January 2014 - Lizzie Harper

Illustrating a Bumble bee

Posted on 31st January 20143rd December 2018 in Zoological step by step

Bumble bee commission I was commissioned to do a natural history illustration of a bumble bee for an interpretation board on flight. The client is Anglezarke Dixon Associates, for Yorkshire Dales National Park. They wanted a White tailed bumble bee (Bombus lucorum). This would accompany my scientific illustrations of the pipistrelle bat and peacock […] Read more

Slender St Johns Wort Hypericum pulchrum natural history illustration by Lizzie Harper

Illustration: A working week

Posted on 25th January 201427th November 2018 in Current projects and news

Natural Science (or natural history) illustration is like all other jobs, you have good weeks and bad weeks. Last week was a really happy one; I had plenty to do (but not overwhelming amounts); I finished up a big project; and I got two smaller jobs completed. Being able to feel productive and efficient always […] Read more

Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus natural history illustration by Lizzie Harper

Natural History Illustration: Don’t work for free

Posted on 17th January 201427th November 2018 in Illustration techniques

Natural history illustrator (Claudia Hahn) tweets (angrily) that she’s been asked to do a load of work for a successful music company…for free. What’s sad is that this is a very familiar tale. I’ve decided to write a quick blog about why this is never a good idea. Who asks illustrators to work for free? […] Read more

golden plover, Pluvialis apricaria, Pluvialis, Swaledale, North Yorkshire, Yorkshire dales, Yorkshire, scabious, quaking grass, briza, cotton grass, grass, tormentil, pontilla, eriphorum,

Illustrating a Golden Plover in Swaledale

Posted on 11th January 201427th November 2018 in Zoological step by step

Animals in their habitats Many scientific illustrations and botanical and natural history illustrations I do are cut-to-white. However, I often illustrate subjects (like this plover) in their natural habitat. This can be a challenge, but also highly enjoyable. You can put in specific details (such as someone’s home, or a tree they really like). It […] Read more

invasives, published, hogween, himalyan balsam, japanese knotweed,

Natural History Illustration in context: Published work

Posted on 3rd January 201426th November 2018 in Current projects and news

Where my illustrations are published Most of the natural history illustrations I do are for use in published form. They appear in books or magazines. They’re published on interpretation or visitor boards at zoos, nature reserves or aquariums. They’ve been used on packaging of such diverse things as CDs and mugs. It’s always a treat […] Read more