Choosing the Right Career for Artists and Scientists: Combining a Love for Painting with an Interest in Science and Nature

To choose a career, you first need to account for your personality. While many people are naturally inclined towards certain fields like painting or science, it's crucial to match your talents and interests with the right career. Simply wanting not to go to work is not enough—it must align with your skills and passion.

That's essentially what I do! Currently, I'm sitting in my living room watching the news while creating illustrations of natural things, and I'm a Scientific Illustrator. With a college degree in biology and several courses in scientific illustration, I found a steady job under my tutor. He pays me to do the jobs he doesn't have time to take, and he takes lots of them.

What I Do as a Scientific Illustrator

I've been asked to illustrate various things, from plastic traps for insects to newly identified animals found in deep caves, schematic figures to explain the water cycle, and detailed diagrams of the human digestive system, fish spawning, and bee pollination. While some of my colleagues have managed to take on some jobs without a biology background, they struggle more than I do. For example, if you don't even know how many legs a lobster has, creating a realistic and correct illustration can be quite challenging. Continuous study of science, especially biology, is helpful.

Technical Skills and Methods

For illustration, technique is crucial. Some techniques are more time-efficient than others. I have tried almost every technique available, including watercolor, acrylics, gouache, Indian ink, pencil, scratchboard, calligraphy, and colored pencils. However, the digital technique has allowed me to produce art quickly and cleanly. I was already quite good at it, self-taught even before I learned about scientific illustration. This gave me a competitive edge compared to my colleagues who had never even touched a digital drawing tablet.

The digital technique has several advantages. It doesn't require drying time, eliminating the frustration of waiting for the painting to dry before continuing. Additionally, once the initial hardware and software are purchased, there's no need to keep buying paper, paint, and brushes. It also makes it easier to share your work and reuse it. For instance, if you've already painted a 7-dot ladybug and need to make a 5-dot ladybug, you can simply open the document, change the spots, save, and send it off in just a few minutes. A month's worth of work can be done in just 5 minutes.

Challenges and Rewards

Scientific illustration is a demanding and stressful job. You won't always be asked to paint cute animals and pretty things—some of the things I've illustrated include insects that I personally loathe. Clients can be difficult: absurd, demanding, senseless, stubborn, and even downright impolite. You'll likely spend many late nights working hard to meet deadlines, and weekends will be a distant memory. Working from home can be a blessing but also makes it harder to keep track of time and can be more distracting.

The pay isn't great when you're just starting your career. However, if you have a scientific mind, love painting, and can do it quickly with high detail, it might be worth giving it a try. The work you do can make a significant impact, especially in education and scientific communication.

In conclusion, scientific illustration isn't for everyone, but if you align your passion for painting with a love for science and nature, it can be a fulfilling and rewarding career.