The Drawing Scientist
illustrations pour la communication et la valorisation des sciences et de la culture
The Drawing Scientist
illustrations pour la communication et la valorisation des sciences et de la culture
COVER design process
1. Let's chat!
First of all, we will have a nice chat in front of a coffee.
This will allow us knowing each other and for me it will be the more important phase of our collaboration : I will ask you all of the information I need to understand your topic and the message you want to convey to your chosen audience.
This cover was for Dr. Thomas Widiez (ENS Lyon, France).
Brief: paper about the function of the Gene Kokopelli in the plant model Arabisopsis Thaliana.
Infos: Kokopelli is the name of the god of fertility venerated by some Native American populations;
he plays the flute; the gene Kokopelli is located in the pollen
This will allow us knowing each other and for me it will be the more important phase of our collaboration : I will ask you all of the information I need to understand your topic and the message you want to convey to your chosen audience.
This cover was for Dr. Thomas Widiez (ENS Lyon, France).
Brief: paper about the function of the Gene Kokopelli in the plant model Arabisopsis Thaliana.
Infos: Kokopelli is the name of the god of fertility venerated by some Native American populations;
he plays the flute; the gene Kokopelli is located in the pollen
2. Information collection and moodboard creation
The more information you give me, the better!
Any additional knowledge can be a precious source of information, I will use to create an original piece of art, designed on your unique data.
I will then make a moodboard to choose photo references and colors I will use.
Any additional knowledge can be a precious source of information, I will use to create an original piece of art, designed on your unique data.
I will then make a moodboard to choose photo references and colors I will use.
3. Sketches
This is one of my favourite steps, where I explore the visual solutions to better convey your idea and the message of your manuscript.
At this stage, we will discuss about the possibility of refining one of the sketches I have proposed or combining ideas together. I will then submit you the modified sketch to be approved (or to be modified). Once the final sketch approved , I will start drawing.
At this stage, we will discuss about the possibility of refining one of the sketches I have proposed or combining ideas together. I will then submit you the modified sketch to be approved (or to be modified). Once the final sketch approved , I will start drawing.
4. Refining the design and creating the final image
I will check if an idea can be pushed further before the final version.
For this project I had in mind a dancing Kokopelli, one over each Arabisopsis petal. The image appeared too crouded, so I decided to keep only one of them.
Being Kokopelli a gene expressed in the pollen, I coloured it in yellow, adding some texture to suggest the pollen shape.
For the background, I added some chromosomes.
Finally, I made the flute of Kokopelli in the shape of a chromosome, because he « plays a role in gene regulation », like playing his flute.
Creation time (feedback included): around 6 days
For this project I had in mind a dancing Kokopelli, one over each Arabisopsis petal. The image appeared too crouded, so I decided to keep only one of them.
Being Kokopelli a gene expressed in the pollen, I coloured it in yellow, adding some texture to suggest the pollen shape.
For the background, I added some chromosomes.
Finally, I made the flute of Kokopelli in the shape of a chromosome, because he « plays a role in gene regulation », like playing his flute.
Creation time (feedback included): around 6 days
5. Image delivery for the happiness of the client!
« Excellent work of scientific illustration (on the theme of plants) by Veronica.
She proposed several ideas that we discussed together. She is attentive and very responsive, I recommend. »
Dr. Thomas Widiez, UMR 5667, ENS de Lyon