Sydney Prentice (1873-1943) : The Art of Drawing Fossil Whale Bones

Abstract

Sydney Prentice (1873-1943) was a paleontological illustrator and a master of the pen and ink thick/ thin (eyelash) technique. A collection of his rough sketches, finished art, drawing equipment, zinc engraved printing blocks, and published drawings in the Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution document an historic scientific illustration process and serve as an instructional model for artists working today. The drawings were prepared for Smithsonian cetologist Remington Kellogg (1892-1969). A gallery of images may be seen at paleobiology.si.edu/paleoArt/prentice/prentice.html