Fantastic Plants Spring from Taehyoung Maria Jeon’s Digital Illustrations

South Korean artist Taehyoung Maria Jeon's digital illustrations bring to life an imaginative series of fantastical plants. The artist breaks from convention, exploring plants from a unique viewpoint and expressing them in her own distinctive manner. Jeon acknowledges that having rules and guidelines is crucial in allowing her the creative freedom to experiment with plant shapes, a concept she finds ironic.

Jeon, originally trained as a printmaker, utilizes digital methods to re-envision her plant subjects cohabitating in her apartment. She begins with leaves and stems, then ventures into more surreal territory. The plant illustrations are adorned with purple veins, red outlines, and a scattering of stars, lending them an otherworldly quality. The vivid color palette amplifies their sense of the uncanny.

Titled Plant Series, the project began as a personal challenge to fill a square canvas with plants, meticulously playing with shapes and composition to fit as many elements as possible within the confined space. As the series progresses, the drawings evolve, and subtle nuances shift, but the project's essence remains rooted in composition, balance, color, and shape. Ultimately, Jeon hopes to convey positive vibes through her work.

The Plant Series consists of numerous illustrations compiled in Jeon's first monograph, Folium, published by Volume. Volume operates like Kickstarter, allowing readers to back the project before it is printed. Readers can reserve their copy through Volume's website, and additional work by the artist can be found on their Instagram profile.