Background to the 'Sea and Light' project

The National Library of Scotland and Edinburgh College of Art Illustration Department collaborate each year on a student project. A theme from the Library's collections is chosen as the basis for artwork to be displayed in the Library's exhibition spaces.

This ongoing relationship helps students understand how they might use archives, libraries and heritage collections for research and inspiration.

To mark the Year of Scotland's Coasts and Waters in 2020, the 'Sea and Light' project focused on the theme of lighthouses, coasts and the sea.

In February 2020, a group of students in their first year studying illustration at Edinburgh College of Art visited the Library to view a selection of material from the archive of the Stevenson civil engineering firm.

From the late 18th century, successive generations of the Stevenson family served as engineer to the Northern Lighthouse Board, and were responsible for the design and construction of most of the lighthouses still visible around the coast of Scotland.

The items viewed by the students included technical drawings, letters and account books relating to the construction of the Bell Rock Lighthouse, the world's oldest surviving sea-washed lighthouse off the coast at Arbroath.

Bell Rock Lighthouse elevation and diagram of floors

Also on display were letters and paintings by Robert Michael Ballantyne, Victorian-era children's author, who stayed with the lighthouse keepers on the Bell Rock while researching his book, 'The Lighthouse'.

Paintings by R M Ballantyne: Bell Rock Lighthouse exterior and library, 1865

The visit ended with a storytelling session, with the stories relating to Scottish history and mythology all linked to lighthouses or the sea.

The students heard stories based on real-life events, such as the mysterious disappearance of all three lighthouse keepers from the Flannan Isles, or a First World War wreck at the Bell Rock, as well as mythical tales, like 'The Blue Men of the Minch'.

Each student selected a theme based on what they saw or heard during their visit, and used it as the inspiration for the artwork on display here. One of the aims of the project was to explore how text and images work together on the page.

Two of the students tell us what inspired their artwork.

'My fact was about the lighthouse keepers who had to track the movement of birds and insects surrounding their lighthouse in 1882.

'I researched into this and found the quote from their old schedules: ' … it was one living stream circling round the light'. I chose to base my concept around this quote. Next, I did some research into folk illustrations of birds and insects and did some drawing from life for further inspiration.

'I am pleased with the outcome of my final illustration, as I feel as if I captured the fact and quote well in a fun and engaging way.'

The artwork will be risograph-printed to produce a bound volume to be exhibited in the Library.

Described as part way between photocopying and screen printing, risograph is a printing technique ideally suited to the colourful artwork produced by the students.

As it is not currently possible to produce the physical volume, we are bringing you this online exhibition of the students' work.