Infographics

Explain complex scientific concepts
​"at a glance"

Illustrations

Enhance your publication with
beautiful imagery

Data Visualization

Transform raw data into compelling graphs, charts, and maps
 

​Illuminating Science Through Art®

​Science illustrations inspire, educate, and inform. Information graphics play an important role in today’s fast-paced world of technological and environmental change. Illustrations are like a universal language—facilitating communication among scientists, decision-makers, students, and the public. Like the old adage "a picture is worth a thousand words," a single diagram has the potential to convey complex topics at a single glance. Illustrations go beyond photography, exploring hidden concepts, taking things apart, and generally satisfying our innate curiosity for the world unseen.

Need Layout Design?

Imagine what a full-service design package can do for your publication. Attract attention to the issues. Explain your concepts clearly and succinctly. Break up the text and tables with some colorful infographics (which you could also share on social media). Good design helps to build trust in your organization. Visualizing Science® provides:

  • InDesign layouts for single or multipage publications​
  • Sophisticated color schemes
  • Professional typography
  • Coordinated figures and tables
  • Carefully chosen photographs
  • Assistance with permissions
  • Professional typography
  • Copyedited text
  • 508 compliance for accessibility
  • Online and print versions
  • Inspection of digital/hard copy proofs

Meet the Lead Artist

Visualizing Science® was founded in 2005 by Fiona Martin—Visual Communication Specialist, Science Illustrator, and Designer. Specialties include digitally rendered infographics, conceptual illustrations, data visualization, and layout design. Fiona works primarily in Adobe Illustrator and InDesign, as well as Photoshop, Procreate, and ArcGIS. Traditional renderings are offered in pencil, pen-and-ink, watercolor, and acrylic.

Fiona was born with a rare genetic hearing loss in both ears, but she hasn't let her deafness hold her back. In public schools and in the workplace, she learned to adapt using a combination of speech reading and technology. Defying expectations, Fiona graduated as valedictorian of her high school class, obtained a B.S. in Marine Biology (summa cum laude) from the University of California in Santa Cruz, and then pursued a Graduate 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. Currently she's exploring a new role as Graphic Artist at The Seattle Times, creating visuals and charts that help explain abstract concepts to the public.

Fiona has 17 years of experience illustrating and designing for a wide range of clients, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Park Service (NPS), Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), Princeton University Press, and Whole Foods Market. Her illustrations and layouts have been featured in numerous scientific publications including News and Features on Climate.gov and First in Fly by Dr. Stephanie Mohr, which was selected as one of Smithsonian's Ten Best Science Books of 2018. For 14+ years she served as Senior Illustration Editor at the nonprofit Annual Reviews, and edited approximately 9,000 figures and captions across 26 scientific journals, e.g., Public Health (Annual Reviews' first open access journal), Marine Science, Ecology, Immunology, Cancer Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, Nutrition, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, Materials Research, and more. In her spare time she volunteers as Layout Manager for the GNSI's Journal of Natural Science Illustration, and Graphic Designer for GNSI's annual Visual SciComm Conference. Fiona resides near Seattle, Washington with her husband and two children, and enjoys swimming, yoga, culinary gardening, and traveling to interesting places.
 

Testimonials

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I’m so excited about this foray into infographics as a way to communicate climate science. As usual, you’ve delved into the science, lifted out what’s important, and designed a creative, high-quality product.

Rebecca Lindsey

Contractor
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NOAA Climate Program Office

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It's been just great working with you. I really wish I had access to an artist of your caliber locally!

Dr. David McKinnon

Principle Research Scientist
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Australian Institute of Marine Science

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Your Figure 4 is 'the cat's meow.' We have a couple trivial comments to the outrageously spectacular rendering. We especially love the inclusion of perspective where the components get smaller as they fade away into the background. Your cartoon animal images are fabulous. WOW!

Dr. Russell Cuhel

Senior Scientist
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School of Freshwater Sciences, UW Milwaukee

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You have done an incredible job with this infographic and taken on the challenge of interactivity with such a can-do attitude.

Madison Pobis

Science Communication Fellow
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Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

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I just wanted to reach out and say thank you! The tribal and Pacific Northwest strategies both look amazing and I really appreciate the work you do! You make us look good! :)

Britt A. Parker

Regional Drought Information Coordinator
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NOAA NIDIS

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The graphics are just jaw-dropping on this post. Especially given the crap we give you guys :-) Really, there ought to be 'before' and 'after' snap shots stored somewhere.

Michelle L'Heureux

Meteorologist
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NOAA Climate Prediction Center

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I can't tell you how please I am with [the parrotfish illustration]. Fantastic. This one makes me smile a lot!

Laurie Smith

Acting Chief of Interpretation
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Virgin Islands National Park

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We have been particularly pleased that Fiona's strong background in both terrestrial and marine biology allowed her to create illustrations of plants, animals, and ecosystems that are representative of the diversity of this park.

Kate Faulkner

Chief of Natural Resources Management
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Channel Islands National Park

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These figures look great overall. I commend your efforts in polishing and cleaning up our raw submitted versions, several of which were particularly intricate. I can tell a great deal of detailed work was necessary, and the figs are greatly improved.

Dr. Chris Dames​

Professor of Mechanical Engineering
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UC Berkley Mechanical Engineering

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I can't help but believe that Fiona's killer figures are a big reason why our new Marine Science series ranks #1 in all three of its categories.

Doug Beckner

Senior Illustration Editor
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Annual Reviews Inc.

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Thank you very much for changing the human figure! This looks wonderful and is so rare to see that I'm sure it will be noteworthy.

Dr. Kathy Niakan

Developmental Biologist
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The Francis Crick Institute

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Bonjour Fiona: Thank you for your work to make our figures REALLY BEAUTIFUL. We particularly appreciate the attention you gave to converting Figure 2 to a new format.

Dr. Cindy Morris

Research Director
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Unité de Recherches de Pathologie Végétale

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Fiona came to us with excellent rendering skills and well as natural esthetic talent and a keen eye for illustration layout.

Eileen M. Mitchell

President
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Electronic Publishing Services

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There were a lot of multipanel, complex, time-consuming (etc. etc.) figure sets in this volume, and Fiona handled them all very capably. I'm no figure expert, but the figures look great.

Shirley Park

Scientific Copyeditor and Proofreader
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Annual Reviews

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Looks fantastic!! Many Thanks. You are such a graphics whiz! They really look beautiful!

Dr. Nancy Rothbard

Professor
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The Wharton School

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Thank you so much for your help and your wonderful work on these figures! We sincerely appreciate your help and talent in making our manuscript a much more informationally rich, approachable, and stylish work.

Dr. Dennis J. Thiele

Cofounder and Chief Scientific Officer
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Sisu Pharma

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Thanks so much Fiona! They look great. When I grow up I want to learn to do graphics half as well as you do!

Dr. Howard Frumkin

Professor Emeritus
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University of Washington School of Public Health

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She has a wonderful nature, gentle personality, and the professionalism, work ethic, and high standards that made it our great pleasure to work with her.

Fiona Reid

Education Director
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Highlands Center for Natural History

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Fiona’s graphics are so good they could tell the story on their own.

Ben Olivo

Local Government Editor
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The Seattle Times

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All illustrations © 2005–2021 Fiona Martin at Visualizing Science® (unless otherwise noted). All rights reserved. Permission to reprint Annual Reviews figures can be obtained through the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC). Images created for NOAA are in the public domain.