Mesa Schumacher
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mesabree.bsky.social
Mesa Schumacher
@mesabree.bsky.social
4.5K followers 1.3K following 360 posts
Science and Medical illustrator, infographic artist.
Professional #sciart nerd.
Writer and kidlit author/illustrator rep. by Sorche Fairbank

MED/SCI: www.mesaschumacher.com
KIDLIT: https://imaginationillustration.mesaschumacher.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues.
768:Australian white ibis (Threskiornis moluccus)

The legendary Sydney "bin chicken." The urban #birds are climate migrants, moving to cities as their floodplain homes dry up.

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #animalart #birdart
Realistic illustration of an Australian white ibis (Threskiornis moluccus), a white ibis with a black beak and head, and black tail feathers.
January 2, 2026 at 11:08 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
2025 has been an elating and depressing year. I made some work I was proud of this year, and some work I was less proud of. Some I can show, some I can't. I learned a lot. I forgot a lot. I often felt left behind. Sometimes that terrified me. Sometimes I felt it might be a good thing...
#artvsartist
December 30, 2025 at 8:08 PM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
767: Collared brown lemur (Eulemur collaris)

Drew a "scratchboard" version of this some years back. Did you know there are over 100 lemur species?

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #animalart #lemur #collaredbrownlemur
Realistic illustration of a Collared brown lemur (Eulemur collaris) on a branch.
December 30, 2025 at 6:11 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
Moving pause of the day.

#sketchbook #sciart
December 29, 2025 at 6:26 PM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
766: Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura)

What can I say about this magnificent creature? Supra-speedway soarer, fence post posturer? I just love them.

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #animalart #turkeyvulture #buzzard #vulture
Realistic illustration of a turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), sitting on a perch.
December 28, 2025 at 6:38 PM
mesabree.bsky.social
I'm making a point to sketch more kidlit! I know it's December, but in my heart it's always a little bit Halloween.

#illustration #illustrator #kidlit #kidlitart #childrensbooks #scbwi #kidlitillustration #dailyart
Black and white illustration of a boy reading a scroll, with a ghost hovering over him.
December 27, 2025 at 8:46 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
765: Javan deer(Rusa timorensis)

I once saw a kid deer play soccer on Java. On Maurititus, they're a beloved invasive species, and feature on the coat of arms.

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #animalart #deer #javandeer
Realistic illustration of a Javan deer(Rusa timorensis) on a white background.
December 24, 2025 at 6:03 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
A little sketch of friendship. :)

#illustration #illustrator #kidlit #kidlitart #childrensbooks #scbwi #kidlitillustration #dailyart
Illustration by Mesa Schumacher of two girls about 10 years old, walking together, in a soft style.
December 23, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Reposted by Mesa Schumacher
shannonhale.bsky.social
I love love love that they hired a painter to do these portraits and then acknowledged her by name. Artists of all kinds supporting each other is so beautiful.
rianjohnson.bsky.social Rian Johnson @rianjohnson.bsky.social · 26d
Our gorgeous #WakeUpDeadMan end credit portraits, painted from life by Isabella Watling. We’re still in theaters, see my pinned post for a theater finder!
December 7, 2025 at 3:31 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
764: Blue-spotted mudskipper (Boleophthalmus pectinirostris)

Watching these guys wallow around mangrove swamps mudflats is something I miss about the Pacific.

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #fishart #fish #mudskipper
Realistic illustration of a Blue-spotted mudskipper (Boleophthalmus pectinirostris), a brown fish with blue spots and a spiny dorsal fin.
December 22, 2025 at 5:22 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
Feeling festive, missing winter!

#illustration #illustrator #kidlit #kidlitart #childrensbooks #scbwi #kidlitillustration
A mother and young son, in winter gear, walking by three deer on a snowy day.
December 21, 2025 at 7:36 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
Blue moon... (a little color study)

#artoftheday #digitalart #illustration #illustrator
December 19, 2025 at 4:52 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
763: Leopard whiprays (Himantura leoparda)

An Indo-West Pacific ray which grows 12 ft long, and can have a tail 4 times their body length.

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #fishart #fish #rays #ArtAdventCalendar
Realistic illustration of a Leopard whiprays (Himantura leoparda), a brown ray with leopard print pattern, on a white backgorund.
December 18, 2025 at 2:49 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
Art of the day, and some nostalgia for my wild childhood.

