Visualizing Science

medical illustration of Red lionfish (Pterois volitans) rendered digitally in a pen-and-ink style. Using Adobe Illustrator, Fiona Martin of Visualizing Science can create traditional scientific illustrations that are 100% vector (scalable without loss of resolution) and editable during the production process. She rendered this fish for an upcoming article about coral reef ecology in the Red Sea by distinguished marine biologist and author, Peter Vine.
medical illustration of Honeycomb grouper (Epinephelus merra) rendered digitally in a pen-and-ink style. Using Adobe Illustrator, Fiona Martin of Visualizing Science can create traditional scientific illustrations that are 100% vector (scalable without loss of resolution) and editable during the production process. She rendered this fish for an upcoming article about coral reef ecology in the Red Sea by distinguished marine biologist and author, Peter Vine.
medical illustration of NOAA NIDIS needed a visual way to represent networking within DEWS (Drought Early Warning Systems). The infographic includes isometric illustrations representing federal, regional, state, and local/community decision-makers, as well as academia, media/public awareness, and in-situ monitoring. Layout design by Fiona Martin/Visualizing Science; illustrations by Fiona Martin and mushakesa/adobe.stock.com. Keywords: climate, government, policy-makers, communication, network
medical illustration of Illustration for an NSF grant proposal (doubling as a t-shirt logo) for a proposed TREETIME institute. The graphic represents integration of different levels of biological research. On a spatial scale, trees are studied at molecular, tissue, forest, and ecosystem levels, as well as in interspecies interactions. On a temporal scale, trees are studied from moments to eons. Studying trees and resilient species may help us better manage forests and urban landscapes in a changing climate.
medical illustration of A novel perspective of the Earth's seven spheres: heliosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and anthrosphere. Professor Chamberlin hired Fiona Martin to create oceanography e-textbook figures geared toward college students in urban Los Angeles. The anthrosphere is placed centrally, suggesting it has a disproportionate impact on the other six natural domains. The graphic is designed to be legible on mobile devices. Keywords: anthropogenic, climate, environment
medical illustration of Complex infographic describing environmental DNA analysis, new technology that can be used to remotely monitor the presence of endangered or invasive species in aquatic habitats, such as native fish (coho salmon, steelhead trout), non-native fish (striped bass), and non-native mud snails. Samples are analyzed onsite or in a lab. Hands are included for size references. A map shows a future network. Interactive version: https://www.mbari.org/wp-content/static/07Interactivev4/eDNA_interactive.html
medical illustration of Winds blowing from the north move surface waters offshore, driven by the earth’s west-to-east rotation (the Coriolis effect). As warmer waters move west, nutrient-rich colder waters are drawn to the surface, feeding tiny plankton and giant humpback whales alike. Photoshop and Illustrator. Published in
medical illustration of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Produced for an earth science textbook for Electronic Publishing Services/McGraw Hill. Keywords: vector, earth, earth science, sea, ocean, tectonics, subduction, earthquake, magma, volcano, eruption, continental crust, continental shelf, fault, oceanic ridge, sediments, ash, climate, textbook, cutaway, infographic, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of Before quagga mussels (QM; left), and after three years of QM colonization. The benthos was dominated by QM but contained abundant invertebrates, including mysids. Additional keywords: vector, Adobe Illustrator, plankton, phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, alewives, water, water column, pelagic, freshwater, aquatic, lake, marine, eutrophication, invasive species, bivalves, benthic, detritus, food web, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of Rendered in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Keywords: climate, weather, warming, global warming, pressure, atmosphere, landscape, cloud, thunderhead, rain, precipitation, lightening, temperature, arrow, sunset, fog, infographic, vector, earth, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of Processes that eventually can lead to the eradication of chemotherapy-resistant tumor cells. Rendered in Adobe Illustrator. Published in Kroemer et al. (2013) in the Annual Review of Immunology v31. Keywords: vector, immunology, cancer, T cell, memory cell, antigen, DC, lysis, blood vessel, macrophage, cytotoxic, radiation, chemotherapy, treatment, therapy, Fiona Martin, Visualizing Science
medical illustration of Immature intestinal digestive and immune function increases the risk for NEC, which can lead to intestinal resection and SBS. Prolonged parenteral nutrition resulting from GI disease or other clinical morbidities increases the risk for PNALD. Published in: Burrin et al. 2020. Translational Advances in Pediatric Nutrition and Gastroenterology: New Insights from Pig Models. Annual Review of Animal Biosciences. Vol. 8:321-354. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-animal-020518-115142
medical illustration of Illustrated is the influence of total parenteral nutrition (TPN), a common clinical practice in hospitalized preterm infants. Also shown is the influence of surgical resection of intestine, which occurs due to congenital and acquired GI diseases. Adobe Illustrator. Published in Burrin et al. (2020), Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology v8. Keywords: vector, villi, crypt, immune, epithelial, endocrine, goblet, blood, vein, vessel, lymph, nerve, neuron, muscle mucous, lumen, gut
medical illustration of Dietary nutrients are sensed along the intestinal epithelium via taste receptor–expressing sensory cells that form part of the enteroendocrine system. Stimulation of these cells results in the release of gut peptides that influence the hunger-satiety cycle. Once released, gut peptides can function locally in a paracrine fashion, via an endocrine effect using blood distribution, or via synapsis with the neuropods of the vagal nerve. Adobe Illustrator. Keywords: vector, intestine, cutaway
