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Scientific illustration

Reviewers and readers form an impression of a paper from its figures before they read the methods. Clear artwork does not make weak research strong, but muddled artwork can make strong research look careless.

What this service covers

We produce illustration and figure design across the sciences: biology and taxonomy, geology and earth sciences, chemistry, environmental science and physics. Work ranges from single journal figures to complete textbook plate programmes.

This includes graphical abstracts, which have become a submission requirement at many journals and are rarely something a research team has time to design well.

Included in every project

Anything outside this list is quoted separately rather than assumed.

Species and specimen illustration

Taxonomic and field-guide artwork drawn from specimens and photographs.

Process and cycle diagrams

Mechanisms, pathways and cycles laid out so the sequence reads at a glance.

Graphical abstracts

Single-image summaries built to journal specification.

Data figure design

Charts and plots redesigned for clarity while keeping the data untouched.

Cross-sections and stratigraphy

Geological and structural sections drawn to scale with correct notation.

Plate assembly

Multi-panel figures assembled, lettered and sized for the target journal.

Why clients commission this work

Specification-compliant

Figures built to the journal's actual requirements, avoiding resubmission.

Legible at print size

Line weights and lettering tested at final reproduction size.

Consistent plate programmes

A whole textbook's figures sharing one visual grammar.

Editable for revisions

Layered files so reviewer comments do not mean redrawing.

From brief to final files

Each stage has a clear approval point, so nothing large gets built on an assumption.

  1. Scope and specification

    We collect the journal or publisher guidelines and the source material.

  2. Draft figure

    A working draft for your scientific review before rendering begins.

  3. Production

    Figures finished, lettered and assembled into plates.

  4. Submission files

    Delivered at the required resolution and format, with editable sources.

Typical clients for this service

Briefs come from single projects and from teams commissioning at volume.

Research groups and laboratories
Academic and STM publishers
Journals and societies
Museums and field institutions
Grant and funding applicants

A sample of this kind of work

A sample of studio work in this category.

Before you brief us

Anything not answered here, ask directly and you will get a straight answer.

Ask a question

Yes, and it is the most efficient way to start. A hand sketch plus a written explanation usually communicates intent better than a long brief on its own.

Yes, built to the target journal's size and format rules, and designed to be readable at the small dimensions these are usually displayed at.

Yes, updating them to a modern visual standard while keeping the scientific content intact, provided you hold or have cleared the rights.

Whatever the journal specifies, commonly 300 dpi for halftones and 600 to 1200 dpi for line art, or vector where accepted.

Ready to brief this project?

Send the details and a scope, schedule and fixed quote come back within one working day.