Artifici Naturali

“Artifici Naturali” (literally “Natural Artifacts”) is a 2020 illustrated essay about the digital wildlife and naturalistic illustration.

In this book we take a deep dive into this discipline, exploring various cases, styles and uses of wildlife illustration.

This book aims to serve as a guide for aspiring artists and enthusiasts seeking to navigate the world of digital naturalistic illustration.

Artifici naturali is not a do-it-yourself manual; it does not provide step-by-step instructions on how to become a naturalistic illustrator, nor does it teach the technical drawing of the creatures described. Instead, it retraces the studies I conducted while exploring the ways in which nature has been represented—from its earliest depictions to the contemporary era of digital art.

It offers an overview of the internal dynamics of illustration in general, with a particular focus on naturalistic illustration, and fosters an understanding of the most significant themes within the natural world, aiming at their accurate visual representation and dissemination. It is therefore closer to an essay that provides an in-depth perspective on a specific subject than to an instruction manual.

Artifici naturali aspires to become a solid reference point for anyone wishing to engage with the art of naturalistic illustration.