I had the pleasure of creating a series of wildlife illustrations for a beautifully produced diary published in my native Poland. The project was a particularly enjoyable one for me, combining my love of natural history with a personal connection to the wildlife and visual culture of my home country.
The illustrations feature some of Poland’s most recognisable and much-loved birds, including the white-tailed eagle, great spotted woodpecker, hoopoe, bullfinch, kingfisher, robin, great tit, peregrine falcon and tawny owl. Each species was drawn with the accuracy and attention to detail that are central to my approach to natural-history illustration, while retaining the character and individuality of the birds.
The kingfisher features prominently on the cover, perched above a clear stream, its vivid blue plumage contrasting with the surrounding landscape. Other birds appear throughout the diary, including a bullfinch against a soft blue sky, a great spotted woodpecker among woodland vegetation, and a hoopoe with its distinctive crest.
I particularly enjoyed creating illustrations that could be experienced throughout the year rather than simply viewed as standalone artworks. Applied to a practical object such as a diary, wildlife illustration becomes part of everyday life, bringing familiar species into people's homes and encouraging a closer appreciation of the natural world.
I also have some of these Polish bird species available as prints and original drawings in my shop, making them a lovely choice for anyone who enjoys birds, natural history and wildlife art.
