Screenshot of a ‘stipple’ guide produced for Archaeology students at Edinburgh University.

Archaeological Illustration Tuition at Edinburgh University

Spring 2017

I was invited by Dr Guillaume Robin to teach students from his Illustration course some of my own digital techniques and methods of working. Since the students had already been taught the basic principles of Archaeological Illustration I focused on how digital technology can be used to effectively and accurately ‘ink up’ a measured pencil sketch of an artefact, and how the finished digital drawing could be easily re-scaled and re-purposed.

For the first part of the session I gave a short slide-show that outlined the experience of working on a number of varied projects during my career as a freelance illustrator. For the second part of the session the students were able to download digital files that I had prepared especially: These included conventional illustrations of artefacts and ceramics alongside examples of drawings that were aimed at interpreting archaeology to the general public. In both instances the aim was to give students an insight into the illustrative and interpretive process.

Feedback from the class was positive and I look forward to running a similar sessions for future students.

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