Did you know that our specimens are not always used for research? Many times, our specimens are used to inspire artists! This happens in the form of poetry, photographs, and illustration from both Auburn University and beyond.
Learn about Janet Stephens, an artist that just completed scientific illustration program who worked with AUMNH specimens to complete her final project.
My Scientific Illustration Journey
By Janet Stephens
My name is Janet Stephens, and I am an artist who just completed a certification in Scientific Illustration through the Scientific Illustration Distance Program (SIDP) taught by Gretchen Halpert. I also completed an online edX Certificate for Drawing Nature, Science and Culture: Natural History Illustration 101 through the University of Newcastle Australia.
After leaving the Advertising industry a couple of years ago, I decided to renew my passion of visualizing science and nature through art by completing a certification in Scientific Illustration. I am also a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators (GNSI) and have several of my SIDP coursework illustrations accepted into the 2022 and 2023 Annual Juried Members Exhibit.
My Independent Study project was the last step to complete my certificate in the SIDP program and my project included seven illustrations of butterflies and moths housed at the Callaway Gardens Butterfly Center. The idea for my project started by connecting with the Manager of the Callaway Gardens Butterfly Center who helped provide specimens to illustrate. Through that connection, I met Dr. Brian Counterman and Dr. Melissa Callahan from the Museum. Those connections provided excellent resources. Some of the specimens used for my illustrations were provided by AUMNH and some specimens I received from Callaway, which I donated to the AUMNH Collection.
My final illustrations are colored pencil on Bristol board and use multiple layers of color which require a strong understanding of color theory. In this article are examples of some my final Independent Study illustrations, photos of specimens/color reference photos and some sample steps of my process.
After I selected the species to illustrate, the next step required studying each species carefully to understand behaviors and details. From there, I created rough sketches and some of them required piecing together various parts to ensure accuracy for wing and leg position, body width and length, etc. My composite rough sketch was then tightened up and the final sketch transferred with graphite pencil on to the illustration board. In transferring the sketch to illustration board, I had to ensure the pencil marks were not too dark or applied with too much pressure as to scar the board which creates an indentation and could make it difficult to layer color. In some cases, the more detailed and complex butterflies, I created a rough color sample (Blue Morpho side view) to help define the color breaks. Before applying layers of color to the illustration board, I created color studies with a variety of color pencils ranging from waxy, to soft, to hard leads which allowed for translucence, opaqueness or tight lines where needed. Once my color studies determined which pencils were needed, I began to apply color to the illustration board and added many layers of color with different amounts of pressure per layer to achieve the variety of colors. The final steps were to add the smallest details and in some cases I used a white gel pen for tiny white dots and fine white lines. One of my illustrations (Giant Atlas Moth) shown is only partially rendered to show the process from pencil sketch on the illustration board, to adding layers of color, to final finished details.
The illustration process from end to end took many hours and a lot of close observation to ensure accuracy. For this project I had access to specimens, but with specimens, color becomes dull after death and the specimens can appear very dried out, so all details are not completely accurate. That required use of online photo resources for better color accuracy and to ensure the final illustration did not have veins, body, head, etc. that appeared dried out, but were reflective of the live species. Since a Scientific Illustrator cannot copy directly from someone else’s photograph without permission due to copyright violations, the specimens were ideal for wing position, details, markings, etc. and my use of color and accuracy of form from photo references avoided any copyright violation. Through this process, I was also able to secure no fee permission from one resource to use his photographs for color and markings where my specimens did not provide enough detail. Typically, getting permission from photographers can be difficult without ensuring a fee or strict copyright requirements, so the use of specimens was ideal.
The goal of Scientific Illustration is to best capture accuracy of the species depicted and covers an array of subject matter from Entomology such as I captured, to Paleontology, Invertebrates, etc. It can be simple illustrations to complex composite images. My journey in Scientific Illustration is just beginning and I hope to use my skills in a variety of ways and to broaden my range of subjects!
About me, I live in Columbus, Georgia and retired in 2021 from a career in Advertising & Marketing with experience as a Graphic Designer, Art Director, Sr. Creative Account Consultant and Creative Studio Traffic Manager. I originally earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) focused on Art/Drawing from Sonoma State University and completed additional courses in Graphic Design from The University of Georgia. While taking Graphic Design courses at The University of Georgia, I also completed several Scientific Illustration courses. Although I pursued Graphic Design and Advertising & Marketing for my career for many years, my love of Scientific Illustration was always present.
For those interested in an online program in Scientific Illustration, you can reach out to Gretchen Halpert at her website: www.gretchenhalpert-distance program.com or to see other national and international scientific illustrators, you can go to: www.gnsi.org.
I want to thank Auburn University Museum of Natural History, Dr. Brian Counterman and especially Dr. Melissa Callahan who provided help and access to specimens in the Entomology collection for my Independent Study. I am forever grateful for this connection and look forward to access to other collections for future scientific illustrations.