About my project: 

I would like to focus on how necrosis looks in different stages of the same leaf. Particularly, observing subtle changes in discoloration.  I would like to focus on the questions:  

How can we understand this natural occurance better？



Just like humans, leaves have cycles too.

1. Budding 

•  starts (generally in the spring because of warmer temperature and more sunlight Leading to growth of new leaves. 

2. Maturity and Photosynthesis

• As leaves mature, they reach a stage where they can perform photosynthesis efficiently.

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• Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy, producing oxygen and glucose.

3. Senescence:

• Senescence is the aging process of leaves.
• During this stage, leaves undergo changes in color, texture, and biochemical composition as they prepare for shedding.

4. Color Change and Fall:

• In deciduous plants(meaning those that lose their leaves part of the year, or leading to the "fall off" of leaves) , leaves change color in the fall due to the breakdown of chlorophyll.
• Trees reabsorb chlorophyll in the leaves for nutrients. This causes chlorophyll to break down and reveal other pigments, such as anthocyanins and carotenoids, which give leaves their autumn colors.

5. Winter:

• In some plants, particularly deciduous trees, leaves are shed during the winter to conserve energy.
• The plant enters a period of dormancy until the conditions are suitable for new growth in the spring!

How can we understand this natural occurrence from an aesthetic perspective?

Leaf discoloration and necrosis, through an aesthetic lens, reveals the beautiful transition of hues, intricate textures, and temporal dynamics. 



How can we understand transition better in our lives?

We can take valuable insights from the aesthetics and naturalness  of leaf discoloration to necrosis.  Watching a leaf go from a tiny bud to changing colors and eventually falling can help us understand life transitions. It's like starting something new, growing up, and learning to let go when the time comes. Just as a leaf goes through different stages, our lives have moments of beginnings, growth, and change.

Why do some leaves discolor while others do not?
This can be due to certain environmental factors, genetic factors, age, or simply if it's healthy or not. 



What do the stages of  necrosis look like from a micro perspective? 



Process


I have 4 leaves with different stages of coloration and necrosis: 

Can you tell which ones are which without knowing the order?






Initial Discoloration:


We can observe yellow with hues with small black specks(necrosis). To me, this color gives off the feeling of being in a new place, and the formulation of ideas. To me the cracks symbolize paths one is willing to take, or has a limited mindset of the opportunities one has.

Progressive Discoloration




This reddish hue gives off feelings of fury, love, passion, anger or turbulence in one's life. It could be from being overwhelmed by their actions and journey so far. This is because as we go deeper in life, it is normal to feel such ways. We can also see that there are more "cracks", giving off the idea that one is diving further into exploration and discovering more opportunities for themselves.

The necrosis looks more patchy and developed.

Later stages of Discoloration: 



This golden hue gives me feelings of hope, stability, content, clarity and happiness. We can see the paths become more "thin" and linear. This symbolizes that one's actions and ideas are becoming more clear and their path is becoming more certain and defined. I feel as we get older, our understanding of what we want becomes more clear.

Advanced Discoloration or Necrosis:





Some may perceive this dark reddish orange hue as chaos, life falling apart, or busyness, however I see many many paths and opportunities again. If something doesn't go as planned, it doesn't mean your journey ends there, it just means another path will be available when the new season starts and one will find more understanding.