This book is designed to help biologists who must create their own illustrations and artists who are confronted with unfamiliar biological subjects. The author, an experienced biological illustrator, gives practical instructions and advice on the consideration of size and of printing processes, choice of materials, methods for saving time and labor, drawing techniques, lettering methods, and mounting and packing the finished illustrations. She explains how to produce clear and attractive charts, graphs, and maps, so essential to science publications. Though this primer does not cover photographic techniques, it does include advice on retouching, cropping, and mounting photographs and on using photographs of biological subjects as aids in drawing. This second edition is updated to reflect the many technological changes in art materials and printing processes that have occurred since the book's first publication, and it includes an entirely new chapter on planning, designing, and mounting the poster presentations that have become an essential part of conferences held by scientific societies. Also included are the requirements and conventions peculiar to biological illustration and a bibliography of useful reference works.