Drawing fossils

Fossils record the evolution of life on Earth and are crucial in the dating of sedimentary rocks through biostratigraphy. This chapter examines the methods used to record the taxonomy and sedimentological context of fossils within field sketches. The taxonomy and geological range of important fossil groups are described as well as their occurrence within sediments. Blocking-in sketches accurately is particularly important when drawing fossils since their quasi-regular shapes can lead to drawings that are overly schematic. Small-scale morphological features are often important in the interpretation of fossils. Four worked examples of sketches of fossils are given together with descriptions of their interpretation to illustrate techniques to record palaeontological specimens.