Date: 2/20/26 6:18 pm From: Vicki King via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> Subject: [inland-NW-birders] Fw: Fw: natural history illustration courses
Maria, I was able to ask Madison Mayfield, and she offered this further input from her website (https://madisonerinmayfield.com) FAQs page. We hope it is helpful.
"The amazing thing about science illustration is that there are a million different ways to get into the field and a degree isn’t necessarily required! The first question I’m usually asked by those interested in pursuing science illustration is, what should I go to school for? Unfortunately, science illustration isn’t really offered as an undergraduate degree option (although there are a few remaining multi-year programs like the one at Arcadia University!). If you do decide to pursue higher education, a science or art related degree would both benefit a career in science illustration. Pursuing a science degree provides you with added knowledge of your subject matter and may set you up with a larger client base in the form of professors, TAs, research associates etc. who may need illustrations for their scientific research. On the other hand, pursuing an art degree puts you a step ahead artistically, equipping you with strong technical skills such as an understanding of mediums, composition, color theory, etc.
To start learning the specific skills and techniques employed by a scientific illustrator, enrolling in a science illustration program after your four year degree, such as the one at California State University Monterey Bay, is highly recommended. More affordable and accessible programs can also be found online, but specific science illustration training is important to truly understand the field! Of course, it is always possible to find success as a completely self-taught illustrator, using resources like the Guild Handbook of Science Illustration, the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, etc. and spending ample time practicing and creating art. Practice and time truly are the only ways to improve and succeed as an artist!"
-- Madison Mayfield (she/her) Assistant Collections Manager of Ornithology Research Tech - Behavioral Ecophysics Lab Burke Museum, University of Washington <madism2...>
> -------Original Message------- > From: monique slipher via Inland-nw-birders <inland-nw-birders...> > To: Inland-NW-Birders Listserv <inland-nw-birders...> > Subject: [inland-NW-birders] Fw: natural history illustration courses > Sent: Feb 19 '26 20:32 > > Hi Marla, > New York Botanical Garden, for one, has a long-running complete program in Botanical Illustration  - they still offer a 221 hour certificate in it.  It's plant specific, but many/most of the techniques are transferable to any other scientific illustration field. > The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators website has a list of some other programs, or just search online for "scientific illustration certificate"  - I saw at least a half-dozen more come up, including online courses. > Cheers, > Monique Slipher > Pullman, WA > ________________________________ > From: Marla Jones <marlajns...> > Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 6:23 AM > To: <inland-nw-birders...> <inland-nw-birders...>; marla jones <marlajns...> > Subject: Re: [inland-NW-birders] Inland-nw-birders Digest, Vol 216, Issue 2 > > I don't think that Certificate in Natural History Illustration exists anymore at UW. It must have been a program offered decades ago. They had a Scientific Illustration program for awhile in the 2000's, but it was out of pocket, not FAFSA or VA eligible, and doesn't exist anymore. Where can a person find a certificate or training program in natural history illustration today? > >     On Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 05:01:00 AM MST, <inland-nw-birders-request...> wrote: > > Send Inland-nw-birders mailing list submissions to >     <inland-nw-birders...> > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit >     https://mailmanlists.us/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to >     <inland-nw-birders-request...> > > You can reach the person managing the list at >     <inland-nw-birders-owner...> > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Inland-nw-birders digest..." > Today's Topics: > >   1.  WOS Monthly Meeting, March 2, 2026 (on-line only) >       (<meetings...>) > The Washington Ornithological Society (WOS) is pleased to announce our next Monthly Meeting: on Monday, March 2, 2026, Madison Mayfield will present, "A Different Kind of Life List: A Career Painting, Curating & Taxidermying Birds."  What goes on in a natural history museum like the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington (Seattle)?  And why have them?  Filled with far more than just a lot of "stuffed animals," these collections are time-capsule libraries of biological diversity, and an irreplaceable, verifiable record of Life on Earth. > > Madison Mayfield is a museum professional, educator, natural history artist and taxidermist as well as a scientific illustrator.  She holds a BS in Conservation Biology and a certificate in Natural History Illustration from the University of Washington.  For the past 8 years, she has worked in natural history museums around the world as a preparator, educator, outreach director and now is a collections manager at the Burke.  Madison is also a skilled artist and scientific illustrator.  We'll learn about the art of taxidermy and why dead birds are more important than ever as Madison takes us along a path from painting birds to sewing up a Cassowary in Australia to banding hummingbirds in Colombia! > > This meeting will be conducted virtually, via Zoom (no in-person attendance). Sign-in will begin at 7:15 pm, and the meeting commences at 7:30 pm. Please go to the WOS Monthly Meetings page:  https://wos.org/monthly-meetings/  for instructions on participation and to get the Zoom link. > > When joining the meeting, we ask that you mute your device and make certain that your camera is turned off. > > This meeting is open to all as WOS invites everyone in the wider birding community to attend. Thanks to the generosity of our presenters, recordings of past programs are available at the following link to the WOS YouTube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/@washingtonornithologicalso7839/videos > > If you are not yet a member of WOS, we hope you will consider becoming one at  https://wos.org > > Please join us! > > Elaine Chuang > WOS Program Support > > _______________________________________________ > Inland-nw-birders mailing list > <Inland-nw-birders...> > https://mailmanlists.us/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders > > _______________________________________________ > Inland-nw-birders mailing list > send email to: <Inland-nw-birders...> > manage subscription: https://mailmanlists.us/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders > _______________________________________________ Inland-nw-birders mailing list send email to: <Inland-nw-birders...> manage subscription: https://mailmanlists.us/mailman/listinfo/inland-nw-birders