medical illustration of Cytoadhesion and antigenic variation by Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites. Rendered in Adobe Illustrator. Published in Deitsch and Dzikowski (2017). Annual Review of Microbiology v71. Keywords: vector, blood, blood cell, erythrocyte, endothelial, cell, antibody, antibodies, disease, infographic, human health, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of Three-panel graphical abstract: (a) Physiology of the eye in glaucoma for context; (b) cross section of the retina in glaucoma showing MGnD microglia and RGC apoptosis; (c) two subpanels showing how (i) APOE upregulates MGnD microglia and leads to RGC apoptosis, and (ii) targeting/eliminating APOE leads to more homeostatic lmicroglia and RGC survival, despite lhigh IOP. Rendered for an ophthalmology lab; designed to be published in a research journal.
medical illustration of The relevant anatomical structures are contained within the dura mater and consist of the brain tissue, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) space, and the cerebrovascular system (not shown). Rendered in Adobe Illustrator. Published in Heldt et al. (2019). Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering v21. Keywords: vector, neuroscience, neurology, cerebrum, cerebral, cortex, ventricle, optical, optic nerve, subarachnoid, arachnoid, sagittal, cisterna magna, pia, cross section, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of Geophagic earth may protect against toxins and pathogens by (a) strengthening the mucosal layer by binding with mucin/stimulating mucin production, reducing the permeability of the gut wall, and (b) binding to toxins/pathogens directly, rendering them unabsorbable by the gut. Photo insets provided by Evelyne Delbos of the Macaulay Institute. Artwork rendered in Adobe Illustrator. Published in Young (2010) in the Annual Review of Nutrition v30. Keywords: vector, intestine, villi, virus, bacteria
medical illustration of Conceptual framework for the interplay of stress exposure and mitochondrial alterations via the inflammatory and endocrine systems, which increases the risk of pathological states in vulnerable populations. Abbreviations: ccf-mtDNA, circulating cell-free mtDNA; mtDNA, mitochondrial DNA; mtDNAcn, mtDNA copy number; ROS, reactive oxygen species. Adobe Illustrator. Keywords: vector, organelle, energy, immune, immunology, inflammation, metabolism, aging, neuroscience, genetics, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of Rendered in Adobe Illustrator.
medical illustration of Vector illustration of an old-fashioned balancing scale. Visual metaphors help explain concepts and make the science more relatable. Published in Rothbard et al. 2021.
medical illustration of Colorful rendering of DNA intended for consumer publications. Vector artwork created in Adobe Illustrator. Can be customized per client request. Keywords: genetic, genetics, genome, gene, chromosome, molecule, mutation, helix, double helix, base pairs, nucleotide, backbone, bonds, carrier, testing, polymerase, RNA, replication, sequence, repair, ligase, sequencing, ancestry, genealogy, biotechnology, GMO, CRISPR, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of Diversity among cichlid fish. (Top) Mchenga conophorus. (Middle) Unconfirmed species. (Bottom) Orange blotch morph of Labeotropheus fuelleborni. Rendered in Adobe Illustrator. Published in Martin et al. (2020), Annual Review of Ecology v50. Keywords: vector, ichthyology, genetics, mutations, evolution, marine, aquarium, aquatic, freshwater, ecology
medical illustration of Vector illustration of the thirteen-lined ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus). Published in Gracheva et al. 2020. Cellular, Molecular, and Physiological Adaptations of Hibernation: The Solution to Environmental Challenges. Annual Review of Cell and Developmental Biology. Vol. 36:315-338. Keywords: mammal, rodent, torpor, hibernation, physiology, metabolism, hypothermia, cold, adaptation, neurophysiology
medical illustration of Death cap mushrooms contain a deadly toxin called alpha-amanitin. Researchers have found that some wild strains of Drosophila are resistant to the toxin. Rendered in Adobe Illustrator in a vintage pen-and-ink style. One of a series of illustrations for Dr. Stephanie Mohr's book, First in Fly, published in March 2018.
medical illustration of Circuit diagrams present an extremely simplified view of the Drosophila brain, illustrating targets of optogenetic intervention. (a) When a fly approaches a perfume, an attractant, dopaminergic modulatory neurons carrying aversive reinforcement signals are optogenetically activated. (b) This intervention results in a lasting remapping of the state “presence of odor No. 5” onto the action “avoidance.” Published in Miesenböck (2011). Annu. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol. v27. Vector art by Fiona Martin.
medical illustration of Part of a larger figure about lifespan changes in brain to behavior mappings shaped by interactions among processes related to maturation, learning (e.g., music), and senescence. Rendered in Adobe Illustrator. Published in Lindenberger and Lövden (2019), Annual Review of Developmental Psychology v1. Keywords: vector, music, sound, audio, audiology, musical instrument, notes, song, violinist, musician, viola, cello, bass, bow, frets, tuning, guitar, ukulele, memory
medical illustration of Rendered in Adobe Illustrator. Keywords: vector, icon, illuminate, electric, electricity, energy, fluorescent, incandescent, screw, filament, lumens, watts, idea, bright, intelligent, genius, highlight, transparent, glass, metal
medical illustration of About 770 cities in the US have combined sewer overflows, which are designed to collect stormwater, urban runoff, and sewage in the same pipe. In dry weather conditions, all of the wastewater will go to a treatment plant for processing; in extreme precipitation events, the wastewater can overflow into a local watershed. Rendered for an ERSI Story Map by Jack Barker. Keywords: Adobe Illustrator, vector, blueprint, urban, infrastructure, green and gray, storm, drain, pollution, water, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of Cross section showing differences between green and gray infrastructure. Hard surfaces such as streets, drains, and pipes can send polluted runoff into watersheds. Green infrastructure such as bioswales or planter boxes absorb stormwater and reduce pollution. Rendered for an ERSI Story Map by Jack Barker. Keywords: Adobe Illustrator, vector, blueprint, urban, bioswale, storm, drain, pollution, water, tree, plants, roots, car, rain, precipitation, environment, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of Graphical abstract. Published in McKinnon et al. (2014). Adobe Illustrator. Keywords: marine, ocean, sea, bay, estuary, tide, phytoplankton, zooplankton, ichthyoplankton, copepod, fish, larva, larvae, bioluminescence, migration, reef, atoll, coast, cliff, sandstone, petroglyph, tropical, pacific, vegetation, landscape, graph, arrows, vector, infographic, data