Teaching Scientific Illustration at GES
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I attended Goodwillie Environmental School for 5th and 6th grade, a pivotal time in my life that has, without a doubt, inspired everything that I do today. It was a privilege to return over 13 years later as faculty, helping the current students gain those same experiences that changed my life.
The students were beginning their insect unit, which meant they were studying a test on identification, collecting and pinning insects to display in a shadow box, and writing partner slam poetry for their Insect Suaree event. My assignment was to teach the kids scientific illustration, pick an insect they had caught, and draw it on a large scale in pen and ink. I had never taken a course on scientific illustration nor taught, but I had experience drawing still-life, knew the mathematical equations to calculate scale, and had coached kids for years. How hard could it be?
It was hard. I was so lucky to have a class of 50 hardworking, dedicated students who wanted to create something THEY were proud of. But every day was still a trial-and-error process as the different groups of 12-14 students filtered through.
On the first day, we spent the whole hour calculating two numbers - the new width and height at a larger scale. I had done this equation so many times that it was like second nature. I quickly found explaining it to 12-year-olds was not so easy. I broke it down as simply as I could, but the terms and “x” (one kid asked why there were letters in math) and the fractions I was using were beyond what they had learned. I had to quickly pivot and not linger on the math. I assured them this was the last time we would have to calculate anything, for the rest of our sessions we would only be drawing, and that seemed to help us get through.
We started sketching in pencil, and I encouraged the students to squint their eyes to look at the basic shapes that made up their insects. Before getting into the little details, I wanted them to draw the positions of wings, legs, thoraxes, etc. to prevent having to erase all their hard work to reposition a head that was misplaced. Once we got the overall shapes down, we started looking at larger details. What could they see without a magnifying glass? Where were the eyes? Are there antennae?
The kids were so excited when we finally passed out their very own pack of Micron pens, with 6-sized tips ranging from 005-08. I created a worksheet walking the students through what these different sizes looked and felt like. They loved answering questions like “What’s the biggest pen size you have?” to which they would shout out “08!”, and “What would you use your 005 pens to draw?” to which they would respond with “Hair!”, “Eyelashes!”, “Little details!”. It was like they unlocked a new language. The worksheet also had several techniques for creating texture - crosshatching, stippling, etc. They loved figuring out which ones could achieve the details they had on their insects.
I passed out their final piece of nice bristol paper, emphasizing that each student took great care of this paper. We used a window transfer technique to get their sketches on their final paper. As the students moved on to their final illustration, a new level of focus overcame the room. We spent multiple sessions working on the larger shapes down to the little details. At the end of their last session, everyone had created a stunning piece of art, finished and matted and ready to display at their Insect Suaree night with their parents.
Attending this event was the highlight of my year, from the slam poetry (one called “Stinky Boy” about stink bugs) to bug-themed desserts. Walking into the school and seeing the tiling of each illustration on the wall was so special. The sea of praying mantis and beetle drawings were beyond impressive for their age group. Each student proudly pointed out their drawing on the wall to their gushing parents.
It was so rewarding to work with this incredible group, and I’m endlessly grateful for the opportunity from the GES staff to return and contribute in such a cool way. Goodwillie will forever be a second home to me, and I hope the current and future students feel the same way. It truly is a family.
The students were beginning their insect unit, which meant they were studying a test on identification, collecting and pinning insects to display in a shadow box, and writing partner slam poetry for their Insect Suaree event. My assignment was to teach the kids scientific illustration, pick an insect they had caught, and draw it on a large scale in pen and ink. I had never taken a course on scientific illustration nor taught, but I had experience drawing still-life, knew the mathematical equations to calculate scale, and had coached kids for years. How hard could it be?
It was hard. I was so lucky to have a class of 50 hardworking, dedicated students who wanted to create something THEY were proud of. But every day was still a trial-and-error process as the different groups of 12-14 students filtered through.
On the first day, we spent the whole hour calculating two numbers - the new width and height at a larger scale. I had done this equation so many times that it was like second nature. I quickly found explaining it to 12-year-olds was not so easy. I broke it down as simply as I could, but the terms and “x” (one kid asked why there were letters in math) and the fractions I was using were beyond what they had learned. I had to quickly pivot and not linger on the math. I assured them this was the last time we would have to calculate anything, for the rest of our sessions we would only be drawing, and that seemed to help us get through.
We started sketching in pencil, and I encouraged the students to squint their eyes to look at the basic shapes that made up their insects. Before getting into the little details, I wanted them to draw the positions of wings, legs, thoraxes, etc. to prevent having to erase all their hard work to reposition a head that was misplaced. Once we got the overall shapes down, we started looking at larger details. What could they see without a magnifying glass? Where were the eyes? Are there antennae?
The kids were so excited when we finally passed out their very own pack of Micron pens, with 6-sized tips ranging from 005-08. I created a worksheet walking the students through what these different sizes looked and felt like. They loved answering questions like “What’s the biggest pen size you have?” to which they would shout out “08!”, and “What would you use your 005 pens to draw?” to which they would respond with “Hair!”, “Eyelashes!”, “Little details!”. It was like they unlocked a new language. The worksheet also had several techniques for creating texture - crosshatching, stippling, etc. They loved figuring out which ones could achieve the details they had on their insects.
I passed out their final piece of nice bristol paper, emphasizing that each student took great care of this paper. We used a window transfer technique to get their sketches on their final paper. As the students moved on to their final illustration, a new level of focus overcame the room. We spent multiple sessions working on the larger shapes down to the little details. At the end of their last session, everyone had created a stunning piece of art, finished and matted and ready to display at their Insect Suaree night with their parents.
Attending this event was the highlight of my year, from the slam poetry (one called “Stinky Boy” about stink bugs) to bug-themed desserts. Walking into the school and seeing the tiling of each illustration on the wall was so special. The sea of praying mantis and beetle drawings were beyond impressive for their age group. Each student proudly pointed out their drawing on the wall to their gushing parents.
It was so rewarding to work with this incredible group, and I’m endlessly grateful for the opportunity from the GES staff to return and contribute in such a cool way. Goodwillie will forever be a second home to me, and I hope the current and future students feel the same way. It truly is a family.