Paleoart: When art and science benefit each other

It is clear that natural history artwork has always relied heavily on science, but scientific communication also benefits increasingly from carefully executed scientific illustration, in the form of artwork for press releases, manuscript figures, and journal cover images. In no field is this mutually beneficial interaction more apparent than in paleontology, where life reconstructions of prehistoric organisms require the efforts of paleoartists. Preparation of such artwork is subjected to careful scrutiny by experts in an intensive process of review and revision, and benefits from an artist’s own scientific background. The scientifically informed images that result from this process are then also available for educational outreach to the public in museum exhibits, books, and even postal stamps and coins.

About the speaker

Dr Julius Csotonyi is a Canadian full time freelance scientific illustrator (usually in the area of paleoart), working closely with scientific researchers (to prepare figures for research papers and press release images), book publishing company teams (to illustrate books on everything from dinosaurs to extant sharks or whales to arthropods), and museum exhibit design teams and curators (to prepare scientific information panels and murals to support museum exhibits, typically focusing on prehistoric species and ecosystems).

This event is presented by Royal Society Te Apārangi in partnership with GNS Science and Victoria University of Wellington, with thanks to Puke Ariki (and if you're in New Plymouth, head to Puke Ariki for the Permian Monsters exhibition, which is on until 9 September 2018).

All welcome. Free Admission. Please register to guarantee your seat(s) by following the booking links.

Views that are expressed at this event may not reflect those of Royal Society Te Apārangi.