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Building Science Graphics: An Illustrated Guide to Communicating Science through Diagrams and Visualizations
Building Science An illustrated guide to communicating science through diagrams and visualizations is a practical guide for anyone―regardless of previous design experience and preferred drawing tools―interested in creating science-centric illustrated explanatory diagrams. Starting with a clear introduction to the concept of information graphics and their role in contemporary science communication, it then outlines a process for creating graphics using evidence-based design strategies. The heart of the book is composed of two step-by-step graphical worksheets, designed to help jump-start any new project. The author website, featuring further resources and links, can be found . This is both a textbook and a practical reference for anyone that needs to convey scientific information in an illustrated form for articles, poster presentations, slide shows, press releases, blog posts, social media posts and beyond.
- GenresScienceDesignNonfiction
333 pages, Paperback
Published August 31, 2022
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June 21, 2024
Disclaimer: I am a medical illustrator and wrote this review from that perspective, but the book is highly applicable to other science communication-adjacent industries as well. Though in my review I specifically recommend the book for medical illustration students and professionals I believe it would be a valuable resource for people in the museum/planetarium industry, designers of any kind, university researchers, graduate students pursuing scientific career paths... the list goes on.
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Building Science Graphics, written by science communicator and Senior Graphics Editor at Scientific American Jen Christiansen and published by CRC Press, was released late last year. As soon as it was available for preorder, I felt like I was seeing it everywhere on social networks; seemingly every medical illustrator I follow was posting about it and expressing their excitement and interest in this new release, and I ordered a copy for myself straightaway. The full title of the book is Building Science Graphics: An illustrated guide to communicating science through diagrams and visualizations, and it is exactly what it says it is in the title, plus so much more. The book is a practical guide, a vibrant resource, a hands-on roadmap, and something that I wish had existed approximately nine to twelve years ago when I was a student.
Before even beginning my readthrough, I was struck by how tidy and well-designed the book is in and of itself. From the cover design to the typographical choices to the satisfying CMYK color palette used throughout, Building Science Graphics is approachable and inviting even while simply flipping through the pages. It is obvious at a glance that Christiansen put care and attention into every detail of this book; it becomes clear while reading that she has applied many of the very principles that she’s communicating within the book, to the book – which, in fact, is called out once or twice.
Christiansen begins Part 1: Underpinning with a solid foundation of background information, which includes an introduction to science graphics as a concept (it’s worth noting that this book defines science graphics as “illustrated explanatory diagrams”), fundamentals of science communication and graphic design, and the science of perception. This then leads seamlessly into practical design principles such as composition, hierarchy, color, and typography. Much of this section of the book felt simultaneously like a standard review of everyday knowledge and like a fresh perspective on things I hadn’t realized I’d forgotten. My favorite aspect of these chapters on design principles was the “hypothetical graphic” makeover, an image created by Christiansen entirely as a proof of concept; this image appears at the end of a few chapters in a row, steadily improved with incremental augmentations that visibly demonstrate and apply the subject matter of the chapter, with explanations of how and why those decisions were made.
In addition to these faux examples, the book also includes several real instances of science graphics and illustrations that demonstrate the topics at hand (many of these examples are courtesy of AMI members and other well-known professionals in my industry, and it delighted me each time to see names I recognized). Christiansen sprinkles many of her own finished works throughout the book as well, which are not only relevant representations of the material, but also highlight her skill, competence, and authority to be writing about these topics. That said, Christiansen is a frank and unpretentious author. The book opens with a straightforward explanation of what it is and is not about. Christiansen makes clear that she writes only from her own personal experience (with all the privileges and biases that come with it) and is not trying to represent a monolith or speak on behalf of anybody else. She recognizes that her knowledge is largely rooted in western and Eurocentric design, and that while that can be a useful framework, it’s certainly not universal. At multiple points, she admits when something is not her area of expertise, and points readers to resources that elaborate more on those particular topics. In fact, footnotes and resource lists are included in each chapter, adding to my ever-growing collection of books I want to add to my library and collection of pages I now have bookmarked in my web browser.