#illustration #illustrator #kidlit #kidlitart #childrensbooks #scbwi #kidlitillustration
A colorful drawing of a ten year old girl, running through a whimsical wood, by a creek, in digital watercolor and crayon.
December 17, 2025 at 10:22 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
Want to know what it takes to illustrate a children's book?
Art takes time.

Here's my substack about sustained effort, and the humility of compromise in art markets.

#illustration #illustrator #kidlit #kidlitart #childrensbooks #writing #creativity #arttakestime #scbwi #kidlitillustration
The HARD reality of illustrating a children’s book
I have a note card taped to my monitor, where I’ve written a quote from Nora Ephron.
open.substack.com
December 16, 2025 at 7:25 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
762: Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

The #Heron with the widest range. I'd shot a photo of this guy years ago, and I finally drew it!

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #birdart #birds #ArtAdventCalendar
Realistic illustration of a Black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) in flight, on a white background.
December 16, 2025 at 3:04 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
761: Sooty grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus)

A west coast grouse. The males have two air sacs in the neck for display and to make a hooting call.

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #birdart #birds #birding #ArtAdventCalendar
A realistic illustration of a male Sooty grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus), a black and gray bird, with a fanned tail, and two orange air sacs on its neck.
December 15, 2025 at 4:12 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
760: Narrownose chimera (Harriotta raleighana)

More from the deep sea. Chimeras are sometimes called "ghost sharks." They're relatives of sharks and rays.

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #fishart #chimera #ArtAdventCalendar
Realistic illustration of Narrownose chimera (Harriotta raleighana), on a white background.
December 14, 2025 at 8:18 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
759: Marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus)

Also called the leopard lungfish, this fish must breathe air to survive.

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #fishart #lungfish #ArtAdventCalendar
A realistic illustration of Marbled lungfish (Protopterus aethiopicus), on a white background.
December 12, 2025 at 6:37 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
758: Black panther (Panthera pardus)

Actually a #leopard...a "melanistic leopard" where both base and spot pattern of the fur are dark!

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #blackpanther #melanisticleopard #ArtAdventCalendar
Realistic illustration of Black panther (Panthera pardus), an all black leopard on a white background.
December 11, 2025 at 3:01 PM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
757: Spotted tinselfish (Xenolepidichthys dalgleishi)

Getting into the holiday spirit with the oddly shaped "tinsel" of the deep sea...

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #fishart #tinselfish #oceanart #ArtAdventCalendar
Realistic illustration of the Spotted tinselfish (Xenolepidichthys dalgleishi), an angular silver fish with black spots and a long pelvic fin.
December 10, 2025 at 9:39 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
‪I really hate being on camera. But making an exception for this happy moment! I illustrated a picture book!

RUGGED RAX: THE LITTLE SATELLITE THAT COULD by
@suzannelipshaw.bsky.social

Available here
services.publishing.umich.edu/Books/R/Rugg...

#scbwi #kidlit #kidlitart #pbart #sciart #medart
December 9, 2025 at 8:26 AM
mesabree.bsky.social
#ProjectAnimalia continues with
756: Thorny seahorse (Hippocampus histrix)

Chameleon of the sea.

#sciart #dailyart #animalart #scientificillustration #medart #illustration #fishart #seahorse #oceanart #ArtAdventCalendar
Realistic illustration of a thorny seahorse on a white background.
December 8, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Reposted by Mesa Schumacher
franzanth.bsky.social
#ArtAdventCalendar is happening, go check out the hashtag to prettify your scrolling experience.
Calappa, a dome-shaped crab in dark color, seen from the front. Behind its body and in front, hiding its claws and most of its face, are phalaenopsis, moth orchids with roughly circular shape, in lighter colors. Black and white drawing.
December 7, 2025 at 5:03 AM
Reposted by Mesa Schumacher
himmapaan.bsky.social
A #PudgyHorse tribute to the Lascaux cave paintings, painted with the Strata Trio watercolours made by @thoughtsupnorth.bsky.social from Cretaceous rocks from the Albertan badlands. From 2020.

Might as well post this one as it's been stolen and sold on Australian Temu. 🙃

#ArtAdventCalendar
Painting of my character, Pudgy Horse, a horse of baroque type appearance with luxuriant mane and tail, and deliberately exaggerated proportions, including short, slender legs with dainty hooves and an extremely generous girth; here painted in tribute to one of the famous horses in the Lascaux cave paintings using similar colours and simplified shapes.
December 5, 2025 at 1:05 AM