This illustration is part of a museum exhibit about pangolins. The exhibit focused mainly on the poaching of pangolins, but wanted to dedicate a section to the interesting anatomical features of pangolins. The illustration was used to highlight both the internal and external unique aspects of the pangolin. Pangolins are endangered due to poaching so research and illustrations of them are rare. This illustration was meant to spark interest in the public to help conservation of this unique group of animals.

Style: Full Color

Media: Graphite, Photoshop


Lateral Illustration

A straight lateral view of a giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea) was painted to keep all external and internal anatomy in easy to read places, i.e. no confusing twisting of the ribcage.

Internal Anatomy

The specific internal anatomy of interest was painted and placed over the external view so that the viewer understood how they interacted together.

Background

A simple background with a termite mound was selected to ground the illustration in the classic landscape of pangolins. The termite mound also shows one of the food sources of the pangolin that required the interesting evolution of their tongues.

University of Iowa’s Mobile Museum