“Science is beautiful. Approaching it through drawing is a way to understand and appreciate it deeply, with both the intellect and the heart.”

Some of us (myself included!) believed that scientific illustration was an 18th-century profession that had fallen into obscurity… but if we really pay attention, we see it everywhere today! In school textbooks, in magazines and field guides, at the doctor’s or dentist’s, in museums, apps, educational games, and even murals! Do you remember the last one you saw? Perhaps while walking through a natural park, on the signage indicating the species in that habitat, or in a science book while helping your kids with their homework…

The TV 3Cat “Marcians” team delved into the world of scientific illustration and went to meet four current professional illustrators to learn how they work and the different areas of science they represent in illustrations and infographics.

As a scientific illustrator by profession and specialized on anatomy and medical illustration, I had the pleasure of being one of the guests. But I wasn’t alone, far from it! I was joined by three true talents: Eva Carret, Mikel Rodríguez and Roc Olivé. Together, we shared our creative process and talked about what we’re passionate about…

The program was a magnificent window into our work.

I had the opportunity to break down a subject I love: medical scientific illustration. We showed the entire process of creating an illustration for Dr. César Ginestà of the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. We show what that first briefing at the hospital was like, we go through the almost detective-like (and visceral) phase of documentation and sketches that, while they look like doodles, are the genesis of the art, until we get to the final illustration of a hernioplasty. It’s fascinating to see how a clear vision of a surgical procedure emerges from an initial sketch.

But it wasn’t all scalpels and anatomical cuts (although I must confess I’m passionate about them!). We were also able to enjoy the great talent of my colleagues:

• Eva Carret invited us to her field notebook workshop at CosmoCaixa, demonstrating how observation is the main tool in this work, and how scientific illustration is a formidable tool for communication today.
• Mikel Rodríguez blew us away with his scientific infographics, created with talent, design, and enviable creative direction. His illustration project and interactive website about plankton is breathtaking! Who said tiny things couldn’t be amazing?
• Roc Olivé transported us directly to prehistory, talking about paleontological illustration and the complicated process of illustrating creatures and landscapes about which we are discovering new details every day. Imagine bringing to life those creatures that roamed the Earth millions of years ago!

Art and Science in perfect balance to dazzle and inform rigorously

As a cultural program, we have been asked this interesting question: Is there a place for artistic creativity in scientific illustration?

Scientific illustration isn’t merely a “pretty drawing,” far from it! As professionals, our first priority is to use illustration to communicate a rigorous scientific message. For this very reason, collaboration between scientist and illustrator is essential in our work process, so that any content errors in the illustrations can be reviewed and corrected.

This doesn’t mean we can’t be creative, eschew pictorial hyperrealism, and unleash our personal graphic style! In fact, I consider it necessary in my work to create a deep connection between the message and the different audiences I may address.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in different projects and explore my graphic styles to approach healthcare professionals in a more formal way, or to approach the general public in a more artistic, expressive, or fun way. But the projects I’ve enjoyed the most are those that facilitate communication between doctor and patient, such as the illustrations for the “Patient Experience” program for the Josep Carreras Leukemia Foundation.

Is there a better way to explain a treatment or process than with a clear, friendly, and respectful image? Photography or video sometimes fall short.

Something we are very clear about

Above all, there’s one feeling—no, one certainty!—that unites us: scientific illustration is an extraordinary vehicle for knowledge. Our graphic interpretation of science has the ability to achieve what neither photography, nor video, nor even the human eye can. It makes information clearer, more accessible, and also captivating for all audiences.

You have the opportunity to watch the full program on the 3Cat Website or in Youtube