visualization, ecology, earth, climate, season, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of (a) Examples of acoustic tools (solid circled numbers with curved yellow lines indicating acoustic waves) and the variety of animals (open circled numbers) that they can be used to study, from zooplankton to marine mammals. (b) An example of acoustic data, representing the rectangle in panel a. Illustrator/Photoshop. Benoit-Bird and Lawson (2016). Annual Review of Marine Science. Keywords: vector, ocean, sea, whale, fish, squid, krill, copepod, pterapod, snail, sonar, boat, ship, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. Rendered for Hugler and Sievert (2011). Annual Review of Marine Science v3. Keywords: ocean, sea, cross section, magma, volcano, mid-ocean ridge, pelagic, photic, hydrothermal, sediment, cold seep, oxygen minimum, chemistry, biomass, nutrient, cycling, organic, climate, vector, infographic, arrows, data visualization, research, table, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of As atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations have climbed in recent decades, carbon storage on land has increased, too. Where is it all going? NOAA-funded research indicates that semi-arid ecosystems are setting the trend in carbon storage, but their ability to keep taking up carbon is tied to climate, in particular El Niño and La Niña. Keywords: infographic, data visualization, graph, icons, typography, vector, trees, forest, corn, cactus, ecology, global warming, CO2, temperature, earth
medical illustration of Infographic comparing historical and recent snowpacks. Snowpacks sustain key natural resources, including salmon runs, sequoias, and the winter sports industry. Sierra snowmelt provides drinking and agricultural water in California. Reduced snowpacks raise wildfire risk. Keywords: vector, data visualization, map, graph, topography, typography, numbers, icons, mountain, snow, climate, climate change, global warming, outdoor, recreation, skiing, snowboarding, alpine, drought
medical illustration of A developmental cascade perspective of pediatric obesity: conceptual model and scoping review. Bold text indicates strongest support as indicated by a review of the literature. Keywords: Adobe Illustrator, vector, diagram, flow chart, infographic, public, policy, decision making, public, health, layout, design, graphic design, data visualization, typography, education, development, nutrition, weight, parenting, child, children, family, behavior, politics, culture, values, sociology, psychology
medical illustration of Keywords: Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, vector, graph, map, geography, cartography, infographic, snow, glacier, melt, polar, arctic, climate, climate change, global warming, sea, ocean, marine, sea level rise, weather
medical illustration of NIDIS's Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) for different regions of the nation. Keywords: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, vector, map, geography, cartography, topography, earth, U.S., USA, United States, infographic, public, policy, decision making, government, management, data, visualization, monitoring, mitigation, predictions, forecasting, research, communication, economy, agriculture, park, recreation
medical illustration of Keywords: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, vector, map, geography, cartography, topography, earth, globe, U.S., USA, United States, infographic, public, policy, decision making, government, management, data visualization, arrow, climate, global warming, jet stream, precipitation, teperature, pressure, El Nino, La Nina, oscillation, ENSO
medical illustration of Keywords: Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, vector, map, geography, cartography, topography, earth, U.S., USA, United States, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, infographic, public, policy, decision making, government, management, layout, design, graphic design, data visualization, infographic, typography, numbers, budget, money, funds, economy, climate, global warming, energy, mitigation, pollution, environment
medical illustration of These marine worms are commonly seen around the world in the intertidal zone down to 100 m. They form calcareous tubes which are attached to hard substrates. The worm emerges from the tube to feed with a delicate plume of feather-like radioles, catching plankton and detritus. The radioles also act as gills. A funnel-shaped operculum covers the animal when it retracts into the tube for protection. Gouache and watercolor on tinted paper. Artwork by Fiona Martin, Visualizing Science.
medical illustration of Pen and ink on illustration board.
medical illustration of In this piece, Fiona Martin shares conflicting theories about why the historic Cannery Row sardine fishery collapsed—overfishing versus decadal climate change. “Trompé l’oiel” means “eye deceiver.” It is painted with close attention to details and shadows to make the objects appear as if they are real. Fiona knows the elements are working when she's tempted to pick up or brush away something she's just painted. Acrylic and mixed media on illustration board.
medical illustration of The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly is a common backyard visitor and valuable pollinator in Northern Arizona. Acrylic on illustration board. Keywords: painting, paint, yellow, acrylic, oil, butterfly, pollinator, insect, migration, conservatory, Fiona Martin
medical illustration of Graphite illustration of a beehive-shaped pine cone (from Pinus jeffreyi) on Bristol board. The Jeffrey pine is distinguished from Ponderosa pine by the prickles that curve inward on the cones. I collected this cone while on a hike in the Sierra Nevada and was intrigued by the spiral arrangement of the scales. Keywords: pencil, sketch, drawing, seed, pine, pine cone, cone, tree, forest, fire, wildfire, wood, California
medical illustration of Rendered in Adobe Illustrator in a vintage pen-and-ink style. One of a series of illustrations for Dr. Stephanie Mohr's book, First in Fly, published in March 2018. A fly-pushing station is used by geneticists to study mutations in fruit flies. Carbon dioxide is used to anesthetize the flies. The flies are then gently poured from the vial onto the fly pad, under bright white lights, where they can be viewed under the microscope.
medical illustration of This artwork was contracted by geneticist and lecturer at Harvard University, Dr. Stephanie Mohr, to serve as a banner on her Twitter page. After much deliberation, she chose two flying flies from my collection of thumbnail sketches, saying they appeared the most dynamic and

