Natural History Illustration in Pen and Ink

Combine science with art, and journey through nature

Sarah Morrish

• Publisher: The Crowood Press
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9781785009228
• eBook ISBN: 9781785009235
• Topic: Art
• Subtopic: Art Techniques

This beautiful book combines the author's extensive ecological knowledge with art, and her passion for drawing with ink. It is packed with clear instruction and inspirational illustrations, and will be treasured by artists, illustrators, scientists and ecologists alike. Practical advice is given on using a range of materials and equipment for illustrating in pen and ink, as well as the collection and preservation of subject matter and reference material. Detailed instruction is given on how to create essential mark-making techniques that will enhance your illustrations through accurate depiction of shape, form, texture and pattern, and in the principles and elements of design. Subject-themed chapters include plants, strandline and marine specimens, fossils, invertebrates, and mammals. There are step-by-step exercises suitable for all skill levels, and case studies describing working practice as a professional illustrator.

CHAPTER 1

Subject Matter and Reference Material

Discovering New and Exciting Subjects Strengthens Your Connection to the Natural World

When we talk of collecting natural history specimens and reference material, I imagine our minds might be taken back to the Victorian era, which was considered the golden age of natural history collecting. It was not always for scientific research, but often for display, personal satisfaction and pleasure, and one-upmanship. Many species were brought to the brink of extinction through this activity. Thankfully, collecting on this scale has been obliterated and there are legislation and conservation designations in place to protect species and habitats.

In this present era, identifying subject matter and collecting reference material is an essential part of the illustration process. This can be an exciting time when the level of enthusiasm and inspiration becomes more heightened, as we satisfy our quest and discover more about the subject. This discovery and investigation are often aided by professionals, such as botanists, conservationists, zoologists and horticulturalists.

At this initial stage, pencil or pen have not even touched the drawing paper, but other senses have come into play as we observe the shape, size, colour and pattern of the item; touch it; feel its texture; and become familiar with its form. This is fine if it is stationary and a subject that can be handled, but if it is live then observation is key. In these circumstances we need to observe its behaviour; discern its colour, texture and pattern; and detect how it moves, seeing if its shape changes when it moves. All this information can be recorded in illustrations and words, and in other ways, such as preserving specimens and taking photographs.

WHERE TO FIND NATURAL HISTORY SPECIMENS

It is amazing what you can find once you look closely. If you are wanting inspiration with no specific subject in mind, simply look in your garden and when you are out for a walk, at the park or at the beach, keep a look out for objects – seedpods, stones, shells, wood, feathers, animal bones, dried plant galls, the list can go on and on.

Slate pencil urchin drawn in my museum sketchbook, which is a nice compact size to fit into any bag.

A Peregrine falcon taxidermy specimen from a museum collection being used for study.

Nature reserves and their visitor centres often have items on display. It’s daunting to sit in a bird hide or out in the open while drawing, but it can be exciting drawing out of doors from live subjects. Binoculars or a telescope are useful to have and you can view live animals from a distance without disturbing them. Wildlife parks are also good places to visit to sketch and gather reference material.

Many natural history artists visit museums for inspiration. There are numerous exhibits on display for you to choose from and you can often find a comfortable place to perch or sit while you sketch or take down details. It can be more challenging if it is a busy museum, such as one in a major city, but some of the smaller municipal museums can be quieter, particularly if you visit on a weekday or when they first open for the day. Your sketching kit does not have to be large; it can simply include a pencil or pen and a pocket-sized sketchbook.

You may find that some museums will, upon request, allow visitors ‘behind the scenes’ to view and study objects from their natural sciences collection. If a museum is able to offer this service, an appointment is usually needed and will be dependent on staffing levels and space to accommodate visitors. Long-term storage facilities for museums might be off-site, so access could be limited.

WORKING WITH A MUSEUM NATURAL SCIENCE COLLECTION – CONSIDERATIONS AND GUIDELINES

• When arranging a museum visit, it is best to be flexible. Be aware that if the staff have other short-notice commitments, these may have to take priority.

