Digital Scientific Illustration
Hand-done illustrations are fast becoming a thing of the past. The computer mouse is replacing the pencil as the tool of choice for scientific artists. Modern illustrators use powerful digital illustration programs such as Adobe Illustrator and PhotoShop to create their images entirely on the computer.
The advantage of computer illustration is the ease of managing print production with quicker transfer and editing. Experienced artists can utilise the technology of digital imaging to improve on their drawings.
The digital programs allow illustrators to clean up photographs, add text and lay out covers and plates for publication.
The cutting edge of scientific illustration is the combining of high depth of field microphotographs with digital scientific illustrations. This new technology employs artistic skill with digital imaging that gives most of the advantages of illustration with increased speed. High quality scientific illustrations and display images can be produced faster and very accurately.
Increasing skills in high depth of field digital imaging, in combination with digital illustration, will contribute to the scientific effort in describing the remaining 75% of Australia's insect fauna which are yet to be classified. Some of this taxonomic information can be rapidly delivered across the Internet and reduce the need to lend specimens from the Queensland Museum's collection.