110. Ella Marushchenko: Scientific illustrations, digital vs. classic art, and how to improve scientific figures

BJKS Podcast

Ella Marushchenko is a scientific illustrator who runs a studio of artists and scientists that creates cover art, scientific and illustrations, and more. We talk about her unlikely path from artist in Russia to scientific illustrator in the US, digital vs classic art, how to interact as scientists with illustrators, how to improve scientific figures, and much more.
BJKS Podcast is a podcast about neuroscience, psychology, and anything vaguely related, hosted by Benjamin James Kuper-Smith.
Support the show: https://geni.us/bjks-patreon
Timestamps
0:00:00: Ella's unlikely path to doing scientific illustrations
0:33:17: Running a studio for scientific illustrations
0:36:30: The process of commissioning a scientific figure
0:46:44: The changing landscape of scientific publications and communication
0:50:15: Unhelpful things to avoid when interacting with a science illustrator
0:59:06: Who are scientific illustrations for?
1:06:36: The purpose of illustrations in science
1:16:09: How to learn to improve scientific figures
1:22:30: How to become a scientific illustrator
1:26:10: A book or paper more people should read
1:27:48: Something Ella wishes she'd learnt sooner
1:29:10: Advice for PhD students/postdocs
Podcast links

• Website: https://geni.us/bjks-pod
• Twitter: https://geni.us/bjks-pod-twt

Ella's links

• Website: https://geni.us/marushchenko-web
• Twitter: https://geni.us/marushchenko-twt

Ben's links

• Website: https://geni.us/bjks-web
• Google Scholar: https://geni.us/bjks-scholar
• Twitter: https://geni.us/bjks-twt

References and links
Some pictures by Sergey Krasnov: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sergey_krasnov/
Sergiy Minko: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TMotc_wAAAAJ
Science diagrams that look like shitposts: https://x.com/scienceshitpost
My photo of the elephant at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle: https://www.bjks.blog/nature/3n6ljuy6noa5470tdsbcuicltu48df
Episode about Cajal: https://geni.us/bjks-ehrlich
Bulgakov (1967). The Master and Margarita.

Chapters

1. Ella's unlikely path to doing scientific illustrations (00:00:00)

2. Running a studio for scientific illustrations (00:33:17)

3. The process of commissioning a scientific figure (00:36:30)

4. The changing landscape of scientific publications and communication (00:46:44)

5. Unhelpful things to avoid when interacting with a science illustrator (00:50:15)

6. Who are scientific illustrations for? (00:59:06)

7. The purpose of illustrations in science (01:06:36)

8. How to learn to improve scientific figures (01:16:09)

9. How to become a scientific illustrator (01:22:30)

10. A book or paper more people should read (01:26:10)

11. Something Ella wishes she'd learnt sooner (01:27:48)

12. Advice for PhD students/postdocs (01:29:10)