Scientific Illustration

Scientific illustration at SECOS has developed as a space where art, science, and socio-ecological knowledge intersect, aimed at supporting the training of scientific illustrators through direct engagement with the research the institute conducts along the coasts of Chile. In collaboration with the Robsonella Project, and through courses such as Costa Central Ilustrada (2021), Illustrated Polychaetes (2022), and the Ichthyological Illustration Courses (2022 and 2023), the initiative has promoted an illustration practice rooted in the territory. This practice combines a high technical standard with the concrete visual communication needs of researchers, field visits and research center visits, and an active connection with coastal territories and communities.

In parallel, collaborative work with illustrators such as Andrea Pizarro, Alonso Salazar, Felipe Portilla, and Renata Garretón has enabled the development of infographics, graphical abstracts, and manuals related to the socio-ecological issues studied by the institute. These outputs have emerged through co-creation processes involving scientists, illustrators, and communities.

These initiatives have been carried out in collaboration with institutions such as the Chilean Ichthyological Society, the Chilean Society for Marine Sciences, the Observatorio de la Costa, the Estación Costera de Investigaciones Marinas of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (ECIM), and the i-mar Center of the Universidad de Los Lagos, strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration networks and contributing to science communication, environmental education, and the development of visual languages that are sensitive to the ecological and cultural contexts of the Chilean coast.

Virtual Exhibitions of Illustration Courses

Central Coast Illustration 2021:

Virtual gallery featuring illustration projects created by students of the Costa Central Ilustrada 2021 course. The course was taught by Felipe Portilla, Fernanda Oyarzún, and Carolina Martínez between September 20 and October 29, 2021, and was a joint effort by the Robsonella Project, the SECOS Millennium Institute in Coastal Socio-Ecology, and the Observatorio de la Costa.

This online tutorial course, which also included a complementary week of in-person fieldwork, sought to create a bridge between contemporary scientific illustration and interdisciplinary research on the marine diversity of Chile’s central coast from a socio-ecological perspective. Over six weeks, participants explored illustration techniques using graphite, ink, and colored pencils, as well as the full process of developing a scientific illustration—from sketches and field notes, and the observation of organisms, to the creation of a finished illustration using a chosen technique and its subsequent digital editing.

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Ichthyological Illustration 2022:

This course was co-organized by the SECOS Millennium Institute in Coastal Socio-Ecology and the Robsonella Project, creating a bridge between scientific illustration and research on Chile’s marine biodiversity. The course explored the basic foundations and methodologies of contemporary scientific illustration applied to research on fishes (ichthyology) and their study in Chile.

Students learned the fundamentals of scientific illustration and its role both within and beyond academia, in connection with the study and communication of ichthyological research. Topics included fish natural history, biology, morphology, physiology, ecology, and their relationship with socio-ecology.

Activities were conducted remotely through live classes and meetings, demonstrations of illustration techniques, and personalized mentoring of individual projects with scientific guidance over five weeks, preceded by two weeks of preparatory video tutorials and basic exercises. The course was designed for professionals and students in the biological and environmental sciences, as well as artists, illustrators, designers, and anyone interested in exploring contemporary scientific illustration and the visualization of ichthyological knowledge.

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Ichthyological Illustration 2023 I

Integrating the Socio-Ecological Knowledge of Fishes in Chile (October 2–30, 2023)

In the Ichthyological Illustration 2023 course, held from October 2 to 30, 2023, instructors Felipe Portilla (marine biologist from the Universidad de Valparaíso and scientific illustrator) and Fernanda Oyarzún (PhD in Biology, SECOS Associate Researcher, and visual artist) guided students through the foundations and methodologies of scientific illustration applied to fish research in Chile.

Co-organized by the Robsonella Project and the SECOS Millennium Institute in Coastal Socio-Ecology, the course was also supported by the Chilean Ichthyological Association (ACHICTIO) and the Chilean Society for Marine Sciences (SCHCM). With participants from Chile, Argentina, and Mexico, the course sought to integrate socio-ecological knowledge about fishes, exploring topics such as natural history, biology, morphology, physiology, ecology, conservation, and their relationships with humans.

The course lasted five weeks and was delivered online, featuring live classes, demonstrations of illustration techniques, and personalized mentoring for individual projects. Aimed at professionals and students in the biological and environmental sciences, artists, and individuals interested in scientific illustration, the course encouraged interdisciplinary exploration and the use of diverse illustration techniques.

As always, our goal was to foster a rich and diverse learning community that connected participants with scientists, academic research, and the visualization needs within ichthyology, contributing to the appreciation of threatened marine natural heritage.

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