Turning Science into Art: The Creative Process of Scientific Journal Cover Illustration
Confirmation
1
Document Type
Poster
Location
ONU McIntosh Center; Activities Room
Start Date
11-4-2025 12:00 PM
End Date
11-4-2025 12:50 PM
Abstract
Scientific journal cover illustration sits at the intersection of scientific concepts and visual storytelling. This presentation explores the connection between these fields through my artist-in-residence experience at Vanderbilt University’s Artlab Studio last summer. With a background in the arts, I learned on the job to analyze scientific articles and translate them into visually-appealing illustrations. Motivated by a desire to attract non-scientific audiences to scientific journals, my creative process evolved into a multi-step approach that relied on collaborative critiques and scientific review. The residency culminated in two of my three completed illustrations being selected as CellPress journal covers. By reflecting on my creative process, my presentation aims to demonstrate the value of a creative mindset in the scientific field and outline explicit steps for developing cover art illustrations that engage both the artistic and scientific communities.
Recommended Citation
Mancuso, Carmen, "Turning Science into Art: The Creative Process of Scientific Journal Cover Illustration" (2025). ONU Student Research Colloquium. 70.
https://digitalcommons.onu.edu/student_research_colloquium/2025/Posters/70
Open Access
Available to all.
Turning Science into Art: The Creative Process of Scientific Journal Cover Illustration
ONU McIntosh Center; Activities Room
Scientific journal cover illustration sits at the intersection of scientific concepts and visual storytelling. This presentation explores the connection between these fields through my artist-in-residence experience at Vanderbilt University’s Artlab Studio last summer. With a background in the arts, I learned on the job to analyze scientific articles and translate them into visually-appealing illustrations. Motivated by a desire to attract non-scientific audiences to scientific journals, my creative process evolved into a multi-step approach that relied on collaborative critiques and scientific review. The residency culminated in two of my three completed illustrations being selected as CellPress journal covers. By reflecting on my creative process, my presentation aims to demonstrate the value of a creative mindset in the scientific field and outline explicit steps for developing cover art illustrations that engage both the artistic and scientific communities.