Drawing Lithic Artefacts

Stone Age researchers spend a lot of time studying and documenting lithic artifacts. Since it is impossible to study all these artifacts physically, they often rely on images. Drawings are often the most informative because the lines and symbols in these drawings contain technological information that tells the audience how the depicted artifact was made. Conversely, making these drawings is an excellent way of learning to recognize and understand this technological information.

In a distant past Yannick aspired a career as an artist and while the art world is probably better off without him, he managed to find a new purpose for his artistic bend in his career as an archaeologist in the form of making lithic illustrations.

Both professional and amateur archaeologists ask him questions about the drawings regularly with “It’s probably very difficult, I’m sure?” the most prominent. Drawing lithic illustrations is bound to rules and conventions anybody can learn. Of course it helps if you have a deft hand at drawing but this style of drawing is a craft, not an art form. A craft anybody can learn with a little perseverance.

Starting from there, Yannick gives courses in drawing artifacts. While preparing these courses he noticed that almost no books or papers suitable as course material are available, a realization eventually resulting in this book.