Let’s start with what it is to be an illustrator. An illustrator is someone who creates a visual picture. I don’t mean a mental picture, I mean an actual picture you can see with your eyes. They capture and recreate what they see, physically or mentally, and bring it to you. You’ll see these everywhere, although you might not notice. …show more content…
You can’t just expect someone with a visual mind to read new information and completely understand. This is why textbooks often include visuals, to help students better understand how certain things work. Just by looking, you understand how.
Now, a marine illustrator does the same thing, only they specifically illustrate underwater life and landscapes. These illustrations could be used for “books, magazines, newsletters, websites, brochures, stamps, and any commercial item,” (“Illustration”, The Incredible Art Department) just like a regular illustrator.
Illustrating underwater life can help scientists notice small things about animals they never noticed before. University of California Santa Cruz offers a class specializing in marine illustration. The class is taught by Amadeo Bachar, a marine illustrator I will talk about later on. “The students are as diverse as the sea life they are painting. Some are studio art and science majors. Others are retirees, and high school students whose parents drive them to class twice a week.” (Dan White, “Sharks, seals and sea shells: marine science illustration students explore the waters of Monterey Bay”) The class includes a diverse group of people. Marine illustration isn’t just for artists, it’s for scientists studying marine life as well. “The end result is a class that will shape the way the students look at ocean life.” This class has changed how students literally see underwater