On Aug 1, 2008, at 8:40 AM, Bruce Bartrug wrote:

  think you've already selected the direction you want to go, ...


Hi Mieke,

I have to agree with Bruce, you sound like you've got a great idea  
brewing already. For a critical point, you might consider looking at  
how the new media has changed society, its expectations and our  
communications vis-a-vis science illustration. I work in education  
(so maybe I'm a little biased or warped in my view) and many of my  
colleagues and many folks I have spoken with in other "educational"  
endeavors (e.g., museums, national parks)  are complaining about the  
dumbing down of all materials presented.

There are of course exceptions to this (Cosmocyte's work for the Food  
Detective, for example) but it seems that while the new media has  
enabled us to share our knowledge much easier  and "democratized"  
communications somewhat, it has also lowered our expectations of  
audience intelligence. [I realize "thems are fighting words" but I  
could fill a football field with folks with examples.] I don't know  
whether the abundance of new media (animation, tv, games) have shrunk  
our attention spans so that deeper thought has become hard work or if  
we the creators are anticipating a dumbing down that we then are  
creating. Before you think me a real prig, I think folks tend to be a  
whole deal smarter than we give them credit and I push to challenge  
our students as much as I can.

Anyway, my point, Mieke, was that you might want to consider not only  
the upside of the new media and its effect on a resurgence in science  
illustration but it's downside also.

It sounds like a wonderful opportunity. Good luck!

-david clarke