Chameleon~Scientific Illustration

I have always been fascinated by scientific illustration. Early in the 70s when I was studying botany at a community college I loved finding old illustrations that were done in the 19th century by those with a steady hand and a patient confidence in their work.

One of the best known for his scientific illustrations was Ernst Haeckel who was more than just an illustrator of beautiful creatures in our natural world. As with many scientists he had opinions which were outspoken and brilliantly recieved by many. Click on his name to read a little about him and if interested there are some amazing links to his work which can be downloaded and printed to enjoy!

I have mentioned before that my youngest daughter is keenly interested in scientific illustration and has decided to do her senior project at school on this subject. She has drawn many science like illustrations and you can see them here at her ETsy store if interested.

I found this page on a wonderful website and wanted to share it with you. If you have never seen a chameleon go to a pet store where they sell them and watch their eyes. They can follow you in a 180 degree rotation without moving an inch of their body. I am not sure any other creature is able to do that.

I have started to notice that a relative of the chameleon has started to show up everywhere here in the desert, the lizard. They are often seen rustling into bushes or seen sunning themselves in the heat out on rocks. They are the true sun worshippers, the only animal I know that prefers sun and as hot as it can get.

I will continue to bring you more of my finds on scientific illustration as it never ceases to bring me joy that there are and were people with the patience to sit and draw all the creatures of the earth for the wonder of all humans to see. We owe them much as many of our glorius creatures are now extinct or will be so its even more important to know and love and preserve our natural wonders, the animal and plant kingdom.