Challenge > Draw the Invisible Challenge Winners

Challenge #14: Draw the Invisible
FEBRUARY 2021 • CHALLENGE CLOSED

Beautiful close-ups! We are so impressed with everyone's artwork.

Morgan Hill Chase posing with jawbone specimen

Morgan Hill Chase was trained in evolutionary anthropology, the study of how humans and their behaviors have changed over time. She is pictured here with a fossil jawbone called "Mauer 1." It is the oldest-known specimen of the genus Homo in Germany. © AMNH

Our special guest judge for this challenge is scientist Morgan Hill Chase.

She manages the Microscopy and Imaging Facility at the Museum.

Hall of Fame Gallery

This Challenge was to create side-by-side drawings of what a specimen looks like to the human eye and what it looks like using an imaging tool. Here are our judge's top picks!

Nafis A.

Age 11
New York, U.S.A.
"For my artwork, I drew a Rhinoceros. On the left side, you will find what it looks with the naked eye, and on the right side, you will find what it looks like under a microscope."
Judge's Comments:
Beautiful drawings! You drew the skin so precisely just with pencil. You are incredibly talented.
Kumru K.

Age 10
Istanbul, Turkey
"Blue Morpho Butterfly"
Judge's Comments:
The butterfly wings are totally accurate! Very well done with the colors and shapes.
Anastasia B.

Age 6
New York, U.S.A.
Judge's Comments:
What a beautiful outdoor scene! I think your idea of a magnified rose petal is really accurate.
Carolina and Gabriella F.

Ages 8 and 6
New York, U.S.A.
"The grass is so cute!"
Judge's Comments:
So creative, and the grass looks real. When you get close to grass you will definitely see many critters that are too small for the human eye. Some of them might even be smiling!
Lina B.

Age 9
New York, U.S.A.
"Human skin under the microscope looks like frosted flakes."
Judge's Comments:
Really great drawings! Comparing things you see in a microscope to everyday items is something scientists do all the time. I think your drawing of the magnified skin is spot on.
Mikeila S.

Age 9
New Jersey, U.S.A.
"The pictures that I drew above are a three-step zoom in on the jaw of an orca. The first picture is the whole orca. The second picture is a close up of the orca’s jaw. Finally, the last picture is of a CT Scan of the orca’s jaw."
Judge's Comments:
When scientists use X-ray, we lose information about the color. So we still need drawings like yours to know everything about a specimen. Very well done!
Penelope C.

Age 9
New York, U.S.A.
"A Desert Cactus"
Judge's Comments:
Fantastic drawings! I love the wrinkly skin of a cactus in the desert Sun.
Ankita S.

Age 10
Judge's Comments:
Igneous rock (created by a volcanic eruption) usually has little nooks and crannies. So it has a very abstract look, just like what you drew!
M.Z.A.

Age 7
New York, U.S.A.
"Did you know that bamboo is actually a grass and that some species can grow up to 35 inches per day? Additionally, bamboo plays a critical role in maintaining the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Let’s take a very, very close look at this strong, versatile and sustainable plant."
Judge's Comments:
You really thought this through! Really impressive drawings and excellent explanations. The cells look exactly like what I see under a microscope.

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Honorable Mention Gallery

Here are more drawings that inspired us!

Avrie C.

Age 10
Judge's Comment:
Really creative! When you look under a microscope, you may see colors that you didn't expect.
Brody P.

Age 7
New York, U.S.A.
"Pine cones in Winter fall to the ground."
Judge's Comments:
Great drawings and so scientific! You're so right that some things, like wood, have the same texture even when you magnify it and look really closely.
Giacomo C.

Age 9
New York, U.S.A.
Judge's Comments:
Very good drawing! Leaves are fun to look at under a microscope. Lots of veins, and sometimes you can see the individual cells.
Hannah

Age 10
Iowa, U.S.A.
"Dog and dog's tongue under a microscope."
Judge's Comments:
What a great picture! Do you think our tongue would look similar to a dog's tongue?
Josie

Age 7
New York, U.S.A.
Judge's Comments:
So artistic! Trees are really interesting to look at under a microscope. There is so much to learn about them.
Lucy M.

Age 6
New York, U.S.A.
"This is a close up of my apple."
Judge's Comments:
I've never looked at an apple under a microscope, but I bet that's exactly what it looks like! Red, with little specks of color. Well done.
Maeve R.

Age 9
Massachusetts, U.S.A.
"Left: Picture of what a red fox looks like to human eye. Right: Picture of what a red fox looks like using an imaging tool."
Judge's Comments:
Great drawing! Foxes are my favorite animals. And I think the fur, when magnified, would look just like what you drew.
Marian Y.

Age 8
Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
"The Really Close Rose"
Judge's Comments:
Beautiful drawing of a rose! Now I want to find a rose petal to examine it with a microscope and compare it with your drawing.
Nora R.

Age 7
Florida, U.S.A.
"Elephant Skin"
Judge's Comments:
Fantastic elephant! The skin looks very gray and wrinkly, just like you drew.
Opal C.

Age 8
New York, U.S.A.
"Left: This is our cat Bat. She wears a diaper. Right: This is one of Bat's hairs in our microscope magnified 40 times!"
Judge's Comments:
What an adorable cat! Cat hair is really interesting to look at under a microscope. In some ways, it's similar to ours but also different.