Technique of making fish illustration 23

Preparation of the specimen far drawing: The specimen was secured in the appropriate position in a petri dish and held with three thin pins inserted horizontally into the pfasticine. The first pin pressed the base of the caudaf fin; the second, the middle of the subject at the front of the second dorsal and anal fin; the third. an area just behind the eye. The pressure of these pins was sufficient to immobilize such a small subject without causing damage to delicate spines and rays. All fins were left in their natural state. The subject was positioned while submerged in ethyl alcohol to minimize problems associated with handling small delicate specimens. Sketching: Small pieces of tracing tissue and a technical pencil with 2H lead were used for drawing the initial image. A Wild MS stereomicroscope with camera lucida served as the viewing tool. During the preparation of the initial sketch special attention was given to the surface of the body of the subject and all scarred tissue was carefully checked for scales. Each area was probed with a specially prepared teasing needle. The teasing needle was a dentist’s tool used for cleaning teeth with an L-shaped tip. The tip was narrowed with a sharpening stone to a width of less than 0.5 mm with the original hook forming the very tip of the tool. With this L-shaped, narrowed hook each suspected portion of scarred tissue was probed by lifting portions of the tissue until it hecame certain that the subject had only two remaining intact scales. The fins were drawn separately. Firstly the position. spacing and the length of each component was noted. Later using these data a more refined version was drawn using a French Curve and a 0.3 mm Pentef technical pencil. The second generation sketches were affixed to the surface of the tracing tissue with the image of the body of the subject drawn, and the whole image was retraced. Coloration patterns as weft as tonal changes of the coloration were noted with outlines and the respective values were marked L (light). VL (very light). D (dark), D-t L (dark to light), directly onto the final sketch. The final sketch was drawn on tracing tissue and when completed a number of copies of the sketch was printed using blueprint equipment. Some of the copies were printed on sepia paper to facilitate reproduction of more copies if needed. The blueprint copies were given to the scientist for correction of the sketch and for records. Rendering: A Koh-i-noor technical pen with 00 and 000 nibs was used for the final rendering. The black and white drawing was executed on tracing tissue with the 00 nib used for the outline of the body and spines and rays, and the 000 nib for all tonal areas. The teeth were rendered black for clarity of reproduction. The illustration was prepared for production in the usual way by dry mounting to Crescent Hot Press 1 ply iffustration board with Seal Removable Dry Mounting tissue. A sheet of tracing tissue was affixed over the image for protection of the surface. Comment: Before thefinished illusirufio?t was dry mounted, a copy of the image was obtained using the blueprinting nzethod.7. The copy was reproduced in sepia for possible future printings. Although the hnckground was printed in tone, thut image serves