Profile

Visualizing Science is the studio of Fiona Martin—Visual Communication Specialist, Science Illustrator, and Designer. Specialties include vector illustration, pen-and-ink, infographics, data visualization, and layout design. Fiona is most inspired by the way graphics serve as a universal language—facilitating communication among scientists, decision-makers, students, and the public. Fiona holds a B.S. in Marine Biology (summa cum laude) and a certificate in Science Illustration. Upon graduation she completed dual internships with the Channel Islands National Park in California, and Electronic Publishing Company in New York City. She now has 15 years of experience illustrating and designing for a wide range of scientific disciplines, as well as serving as a Senior Illustration Editor at Annual Reviews. Fiona has had a lifelong hearing loss, though this has only made her more acutely aware of the need for visual communication. She's an asset on any team—a creative problem-solver, patient, hard-working, and detail-oriented.

Style/Techniques

Airbrush, Black & White, Cartoon, Collage, Color, Design, Caricature, Information Graphics, Line, Line with Color, Photography, 3D

Subject/Specialties

Allergy / Immunology, Alternative Medicine, Anatomy, Biology, Botany, Cell biology / Histology, Disease Management, Endocrinology / Metabolic, Entomology, Gastroenterology, General Medicine, Genetics, Maternal / Child, Medical Devices, Molecular Biology, Natural History, Natural Science / Nature, Neuroscience, Neurosurgery, Obstetrics / Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Pediatrics, Portraits, Reproductive Biology, Virology, Zoology, Legal Exhibits, Oncology, Mechanism of Action (MOA), Health & Wellness, Pathology