June 1, 2010
The Outdoor Palette
by Adelaide Tyrol

summer 2010 issue  number 65

The primary goal of natural history illustration is scientific accuracy. Since the work is used to educate, it must portray a species with precision and a high level of detail. If it’s beautiful, it’s even better. Asuka Hishiki’s illustrations are beautiful. Her work is detailed, scientifically accurate, and elegant, as is evident in the image below, entitled Monarch Butterflies.

But there is another side to Hishiki’s work that deserves attention. In a sister painting, entitled Monarch Butterfly Type B Metamorphosis, Hishiki introduces fanciful elements into an otherwise rational, realistic environment, thus proving that she’s also adept at the aesthetic style called “magic realism.” →read more