life of hummingbirds illustration: Rufous male roosting, Black-Chinned male eating trumpet vine flower, Calliope male sitting/watching, Black-Chinned female with the chicks up in the tree in the back, Rufous females above the grasses, Ruby-neck male flying toward trumpet honeysuckle, Calliope eating pink flowers (catawba rhododendron)

Life of Birds

These natural science illustrations, created for the educational “Build-a-Bird” app, show seven bird species engaged in a variety of life-sustaining activities: breeding and nesting; searching for food and feeding; flying in various positions: gliding, landing, taking-off, diving, soaring; and other general pastime activities: roosting, fighting, and observing other birds.
The birds featured are: Hummingbird, (Rock) Pigeon, Barn Owl, Turkey Vulture, (House) Sparrow, Wandering Albatross, and Peregrine Falcon.

Life Science Illustration

“Build-a-Bird” Educational App

For

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology & Iridescent

Exhibits

  • + “Women Illustrating Nature” Exhibit, Galeria Tonantzin, San Juan Bautista, CA, 6-7/2011
  • + “Art of Nature” Exhibit, Museum of Natural History, Santa Cruz, CA, 4-6/2012
  • + GNSI Annual Exhibit, Savannah College of Art & Design, Savannah GA, 6-7/2012

On TV

  • + Weeds TV Show, 5/2012
  • + Samsung TV Ad, 7/2012

PRINTS

Available for purchase
life of rock pigeons illustration: rock pigeons on roof of high-rise, some loving, some drinking water from a pool, some flying, with poop/droppings everywhere and a nest with eggs inside a building structure
These natural science illustrations, created for the educational “Build-a-Bird” app, show seven bird species engaged in a variety of life-sustaining activities: breeding and nesting; searching for food and feeding; flying in various positions: gliding, landing, taking-off, diving, soaring; and other general pastime activities: roosting, fighting, and observing other birds.
The birds featured are: Hummingbird, (Rock) Pigeon, Barn Owl, Turkey Vulture, (House) Sparrow, Wandering Albatross, and Peregrine Falcon.
life of barn owls illustration: barn owls flying and catching prey - a mouse in the tall grass - at night, against a starlit sky and full moon, with three chicks nesting in an old tree stump
life of turkey vultures illustration: turkey vultures gliding in a thermal vent, some eating roadkill, against a native Central-South American landscape with colorful hills, trees and cacti
A lot of research was conducted so as to understand what is special about each bird, and decide which features/positions/behavior to include, so that they are accurately represented - from a scientific and factual perspective - and differences between species is highlighted. This level of representative accuracy also extends to the bird’s environment.
A lot of research was conducted so as to understand what is special about each bird, and decide which features/positions/behavior to include, so that they are accurately represented - from a scientific and factual perspective - and differences between species is highlighted. This level of representative accuracy also extends to the bird’s environment.
Since these were to be featured in a children’s educational app on a mobile device, they have a textured background to feel like they have some tactile or less digital quality.
life of sparrow illustration
life of wandering albatrosses illustration: albatrosses against a collaged landscape of snow-capped mountains or glaciers, green cliffs and the Southern Ocean, flying, loving, and nesting
Since these were to be featured in a children’s educational app on a mobile device, they have a textured background to feel like they have some tactile or less digital quality.
life of peregrine falcons illustration: peregrine falcons diving down from a red-rock cliff to catch a pigeon or chase a starling formation in a desert like setting (Nevada) with blue water nearby, while chicks wait high up on the cliff

Work/Credits

Design & Research: Ioana Urma.