Hummingbird Illustration Project: Kolibrie Illustratie Project Paperback – February 14, 2025

In 2016 I started the Hummingbird Illustration Project. Goal of this project: to illustrate 300 different hummingbird species in various styles, techniques and materials. Practically, this meant 5 different hummingbird species per illustration style, technique or material.Why all those different styles? During their study, many illustrators and designers are told the importance of developing your own style. Your need your own visual style and technique to distinguish yourself as a creative professional. Yet it remains great fun to experiment with different styles and materials and simply enjoy the creative process or brilliant failures. And that is exactly what this project is all about: lots of fun creating and an exploration of my versatility as an illustrator.Using the list of hummingbird species as a basis, I looked for reference photos in books and at websites of nature photographers. I selected 300 of the 371 species to illustrate, and I was ready to go! The first material I’ve used in this project was a trip down memory lane: colored pencils. As a child I was on cloud nine with a new sketchbook and a box of crayons, neatly sorted by color.In addition to pencils, markers, oil and pastel chalk, charcoal, pens, inks and various types of paint, I also worked with collages, paper cutting and apps such as Procreate, Photoshop and Illustrator. In this book you’ll find all 300 illustrations, sorted by style, technique or material. The number below each illustration refers to this hummingbird’s place on the species list.You can also view the project online at www.hummingbird-illustrations.com. Read more