Showing posts with label humpback whale. Show all posts
Showing posts with label humpback whale. Show all posts

Thursday, May 09, 2013

Science Illustration

Earlier, while dodging an issue on work ethics and ignoring a spurious request to block That Social Network from the office internets, I stumbled upon California State University's Science Illustration Graduate Program. It was a eureka moment that was almost about two decades too late. It was the perfect marriage between two interests - science and art. Had I realized while selecting the course I wanted to take for college that there was such a thing as a science illustrator, I think I would have moved my lazy ass to actually work getting into that program. Never mind that it's in another country and that the course year would cost a whopping 43,000 USD, travel costs not included.

But still upon further reflection, science illustration is such a niche market and I probably would have spent the rest of my life as a proverbial starving artist, making ends meet - though that's not much different from what I have now. Also, it's never too late.

So now I'm practicing for a retirement vocation, making up for lost time and trying to regain those old drawing skills I had when I was younger which I ignored since my studies as an engineering student.


Plate 1. Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Drawn right after I volunteered for Balyena.org's Humpback whale research in  the Babuyan Islands.

Plate 2. Pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata)
Drawn as a birthday gift for a friend and one of the many dolphins we spotted in Babuyan during the survey.

Plate 3. Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)
Just because I missed seeing a whale shark this season.
And maybe, just maybe, I can gather enough portfolio material to actually apply for that program and maybe even get a scholarship. Libre naman mangarap.