Traditionally, humans recorded the natural world using pictures and symbols comprehensible across communities to ensure survival within it.  Such recordings evolved into manuscripts interspersed with detailed biological illustrations for limited academic publishing . Presently, the art form is applied to many field guides, textbooks, magazines, museums, zoo exhibits, packaging and similar content that can be accessed nationwide. Natural history illustrators can differ in technique, media, and areas of study but the intent remains that concepts are rendered accurately and provided clearly for a particular audience.