SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATION

What is Scientific Illustration?

Scientific Illustration is the illustration or the drawing of amphibians, birds, plants, fish, mammals, insects, landscapes, people, and other things to inform people about them.

If you look inside of your textbooks you will see scientific illustration!

This is a scientific illustration of a frog. What might we learnabout frogs after viewing this illustration?

This Bug’s Eye View tells you something about the bug. Although it is not an “illustration” this visual can educate someone about the body, size, and environment of an insect!

This illustration of a leaf’s veins show the primary vascular bundles. They transport water and photosynthesis via

primary xylem and primary phloem.

Can you tell what this is a scientific illustration of?…

Can you see the different kinds of lines: curved, straight, diagonal, in this scientific illustration of an insect? Look closely.

Describe the pattern in this insect?

Metamorphosis can be complicated but an illustrationmakes it easier to understand.

Do you know the name of the famous

artistwho was known for

her up close illustrations of

flowers?

Georgia O’Keeffe

Notice O’Keeffe’s vibrant use of color. What do you thinkis the EMPHASIS of her art?

The emphasis is the anatomy of the flower, the color, the parts.

Some of her artwork can be named in the modern style. Notice the simplification of the shape. All details have been

removed. This is typical of Abstract Art.