Each painting in 'Terra nullius' is intimately sized at 20 by 30 inches, which corresponds in scale ratio to the original specimen sheets in the expedition archive; the horizontal re-orientation further recalls the traditional pictorial format of landscapes. Handelman maintained the compositional fidelity of the herbarium sheets and their labeling systems while allowing each painting its own distinct material and formal process. The palette is largely inspired by the de-saturated colors of the desiccated specimens and the weathered sheets themselves, but also draws from earth pigments, art historical references, and scenes of the sky during recent ecological disasters and meteorological events.