I recently filled out an artist database profile, and one of the questions was both great and thought-provoking. It was also deceptively simple:
After mulling that over for a while, this is what I came up with:
I’m particularly excited about illustration for adults and children that doesn’t obscure how ecosystems work; editorial projects that connect readers’ everyday lives to the natural world; and collaborating with researchers interested in incorporating drawing into their research, teaching, and public communication efforts.
The database form also requested links to samples of previous projects, the kind I’d like to do more of. A set of illustrations from early this spring immediately sprang to mind.
I made the following drawings to accompany a 300-word nugget about the history of science – how an Italian priest made an important breakthrough in our understanding of animal reproduction. That might not sound terribly exciting, but the nuances of that not-so-priestly experiment are.
Frog in Pants details how a Renaissance-age priest dressed frogs in taffeta pants, and in so doing, (partially) demystified sex.
My illustrations, coupled with the text by American Scientist associate editor Katie Burke, were published by www.buzzhootroar.com in March.
The piece went viral.
Sure, it’s nice to have people look at my work. But is that what makes Frog in Pants an exemplary project?
Nope. The real reason is that it’s a fantastic example of what is possible when custom illustrations are melded with the right science story. In this case, we checked all the boxes in a simple SciComm equation:
Compelling illustrations tailored to the project
+ Science story about something (nearly) everyone can relate to
= Dynamite SciComm
10s of thousands of people viewed and interacted with Frog in Pants. They learned something about themselves, in the context of how science works (building on centuries of exploration, experimentation, and discovery).
That’s why I point to some seemingly simple line drawings as an example of what I want to keep doing.
Frog in Pants epitomizes the synergy we can generate when we merge artful visual communication with engaging stories about science and the people who do it.
What’s your favorite example of great visual science storytelling?
Bethann Garramon Merkle, MFA 
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