Say's Creative Process

This title page credits William Say as author. There is no credit for Lucy Say as illustrator. This is typical for most 19th century--and even 20th century--women who worked in science with male partners but went unrecognized for their contributions. 

This list of illustrations is likely in Lucy Say's hand.

Here you can see Lucy’s notes to herself critically analyzing the accuracy of her drawings.

“Too short” and “Too high the width of a line…”

For American Conchology, Lucy began with life-size graphite drawings of the shells, occasionally adding color. The drawings were then reproduced on plates by professional engravers and proofed. The printed proofs were initially hand colored by Lucy, who experimented with water colors to get the coloring as close as possible to the actual specimen. Lucy then guided assistants in hand coloring illustrations in the books.

Lucy’s use of “BSienna” [burnt sienna] and “Sap green” in her notes here indicates her familiarity with professional artists’ materials. These paint colors are still produced today.

For small shells, Lucy often drew a pencil grid on backing paper, cut apart her drawings, and arranged them on the grid as she wanted them to appear on the book page. She included identifying notes. This arrangement was then sent to the engraver who would copy them on a single metal plate.
 

Most of the engraving for illustrations in American Conchology was done by the renowned Cornelius Tiebout. He was credited at the bottom right of every illustrated page as "Sct.", short for sculptor (i.e. engraver.) Under Lucy’s direction, two of Tiebout’s children helped color the thousands of individual prints used in the book. [2] 

Lucy Say was noted as "Del.", short for delineator (i.e. the person who draws or delineates), at the bottom left of each page. This was the only place she was recognized as the illustrator of American Conchology.

Footnote 2 (citation: Made From This Earth: American Women and Nature, Norwood, Vera. University of North Carolina Press, 1993. Page 63.)