OF Hyunjin Cho

25th Annual International

American Society of Botanical Artists and Wave Hill

Euphorbia

Euphorbia frankiana f. monstrosa

I often go to botanical gardens to see plants that I don’t usually find around me. I especially like halls housing the cactuses and succulents, plants that live such long lives, and have an array of different shapes and interesting elements—all fascinating. So I met the Euphorbia franckiana four years ago.

I still can't forget the first time I saw this amazing plant, in the University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley. It was such a grandiose and spectacular scene, making me stop in my tracks. I would go straight to this succulent whenever I went to the garden, but I didn’t have the courage to paint it until four years after that miraculous encounter. I began to sketch it out and draw it. I observed this succulent carefully and took hundreds of pictures.

I spent a lot of time finding the best composition and the most spectacular facets of this plant to depict on paper. The reason I took so much time to do it was simply because I felt the magnificence of what I saw and wanted to convey it perfectly.

Depicting the many twists and turns was fun and difficult for me at the same time, as I expected. I could barely complete 5cm a day. It took a lot of concentration and time for me to express the many wrinkles and colors compressed into every small part of the big picture.

When I found I lacked drawing skill, I felt sad and frustrated; but little by little the piece came together, and I smiled with joy. This painting made me grow, and it feels like the euphorbia was my teacher.

I was attracted to this plant first because of its grandiose form, and second because of its equally grandiose history, which can be seen at a glance. All the parts are very attractive: the lowest part like an old man who endures the weight of many years; the middle part like a mature man as it displays strong and vital colors; and finally the soft upper part, like a baby, with soft skin. 

The color also suggested stages of life, darker and worn at the bottom where its age showed. I did a lot of color tests and sketches to capture these characteristics, and I tried to express them to the best of my ability. To express the smooth surface at the top and the rough area at the bottom, I used colored pencils with varied skills and pressures to give contrast.

When I draw plants I always feel they are so similar to our life. Like us, they can appear childlike and grow old, every part of the plant so beautiful, and every process precious. I hope I have helped you, the viewer, looking at my drawing, to appreciate the joys and sorrows in life.

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Read more about this artist's work: 24th Annual