The later chapters of Part 1 guide readers through visual style, storytelling, and finally practicalities (e.g., tools of the trade, file settings, and accessibility, among other subjects), effortlessly leading into Part 2: Illustrating Science. This is the section that elevates the discussion from topics that can apply to design as a whole to topics that center specifically on science design and science communication. Part 2 is relatively short, but it includes refreshing topical observations on how to combat misinformation and disinformation, how best to communicate uncertainty, and ways to decode and clarify visual jargon.
Part 3: D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) contains the self-described “heart of the book … two step-by-step graphical worksheets, designed to help jump-start any new project.” Also included in this section (as well as in the earlier parts of the book) are Christiansen’s own messy preliminary sketches, which I personally appreciated seeing. I am somebody who expects instant gratification and tends to want to rush past the ugly stages of a project, so seeing other people’s scribbles reinforces their importance as part of the process as a whole. And Part 3 of Building Science Graphics is entirely about the process, describing the flow of a project from start to finish, including the aforementioned step-by-step guides as well as a few different case studies.
What I would have loved to see, or would love to see eventually, is a downloadable (or on the more ambitious end, interactive) version of those step-by-step worksheets. I realize they’re not one-size-fits all, but I could see them being an incredibly useful model for illustrators and designers of all skill levels who are approaching a new project or are stuck at a challenging stage of an in-progress project. Considering the robustness of the “more to explore” page at buildingsciencegraphics.com, I would not be surprised if there are already plans to offer this; in the meantime, we can all scan our book pages or mark them up directly (in pencil of course).
Lastly, Part 4: Joint Efforts discusses collaborations and co-design, the working relationship between scientists and artists, and the basics of critique. The book closes with several interviews between Christiansen and professionals from a number of different backgrounds and disciplines offering their perspectives on the collaborative design process. My favorite quote from these Q&As was from Designer Angela Morelli, when asked two separate questions: “What’s your top piece of advice for designers entering a collaboration with scientists?” and “What’s your top piece of advice for scientists entering a collaboration with designers?” Morelli’s answer to both questions was identical: “Listen. Engage. Respect.”
All in all, if I haven’t made it clear already, I highly recommend Building Science Graphics. Up top I mentioned wishing I’d had this book available to me as a student, but I even wish I’d had it one year ago as a professional medical illustrator. I would absolutely endorse this book as required or suggested reading for medical illustration students in particular; but I would also argue that every one of us is a lifelong learner and has something to gain, whether it’s a refresher of old knowledge or a new way of considering seemingly familiar topics. Regardless, it’s an enjoyable and fast read that I was able to get through in just a few evenings; though it’s not necessarily the type of book I’ll ever read front-to-back again, I expect to turn to it repeatedly in the future as handy reference material.
-----
Building Science Graphics, written by science communicator and Senior Graphics Editor at Scientific American Jen Christiansen and published by CRC Press, was released late last year. As soon as it was available for preorder, I felt like I was seeing it everywhere on social networks; seemingly every medical illustrator I follow was posting about it and expressing their excitement and interest in this new release, and I ordered a copy for myself straightaway. The full title of the book is Building Science Graphics: An illustrated guide to communicating science through diagrams and visualizations, and it is exactly what it says it is in the title, plus so much more. The book is a practical guide, a vibrant resource, a hands-on roadmap, and something that I wish had existed approximately nine to twelve years ago when I was a student.
Before even beginning my readthrough, I was struck by how tidy and well-designed the book is in and of itself. From the cover design to the typographical choices to the satisfying CMYK color palette used throughout, Building Science Graphics is approachable and inviting even while simply flipping through the pages. It is obvious at a glance that Christiansen put care and attention into every detail of this book; it becomes clear while reading that she has applied many of the very principles that she’s communicating within the book, to the book – which, in fact, is called out once or twice.
Christiansen begins Part 1: Underpinning with a solid foundation of background information, which includes an introduction to science graphics as a concept (it’s worth noting that this book defines science graphics as “illustrated explanatory diagrams”), fundamentals of science communication and graphic design, and the science of perception. This then leads seamlessly into practical design principles such as composition, hierarchy, color, and typography. Much of this section of the book felt simultaneously like a standard review of everyday knowledge and like a fresh perspective on things I hadn’t realized I’d forgotten. My favorite aspect of these chapters on design principles was the “hypothetical graphic” makeover, an image created by Christiansen entirely as a proof of concept; this image appears at the end of a few chapters in a row, steadily improved with incremental augmentations that visibly demonstrate and apply the subject matter of the chapter, with explanations of how and why those decisions were made.
