Scientific Illustration Workshop: 'Painting River Flora and Fauna'

The workshop begins with a collaborative activity where one participant creates an original drawing of an animal. Subsequently, another participant describes it verbally or in writing without revealing the original image. A third participant then attempts to recreate the animal based on that description, highlighting the potential distortions in the transmission of knowledge. This exercise draws inspiration from early scientific expeditions, where explorers described unknown species for illustrators who had never seen them firsthand. The workshop also involves studying models of birds, providing visual references for observation, and offering participants an opportunity to annotate their drawings by identifying anatomical elements and characteristics. This approach reflects on the boundaries of perception, the construction of scientific knowledge, and the importance of direct observation in representing nature.