Science Reference
Science has often relied on two things to visualize scientific concepts; either data or in representation. Over the years scientists have collaborated with artists to illustrate the other-worldliness of those concepts. These artists use images to help as visual aid and are often artist interpretations. In other words, the illustrations were a way for science theory to relate to the world we live in.
Before photography, naturalists (or natural philosophers) wished to collect observations of nature and the creatures around us. It took a keen and accurate eye to create representations of plants, animals, biomes and maps of their worlds. To make these images most effective, they had to be idealized or generalized with features that are distinct and common to that species or category.
It often took a particular type of artist to do this, and I as much as other people admire the skill in today's contemporary artists who specialize in photorealism painting. While this is still exciting, what captured my imagination were those idealized environments and biomes that showed samples of many different species, all in one sublime scene, even if it sacrificed some realism. The artists' creative styles could really blossom in the fantastical scenes of or dinosaur populated wetlands or Precambrian oceans, like Carel Van Kempen's impression below.
Microcosm
"To a worm in horseradish, the world is horseradish."
Proverb
There are many levels of existence around us; the insects live in their own world just outside our door; micro-organisms and bacteria exist on planes so infinite in their eyes, yet a mere step to us. What does a large entity like a whale or dinosaur see in relation to a mouse or shrew?
To me, witnessing a microcosm is a reminder of your subjective reality, when you witness another dimension of existence it allows you to reflect on your own. Imagine the alien worlds of other planets; they exist literally in the palm of our hand.
This microbial microcosm is an extension of an idea, the idealized sphere of life that other 'beings' live in can be minuscule to us, but that mankind can be viewed in just the same way by some other entity.
Illustration
A combination of scientific reference with art-inspired creativity (along with a sense of placement and ideal form), create illustrations that both contain useful information and create artistic outlet and wonder.
Illustrations are both pleasing to look at (compared to some bullet-point list or graph) and informative. Drawings for many science references also allow alterations or exaggerations, in exchange it can often illuminate with knowledge or under-workings (like biology diagrams showing cardio-vascular systems or geology diagrams illustrating levels of sediment).
In my second Van dyke brown illustration, I wanted to express the chaotic world of amebae and the uni-cellular as well as the war-like imperialism of a bacteria swollen world that goes unnoticed to us day by day. It is an artist interpretation with an indistinct setting, but all the imagery comes from true references, microscope imagery and field observation.
The floating micro-organisms live endless cycles, fortelling humanity's similar fate, but they also enliven the present moment of existence in all its beauty and ugliness. I hope this imagery is as inspiring to others as it is for my child-like self!