Biological cross-sections

fig 1		fig 2		fig 3		fig 4

Choose an item of fruit or vegetable and draw various cross-sections.

You can slice the fruit/veg in different ways and draw from different angles.

Observe and record as accurately as possible paying close attention to detail.

Use a selection of the following media:

• Tonal pencil drawing HB/2B pencil
• Coloured pencil ensuring accurate representation of tone and colour variety
• watercolour
• acrylic
• oil pastel
• collage/tissue paper

As a development, find a biological diagram of your chosen fruit/veg and draw a chosen view of correct size onto tracing paper. Layer your drawing on top of diagram to illustrate differences between images obtained from observing nature directly and scientific diagrams.

fig 5		fig 6		fig 7

fig 1, 7. Anatomy Acts Object Guide No.155
Serial transverse section of the thorax of a full term fetus (twelve sections), c.1940s
University of St Andrews, Museum Collections,

fig 2. Anatomy Acts Object Guide No.86
Engravings of the Cardiac Nerves, (Tabulae Neurologica), Edinburgh, 1832
Antonio Scarpa (1752-1832)
Special Collections, University of St Andrews, sf QM25.S3E32

fig 3. Anatomy Acts Object Guide No.111
Watercolour of dissected specimen, 1892
A. Don (artist), Professor R.W. Reid (anatomist, 1851-1931) Don
Reid Collection, Courtesy of the University of Aberdeen, RR E8

fig 4. Anatomy Acts Object Guide No.116
Coronal Section, from Atlas of Head Sections, Plate 9, Series A. IX, 1893
William Macewen and James Maclehose Macewen
University of Glasgow, Hunterian Museum; Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow

fig 5. Pomegranate

fig 6. Pomegranate illustration