Late last summer I agreed to take on a project drawing fossils at The Sedgwick Museum. I sketch my designs before I begin working with silver clay and admittedly I have made pen and ink drawings of the dog a few times but until this point I hadn’t really view myself as an illustrator. I don’t even have GCSE art. I was incredibly honoured and, if I’m honest, a little daunted by the idea of making accurate drawings of ammonites.
This museum, part of Cambridge University, is like an enormous cabinet of curiosities. There are 1.5 million fossils in its collection, from stromatolites, the very earliest traces of life captured in rock to a gargantuan fossil spider as big as a bull mastiff. (Megarachne – what a fantastic name). There’s an ichthyosaur found by Mary Anning and this is the welcoming party waiting near the entrance to greet every visitor:
Yikes.
I love how the collections are laid out – similar to how I imagine Victorian collectors would display their finds, only at the Sedgwick some of ammonites are as big as dinner plates and in display cabinets set into the floor there are entire plesiosaurs and, ahem, collections of sizeable dinosaur coprolites. Members of the public are encouraged to bring fossils they may have found to museums for identification. My task was to draw key specimens from ten categories of fossils from the Sedgwick collection as a visual aid to the classification of finds brought in by museum visitors. No pressure then.
Specimens were selected for me and placed into special handling boxes. I drew them with my fountain pen (note inky fingers) in a quiet collections room surrounded by boxes and drawers filled with fossils.
Perhaps my favourite group of specimens was the sea urchins and sand dollars (Echinoids) shown below. I adore the design and shapes of these fossils, their five lines of symmetry and star-like markings. I was particularly taken with the species of seaurchin in the centre of the image below, with its bulbous clubs used to fend off predators. I reminded me of Dave Grohl at his drumkit.
This illustration project was an absolute joy. It was a privilege to spend time with the museum staff and I admit to spending a fair amount of time simply communing with the contents of the cabinets.
This ammonite is bigger than my head
Both the process of drawing itself and the quietness of the museum were intensely relaxing – rather welcome, especially during the frenetic period just before Christmas. Working on this project was most definitely a good thing and it made me realise that I can actually draw. I’m making sketches as part of my Spring notebook at the moment. The fossil illustration project has made me a little more confident with my pen.
Note: I have listed several new workshop dates recently, including:
Beading workshop 8th June (2 spaces available)
Beginners’ silver clay workshop 22nd June (4 spaces available). Drop me a line here.
It's always gratifying to discover you're better at something than you thought you were, isn't it!
I've been decidedly envious of your involvement with this project from day one … museums, fossils, and drawing … what's not to love 😀
I'd love to see your sketchbook Emma 🙂
Great drawings.Small world!My husband and 6 yr old grandson spent this morning in the Sedgwick!We were down in Cambridge doing some "grandparenting".Back home in North wales now.
Trust me you don't want to do GCSE art -more work than you could possibly imagine and as I say to my 16 year old son who needs a GCSE to prove you can draw? Certainly not you Emma.
The boys and I were sketching in there yesterday, not to your standard though.
I don't have GCSE Art either or O level as it was in my day but I do have O level Geology, a subject I loved and still do. What a wonderful project to be involved in, your drawings are brilliant Emma!
V xxx
Oh Emma, what an illustrious assignment! Your post has me imagining you sitting and drawing and contemplating. Truth be told I am a bit envious, though i can't draw a lick! Your illustrations are beautiful and I love the urchin/Grohl comparison!
xo
You draw beautifully! I expect you are finding lots of inspiration for your jewellry designs too!
Emma, it's easy to see how much you enjoyed being able to devote this time to carefully observing these natural beauties and using your fine drawing skill to create sensitive drawings.
I would imagine that time sort of melted while you were doing these drawings. Isn't it grand to experience that total immersion into creativity?
Gosh, I bet that some of these gifts of nature will be inspiring your next silver jewelry. They will be beautiful. xo
You don't need any qualifications to have natural talent, your artwork is amazing! 🙂 x
What a wonderful way to spend your time and your drawings are beautiful and delicate. Your pen makes beautiful makrs and lines.
Just goes to show that qualifications aren't everything.Your drawings are lovely and we are so lucky that you have shared them with us,can't wait to see some more
Your illustrations are just beautiful. And it sounds like you had a most wonderful time drawing them.
What a fun project Emma — and a bit different from your usual fare? Your sketches look just perfect — I'll bet the museum staff were thrilled!
Hi Emma,
Your drawings look beautiful! They are so detailed. I would frame them and put them on the wall!
Have a lovely evening!
Madelief x
Wow, stunning drawings, and what a fantastic job. It must have been wonderful in that quiet, timeless environment connecting with the past. You really do the most beautiful work.
oh Emma they're gorgeous. love love love the amonite and the dent crinoids, I have some of those somewhere, wonder where I put them…..
Your drawings are so beautiful Emma, they are defiantly my favourite thing about your work, the little details 🙂 These fossils and drawings of yours have really inspired me to do some more drawing today, keep going they are very good, safxxx
Clearly, you are a natural! i find seashells very difficult to draw accurately…all of your drawings are wonderful.
What an amazing thing to do! I love your images and wish I could reproduce them. Isn't it odd? I can write (by which I mean I can make words do some of the things that I want them to do) but I cannot draw (by which I mean that the image in my head is not at all what I make on the paper). I have never visited this museum and must do so! Love the displays.
Beautiful illustrations – such tiny details and so perfect. My son draws this way and was always told to be bolder at school – didn't listen though thank goodness. Karen x
Your illustrations are so impressive Emma! It sounds like you've had fun. Lucy xx
Wow Emma they are amazing and your drawings are fabulous.
Nina x
GCSE. Good grief.
Youngster.