Choose a scientific paper. Now, picture it. Really, picture it in your head - if it were hanging on the wall of a museum as a painting, what would be in it? Whilst it may seem like a pointless thing to do, this exercise is more relevant than ever. From graphical abstracts to illustrated magazine covers to online article banners… eye-catching graphics open many doors when it comes to successfully communicating science, both inside and (particularly) outside specialist circles.

So, if visuals play such a significant role in drawing audiences in (pun intended), why don’t more scientists utilise illustration as a way to break the barrier between them and the public? For many, the answer simply is “I can’t really draw”. But what if you could?

Using principles and examples from stylized illustration, this hands-on short course will guide you through the process of creating a scientific illustration from start to finish, and prove to you that you can, in fact, draw. If you wish to, you will be able to use the last part of the course to work on your first scientific illustration, inspired by a piece of work chosen by you. Whilst I am a digital illustrator, you may choose any media to work with, this is not a course for learning how to draw with pixels!

At the very least, you will never lose at Pictionary again ;)