 From Baxter he learned to engrave and draw on wood and taught himself during his spare time to draw birds, mammals, and other subjects from nature.in 1842 Herbert Ingram founded "The Illustrated London News" and employed Weir as a draughtsman on wood and engraver from the first issue and for many years thereafter.In 1845 Weir made a first exhibition consisting of an oil painting of a wild duck, "The Dead Shot", at the British Institution.