The Art & Science of Feathers

About this event

In-Person Workshop

Location: The Harvard Museum of Natural History, Classroom B (Third Floor), Cambridge, MA 02138

Instructor: Erica Beade and Lorna Gibson

Price: $50 members / $60 nonmembers

Feathers give birds their color, from the bright red of a male Cardinal to the iridescent reds and greens of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Feathers keep birds warm and dry: down provides excellent insulation against heat loss, and water really does roll off a duck’s back. Feathers form the aerodynamic shape of the wing, enabling flight. A Barn Owl’s flight feathers suppress sound, allowing it to fly nearly silently, while its ruff feathers reflect and focus sound into its ears, enabling the owl to hunt in total darkness by sound alone.

In this workshop, we’ll look closely at feathers through the eyes of an artist and an engineer. We’ll examine the structure of different types of feathers, see what gives feathers their color, and learn how an owl’s facial ruff feathers enable it to hunt by hearing alone. We’ll alternate between learning about feathers and exploring techniques for capturing them in pencil.

All skill levels are welcome.

This class is for adults. Maximum class size is 12 attendees.

From Harvard Musuems of Science & Culture