{"id":1635,"date":"2026-07-21T11:44:25","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T11:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/helenachacon.com\/?page_id=1635"},"modified":"2026-07-21T17:00:27","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T17:00:27","slug":"illustration","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/helenachacon.com\/en\/ilustracion\/","title":{"rendered":"Naturalist illustration"},"content":{"rendered":"

SCIENTIFIC ILLUSTRATION AND FIELD NOTEBOOK<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Naturalist illustration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A photograph captures what is there. A drawing captures what has been understood. That is why scientific illustration still exists in the age of high-resolution cameras, when it is necessary to show what is essential, eliminate the noise and depict what no lens can see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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WHY I DRAW<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Drawing is a way of seeing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Drawing nature forces us to pause and look, to observe carefully. You cannot depict a leaf without counting its veins, nor a rock outcrop without understanding how it was formed. The pencil is the tool that allows us to discover what the eye had overlooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My background is in geology, where drawing has always been a working tool: field sketches, geological cross-sections, diagrams of microscope slides. All of that is scientific illustration. However, I have now transformed it into a tool that places greater emphasis on form and aesthetics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My illustrations are not merely about beauty. They aim to convey science and information without neglecting emotion. They are neither decorative by accident nor scientific by chance; rather, they seek to unite Science + Sensibility<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4 Approaches to illustration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Nature<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Geological<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Field notebook<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n
Diaries of Human Nature<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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FLORA, FAUNA, FUNGI, LANDSCAPE<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Nature illustration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Flora, fauna, fungi, landscape. Detailed illustrations, species fact sheets, ecosystem diagrams and thematic series.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I work using direct observation wherever possible and keep meticulous records. The aim is for the illustration to be both accurate and beautiful: if one has to choose between the two, scientific illustration fails to realise its full potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applications:<\/strong> publications and publishing houses \u00b7 interpretation centre display panels \u00b7 field guides \u00b7 educational materials \u00b7 institutional outreach<\/p>\n<\/div>

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EARTH SCIENCES<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Geological Illustration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Landscapes featuring geological information, structural details, rocks and minerals, geological cross-sections, stratigraphic columns, processes and reconstructions of past landscapes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the area where I contribute the most and where there are the fewest professionals. Illustrating a geological process requires first understanding it: what happened before, what happened afterwards, what can be seen today in the outcrop, and what needs to be reconstructed. Someone with a postgraduate degree in Geology is a great help in this regard<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applications:<\/strong> geoparks and protected areas \u00b7 interpretative signage \u00b7 scientific and popular science publications \u00b7 museums and visitor centres \u00b7 university teaching materials<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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SKETCHES OF BIODIVERSITY<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Field notebook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nature-sketch and geo-sketch.<\/strong> The field notebook is the oldest practice in the natural sciences and remains unrivalled when it comes to learning how to observe: drawing what is in front of you, noting down the date, the location, the light and what you can hear. You don\u2019t need to know how to draw. In fact, those who think they\u2019re bad at drawing tend to observe better, because they aren\u2019t distracted by trying to make their lines look pretty<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Nature sketch<\/strong> \u2014 Sketched records of plants, animals, tracks, skies and seasons<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geo-sketch<\/strong> \u2014 Sketches of outcrops, rocks and landforms, in the style of a geologist\u2019s field notebook<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Formats:<\/strong> face-to-face workshops in the Sierra de Aracena \u00b7 online sessions \u00b7 outings combined with interpretative trails \u00b7 ongoing workshops to help you keep up the habit<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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DRAWING TO FEEL <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Journal of Human Nature<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The classic field notebook distinguishes between two things: the observer and the observed. The Diaries of Human Nature<\/strong> exist to bridge that divide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, drawing is not the aim; it is the culmination of a process. Before opening the sketchbook, we work on the body \u2014 body awareness and breathing \u2014 so that we arrive at the session with our nervous system in a different state. We draw from that place, not from a sense of haste. And what appears on the page is then also interpreted symbolically: what was this thing I\u2019ve chosen to look at telling me about my own personal process?.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What it involves<\/strong>:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Symbolism<\/strong> \u2014 View what you have observed as a lesson, not just as a piece of information<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Somatic<\/strong> \u2014 Before and during the drawing. The body as the primary instrument of observation<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breathing<\/strong> \u2014 Breathing control and management to maintain focus without straining<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mindfulness<\/strong> \u2014 To look without labelling, without judging and without rushing<\/p>\n<\/div>

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What sets it apart<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It isn\u2019t a drawing workshop with a short meditation session at the start. It\u2019s a practice in which the observer and the observed end up being one and the same: you draw a cork oak and discover which part of you was looking at that cork oak and why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s the culmination of my entire journey \u2014 geology, yoga, nature and illustration. You won\u2019t find this format anywhere else<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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HOW WE WORK<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A commission, step by step<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1. Conversation<\/strong> \u2014 What do you need, what kind of support, how much detail, and for which audience?.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Proposal<\/strong> \u2014 A finalised quotation specifying the number of items, the technique, deadlines and terms of use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Sketches<\/strong> \u2014 Before finalising anything, we review the proposal. This is where any errors in the content are corrected as many times as necessary, depending on what has been included in the budget<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Review<\/strong> \u2014 Approval of the semi-finished illustration and minor changes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Final illustration<\/strong> \u2014 Delivered in high resolution and in the formats you need, ready for print or screen.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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I work on both individual pieces and complete series for publishing or exhibition projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Do you have a project in mind?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let me know what you need illustrated and we\u2019ll have a chat. And if you\u2019d like to learn how to keep your own field notebook, do get in touch anyway: I\u2019d be happy to tell you about our course. Drop me a message on WhatsApp at (34) 636 78 11 67<\/a> or via my email: info@helenachacon.com<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Commissioned nature and geological illustrations, and field notebook workshops. Drawing to learn by observing<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1785,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1635","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nIlustraci\u00f3n naturalista - Helena Chac\u00f3n<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Helena Chac\u00f3n PhD, Cuerpo, Salud y Naturaleza en la Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/helenachacon.com\/en\/illustration\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Ilustraci\u00f3n naturalista - Helena Chac\u00f3n\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Helena Chac\u00f3n PhD, Cuerpo, Salud y Naturaleza en la Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/helenachacon.com\/en\/illustration\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Helena Chac\u00f3n\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-21T17:00:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/helenachacon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Helena-web-1-1024x577.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"577\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/helenachacon.com\\\/ilustracion\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/helenachacon.com\\\/ilustracion\\\/\",\"name\":\"Ilustraci\u00f3n naturalista - 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