Taking on Thesis, Scientific Illustration Edition 

As I’ve been closing out my last semester at Arcadia, I’ve been working through my last and most important component of senior year– thesis. Like the rest of the art department, scientific illustration majors get to make any project of their choosing, along with a research component to our thesis paper. 

When I took Scientific Illustration II last spring, I especially loved an acrylic painting project  

I completed of a green jewel beetle and the process of translating the paint to the iridescence of the wings. Later in the fall, it was approaching time to choose a topic, and I kept thinking about how much I enjoyed the beetle paintings. Our professor, Kyle Luckenbill, also works at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philly, and he was able to connect us with the museum so that my classmates and I could visit to research and find interesting subjects. I knew once I saw the collection of jewel beetles that I wanted to make the paintings into a series.

My overall goal in painting these beetles has been to capture their iridescence and complexity. In my series of four, I chose jewel beetles that ranged in color and size, mostly to challenge myself and create a diverse collection. Discovering the different features of each, such as distinct spots, specific coloring, and reflective qualities, has made for an exciting (and tedious) painting process.

The art department thesis exhibition will be on Friday, April 26 at 7 p.m., and this also includes a pop up shop where students can sell prints, stickers, and other merchandise related to their thesis exhibition. Along with scientific illustration, the exhibition will also show work from illustration, photography, printmaking, and graphic design students. 

Senior year is bittersweet for many students, myself included, but as stressful as preparing for a big exhibition can be, there’s no other way I would want to conclude my time at Arcadia.