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

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-patreonTimestamps0:00:00: Ella's unlikely path to doing scientific illustrations0:33:17: Running a studio for scientific illustrations0:36:30: The process of commissioning a scientific figure0:46:44: The changing landscape of scientific publications and communication0:50:15: Unhelpful things to avoid when interacting with a science illustrator0:59:06: Who are scientific illustrations for?1:06:36: The purpose of illustrations in science1:16:09: How to learn to improve scientific figures1:22:30: How to become a scientific illustrator1:26:10: A book or paper more people should read1:27:48: Something Ella wishes she'd learnt sooner1:29:10: Advice for PhD students/postdocsPodcast linksWebsite: https://geni.us/bjks-podTwitter: https://geni.us/bjks-pod-twtElla's linksWebsite: https://geni.us/marushchenko-webTwitter: https://geni.us/marushchenko-twtBen's linksWebsite: https://geni.us/bjks-webGoogle Scholar: https://geni.us/bjks-scholarTwitter: https://geni.us/bjks-twtReferences and linksSome pictures by Sergey Krasnov: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sergey_krasnov/Sergiy Minko: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=TMotc_wAAAAJScience diagrams that look like shitposts: https://x.com/scienceshitpostMy photo of the elephant at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle: https://www.bjks.blog/nature/3n6ljuy6noa5470tdsbcuicltu48dfEpisode about Cajal: https://geni.us/bjks-ehrlich Bulgakov (1967). The Master and Margarita.