This was an incredibly daunting project for just two people. The 400 illustrations required seven months of round-the-clock work: no weekends or even holidays. We had individual folders for each species, all of which were kept organized in labeled and stacked plastic tubs. We lived on tuna sandwiches (ironically) because we had no time to make dinner. Keeping track of revisions and sketches in the midst of banging out at least five finished illustrations each day was, to say the least, a challenge. Four hours of sleep per day was the norm for weeks on end.

The informational challenge of course was to provide enough visual detail in the illustrations for ease of identification without going too far, which would obliterate the crucial details of each species. We quickly became quite good at hitting this sweet spot once we established that level of detail with the AMNH design department. The job itself was tough, but the folks at AMNH were a pleasure to work with.

We had to refuse work from our other clients during these months, and some never came back. But for lifelong amateur naturalists like us, serving an institution like AMNH in such a meaningful way was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Most work that designers and illustrators do is ephemeral: magazines, websites, brochures, etc. This project was very different: thousands of visitors will be using our keys for the next thirty years. It remains the most fulfilling project we’ve ever done.

On opening day, a little boy came up to one of our identification keys and learned how to say, “barracuda.” I’m not ashamed to say that it brought a tear to my eye.

Browse a sampling of the project on our Flickr site.

What I talk about when I talk about magic: I’m not fucking around. This isn’t a joke or a trick. This is real stuff that I think most people are capable of trying out if they would let themselves. Most people, however, don’t. It’s taboo. It’s considered the realm of flakes, hippies, and drug-addled softies by the general scientific paradigm at large. It is considered a waste of time. The good stuff always is…What is magic? It is the fine and subtle art of driving yourself insane! No really, it is just that. It is a con game you play on your own brain. It is the trick of letting yourself go crazy, and I do believe that when it’s done right, the magus treads the same sacred and profane ground where walks the madman. It is, however, possible for the modern magician to enter into that realm and return with knowledge, knowledge and yes, power. I believe this is the same process that for millennia mankind has participated in. It is the journey of the shaman.

The final book is currently in the production phase (we’re looking into silver metallic ink on navy blue uncoated stock for the cover). An announcement will be made here when copies are available for sale. It’s a delightful, charmingly speculative read.

I’ll be doing an informal video and slide presentation of The Hidden River Expedition at the Random Tea Room on Sunday Nov. 27th, 6pm. Those interested in the more unusual chapters of Philly’s history should grab a cup of hot chai and have a seat. Hope to see you there.

We plan to post new entries at the start of each week. Our posts will be mostly about new projects or events, but we also want to share with you what is currently exciting us. We may also do profiles of our favorite past projects, like the identification key for the American Museum of Natural History, or the book I wrote that was optioned for film.

So check here at the start of your week! And please drop us a line: we’d love to hear from you.