@hgpennington

Plant pathogen paintings & photos

@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-07-08

In 2023 ago I painted a wheat stem rust teleutosorus (pustule).

My painting won the ‘Magnified’ section of the 2023 @plantpathgrads Art competition tinyurl.com/yjfhc7cn and @YOGESHD23825337
made my painting into a cake tinyurl.com/5n726ta6

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/plantspa

The painting shows a teleutosorus (or sori) on a wheat stem. A chain of ruptured epidermal cells visible on either side of the teleutospores.  Below the teleutospores, there is a mass of hyphae amongst the host cells.

A vascular bundle is present to the left of the fungal lesion. It looks a bit like a smiley face, with the metaxylem forming the eyes, and the protoxylem forming the nose and smiling mouth.
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-07-07

A progression series for my painting of Cat Orwell as George Orwell: (i) planning, (ii) sketching, (iii) painting and (iv) finishing/ refinement

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/other/li

A montage of four photos, used in creating a picture of a broad-faced tomcat with a white stomach, paws, and lower face, contrasted by tabby markings on the upper half of its face and body. The painting features the cat’s head and paw, while the body, suit, desk, and microphone are based on a photograph of George Orwell.
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-07-06

I took part in a botanical stained glass at a workshop led by Will Burrows 🌵✨

I used the copper foil (Tiffany) technique to create a cactus design. Full process & pics here: hgpenningtonart.com/other/bota

The photo montage shows my finished cactus: on the left, placed on a cork heat mat after soldering, and on the right, illuminated on a light box. The light box highlights the texture and colour of the glass beautifully. I aimed to create the effect of light falling from the top right, using yellow-green tones for highlights, pale green for mid-tones, and darker green for shaded areas.
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-07-03

In 2024 I painted my cousin's cat Orwell as George Orwell.

I'm really pleased with how this painting turned out, especially the focus on the light and shadows.

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/other/ca

A painting of a broad-faced tomcat with a white stomach, paws, and lower face, contrasted by tabby markings on the upper half of its face and body. The painting features the cat’s head and paw, while the body, suit, desk, and microphone are based on a photograph of George Orwell.
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-07-02

In 2022 I painted tar spot on sycamore, caused by the fungus Rhytisma acerinum.

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/plantspa

A picture of a simplified flat green leaf, with a black outline. There are black, tar-like spots on the surface, each surrounded by a thin outline of yellow chlorosis.
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-07-01

I painted daisy rust, caused by Puccinia distincta, for the July illustration of the @BSPP 2024 plant pathogens calendar.

bspp.org.uk/product/bspp-2024-

hgpenningtonart.com/plantspath

The painting shows a lawn daisy infected with Puccinia distincta. The daisy has three flower stems topped by small white flowers, and 12 leaves. There are yellow chlorotic regions on the leaves and stems, and small orange pustules. Infected leaves appear pale, stand more erect, and have rust blisters with cluster-cups (aecium/aecia) on both surfaces.
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-30

In 2024 I drew keys in chalk and charcoal.

(i) these are not for my house and (ii) I changed the patterns of the key teeth!

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/other/li
These keys were displayed at the Patchings Art Centre as part of The Artist and Leisure Painter (TALP) Open Art Exhibition!

three kety and a keyring, draw in in chalk and charcoal on tan paper
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-29

@helianthropy banana slugs are definitely cool 🍌

@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-29

I challenged myself to complete one drawing each day whilst on holiday in Japan in Nov/Dec 2024.

13/23 - shrine.

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/other/ja

A shrine, framed by the torii gate at the front, drawn in black biro on white watercolour paper
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-26

Beauty bush - Kolkwitzia

A photograph of clusters of five petalled trumpet-shaped flowers. The petals are a very pale pink, almost white. The centres are orange and pink
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-25

In 2023 I painted bean rust, caused by the fungus Uromyces appendiculatus.

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/plantspa

The painting shows a trifoliate runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus) leaf. The three leaflets have many yellow, roughly circular, chlorotic lesions with reddish-brown centres
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-24

In 2022 I painted cacao frosty pod rot, caused by the fungus Moniliophthora rorei.

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/plantspa

A picture of a cacao plant, with six fruit pods. One juvenile pod is deformed, and three large pods have black zones of necrosis, with white fuzzy areas representing fungal sporulation.
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-23

@Archergal Thanks 😊

@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-23

In 2024 I drew a screw for my light and shadow series.

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/other/li

A screw draw in chalk and charcoal on tan paper
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-22

I painted symptoms of Cladosporium fulvum (synonym Passalora fulva) on a young tomato plant.

This painting was commissioned for Professor Jonathan Jones’ retirement seminar and was used on the invitations

hgpenningtonart.com/plantspath

The painting depicts a young tomato plant with five leaves. Symptoms are more severe on the lower parts of the plant. The lowest infected leaves are curled and show brown, dried areas. The three bottom leaves display grayish-purple spots on the undersides and pale green spots on the upper surfaces. The top two leaves do not yet show any signs of infection.
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-19

I painted @major_clanger's cat Nelson as Sir Horatio Nelson (original painting attributed to Matthew Shepperson).

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/other/ne

The head and right hand/paw are those of cat Nelson, whereas the body and uniform are those of Sir Horatio Nelson as depicted in “Rear-Admiral Sir Horatio Nelson, 1758-1805, 1st Viscount Nelson”. The original painting has been attributed to Matthew Shepperson; after John Hoppner.
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-18

In 2023 I painted rice bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.

A simple painting for a devastating disease.

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/plantspa

The painting shows three rice leaves with characteristic greyish white lesions with wavy margins. The lesions have spread from the leaf tip and margins.
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-17

In 2022 I painted black sigatoka disease, a leaf-spot of banana caused by Mycosphaerella fijiensis.

At the time of painting, this was one of my best ever paintings.

hgpenningtonart.co.uk/plantspa

A picture of a banana plant with nine leaves. Five of those leaves show leaf streaks, running parallel to the veins. The leaf streaks are yellow, with mature streaks/lesions having brown centres. In some areas, the lesions have merged leading to regions of leaf death.
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-16

In 2024 I drew a glass teacup and saucer for my light and shadow series.

The tea did not contain milk. Its translucency added an extra level of difficulty to the drawing.

N.B. You can find my prior paintings here: hgpenningtonart.co.uk/other/li

A glass teacup, containing translucent tea, drawn in chalk and charcoal on tan paper
@hgpenningtonhgpennington
2025-06-15

On Wednesday, I spent a day at @CUBotanicGarden at an en plein air (outdoor) watercolour improvers course led by tutor John Wiltshire.

I painted a dappled clearing framed by three trees, with brightly lit foliage visible in the distance.

hgpenningtonart.com/other/wate

Standing easel and watercolour painting setup positioned in front of leafy trees in the Cambridge Botanic Gardens, with paints and materials arranged on a small folding stool.The upper image shows a watercolour painting of three trees overshadowing a dark area, with bright greenery seen through the gaps between the trunks.

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Version: 2025.04
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