In addition to these faux examples, the book also includes several real instances of science graphics and illustrations that demonstrate the topics at hand (many of these examples are courtesy of AMI members and other well-known professionals in my industry, and it delighted me each time to see names I recognized). Christiansen sprinkles many of her own finished works throughout the book as well, which are not only relevant representations of the material, but also highlight her skill, competence, and authority to be writing about these topics. That said, Christiansen is a frank and unpretentious author. The book opens with a straightforward explanation of what it is and is not about. Christiansen makes clear that she writes only from her own personal experience (with all the privileges and biases that come with it) and is not trying to represent a monolith or speak on behalf of anybody else. She recognizes that her knowledge is largely rooted in western and Eurocentric design, and that while that can be a useful framework, it’s certainly not universal. At multiple points, she admits when something is not her area of expertise, and points readers to resources that elaborate more on those particular topics. In fact, footnotes and resource lists are included in each chapter, adding to my ever-growing collection of books I want to add to my library and collection of pages I now have bookmarked in my web browser.
The later chapters of Part 1 guide readers through visual style, storytelling, and finally practicalities (e.g., tools of the trade, file settings, and accessibility, among other subjects), effortlessly leading into Part 2: Illustrating Science. This is the section that elevates the discussion from topics that can apply to design as a whole to topics that center specifically on science design and science communication. Part 2 is relatively short, but it includes refreshing topical observations on how to combat misinformation and disinformation, how best to communicate uncertainty, and ways to decode and clarify visual jargon.
Part 3: D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) contains the self-described “heart of the book … two step-by-step graphical worksheets, designed to help jump-start any new project.” Also included in this section (as well as in the earlier parts of the book) are Christiansen’s own messy preliminary sketches, which I personally appreciated seeing. I am somebody who expects instant gratification and tends to want to rush past the ugly stages of a project, so seeing other people’s scribbles reinforces their importance as part of the process as a whole. And Part 3 of Building Science Graphics is entirely about the process, describing the flow of a project from start to finish, including the aforementioned step-by-step guides as well as a few different case studies.
What I would have loved to see, or would love to see eventually, is a downloadable (or on the more ambitious end, interactive) version of those step-by-step worksheets. I realize they’re not one-size-fits all, but I could see them being an incredibly useful model for illustrators and designers of all skill levels who are approaching a new project or are stuck at a challenging stage of an in-progress project. Considering the robustness of the “more to explore” page at buildingsciencegraphics.com, I would not be surprised if there are already plans to offer this; in the meantime, we can all scan our book pages or mark them up directly (in pencil of course).
Lastly, Part 4: Joint Efforts discusses collaborations and co-design, the working relationship between scientists and artists, and the basics of critique. The book closes with several interviews between Christiansen and professionals from a number of different backgrounds and disciplines offering their perspectives on the collaborative design process. My favorite quote from these Q&As was from Designer Angela Morelli, when asked two separate questions: “What’s your top piece of advice for designers entering a collaboration with scientists?” and “What’s your top piece of advice for scientists entering a collaboration with designers?” Morelli’s answer to both questions was identical: “Listen. Engage. Respect.”
All in all, if I haven’t made it clear already, I highly recommend Building Science Graphics. Up top I mentioned wishing I’d had this book available to me as a student, but I even wish I’d had it one year ago as a professional medical illustrator. I would absolutely endorse this book as required or suggested reading for medical illustration students in particular; but I would also argue that every one of us is a lifelong learner and has something to gain, whether it’s a refresher of old knowledge or a new way of considering seemingly familiar topics. Regardless, it’s an enjoyable and fast read that I was able to get through in just a few evenings; though it’s not necessarily the type of book I’ll ever read front-to-back again, I expect to turn to it repeatedly in the future as handy reference material.
January 15, 2025
Wow, what a treat; instant favorite, excellent work on designing graphics for getting science across from the expert to lay person level; highly recommended; on the subject be sure to also check out; Book of Circles: Visualizing Spheres of Knowledge and The Book of Trees: Visualizing Branches of Knowledge, in addition: Visual Complexity: Mapping Patterns of Information.
July 16, 2024
This book is a treasure! The guide is so complete, it is not only super instructive but also inspiring ✨️ ❤️
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews