SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATION (grades 3-12)

Young artists are often concerned with creating realistic drawings of the world around them.  Scientific Illustration appeals to a student’s desire to draw things as they look  and develop a common visual language, which is needed in learning science.   Students at this time require assistance and nurturance in their drawing processes. This can be achieved by breaking down illustration processes into small, manageable steps to achieve a more desired result.

Scientific illustration is the art of drawing from direct observation. Practiced by Darwin and Audubon, among others, it was the method used to provide accurate depictions of nature’s wonders in an age before high-resolution photography. In this program, students are taught to observe details and render them accurately without any embellishment of the imagination. The practice of scientific illustration promotes  fine drawing skills, exposes the student to aspects of biology and botany, and introduces the idea of the artist’s role as an observer rather than interpreter of reality. Depending on their ages, the students will start with pencil and move on to chalk, watercolor and pen-and-ink drawing. Younger children might make a “fish print,” using an actual fish while older students may draw from the works of Audubon.