• Consider what you are wearing. If you will be handling specimens or moving boxes, clothing and jewellery can get in the way. When I first visited museums, I was in the habit of putting my glasses on my head when I didn’t need them, which was potentially problematic – if you are peering over drawers of delicate insects this is definitely discouraged; you can imagine the damage if your glasses were to fall off.

• Follow the instructions given by the staff when handling specimens. If you are not sure, ask.

• Wash your hands before and after handling specimens.

• Some specimens may be extremely old and their condition might not be perfect. Usually, they are still useful for observation. If there is more than one specimen of a particular species, use several together to get the information you need for your study.

• Bird specimens will have been posed in a particular position, so be mindful that if a specimen is older, the pose might not be truly accurate. This can be due to the taxidermist being unfamiliar with the species, or it may have been positioned by a less experienced or ‘hobby’ taxidermist, as some of them were in the past.

• You will often find that some specimens posed in the Victorian era are not always as accurate as some of those posed more recently.

• Remember that specimens, especially birds, will have glass eyes, so take this into consideration. They can appear somewhat stark, so if you can, look at photos or actual birds to get the feel and accuracy of a natural eye.

• Be aware that space may be limited. It might be a good idea to take a limited drawing kit, such as a sketching field kit.

• Remember to take other useful items – a magnifying glass and a camera are invaluable.

I realize, of course, this may not suit everyone, and you may not be happy with handling dead animals. One thing to bear in mind is that even though many specimens were collected at a time when it was considered ‘fashionable’ and the only way amateur naturalists could increase their knowledge, invariably they have been gifted to the museum service when the benefactor has passed away, and in some cases, several generations later.

It is far better to keep such collections together, rather than splitting them up and selling them for profit. Using them for educational purposes, in whatever way, must be more positive. I know from past experience that the museum I was visiting was thrilled that their collections in storage were of benefit to me in my development as an artist.

COLLECTING SUBJECT MATTER

There is an array of subject matter out there to inspire us and we can be fortunate enough to collect items to take home, or we may even be given specimens. If the latter, we should be absolutely sure of its provenance and ask for any associated records, if applicable.

Also consider the legislation with regard to the collecting and possession of such specimens. This will, of course, vary according to your country of residence or where the object is found. In some instances, it is illegal to possess dead wild animals or birds, or parts of, especially if they are protected species because of conservation concern. In certain countries you would need to register that you are in possession of such an animal and a license may be required to keep it; the latter often applies to naturally deceased birds of prey when they are used for taxidermy. As long as you have kept accurate records of where and when and in what circumstances you discovered it, this would help to prove that an offence has not been committed if further investigation was ever required. If you do find a dead bird and it has a ring on its leg, this often indicates where the ring originates from and you can contact the organization and send in the information recorded, potentially aiding conservation efforts. When handling dead birds or any animal, ensure that you are wearing protective gloves.

Do follow any guidelines and regulations on collecting items on private land and protected sites. Many protected sites, such as nature reserves, have specific conservation designations assigned to them because of their fragile habitats and protected species and it is illegal to collect anything from them.

Do not uproot plants unless you have specific permission from the landowner. The Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland has published a Code of Conduct with regard to picking, collecting and photographing wild plants, available from their website.

If you do need to pick a botanical specimen that is not a species of conservation concern for identification purposes and further investigation, do not over-pick and only take a singl...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Halftitle
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Introduction
• 1 Subject Matter and Reference Material
• 2 Materials and Equipment
• 3 The Importance of Sketchbooks and Study Pages
• 4 Mark-Making Techniques and Creating Form
• 5 Composition
• 6 Botanical Subjects
• 7 Strandline and Marine Discoveries
• 8 Fossils
• 9 Insects and Other Invertebrates
• 10 Birds, Feathers and Nests
• 11 Mammals
• 12 Combining Pen and Ink with Other Media
• 13 The Protection and Presentation of Artwork
• Contributing Artists
• Index