Anatomy of an Infographic: BRI’s Visual Information Artists

Before humans had spoken language, they had infographics. The earliest humans communicated information through drawings on cave walls. Over the course of history, people understood that visual representations were invaluable to teach (best hunting practices), create a writing system (hieroglyphs), provide directions (maps), and explain intricate relationships (graphs and charts).

Visual data exploded with the use of social media and the Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) in Portland, Maine, has jumped on that bandwagon big time.

BRI’s multi-talented staff includes a number of artists, and we in the communications department take full advantage of them. Every infographic aims to present data or simplify an idea or a concept and are usually customized for a specific audience. So, when we need to explain a complex scientific concept for use in our outreach materials, I know just who to call.

An Information Architect

Meet Iain Stenhouse, technically our marine bird expert — but I call him our “Information Architect.” He builds digital infographics to help make scientific information accessible to a general audience. But I’ll let him tell you in his own words:

“When a request for an infographic comes my way, the very first questions I ask are, ‘What do you want to get across and who are you talking to?’ The answers will drive the entire process.

“Although I work digitally in Adobe Illustrator, the initial concept often comes together first on paper. Photographs and other source material help enormously, but I always ask for something from my colleagues to get started. I want to know what they envision in their mind’s eye.

“They often respond with, ‘I’m not artistic… that’s why I came to you!’ But I explain that even the roughest, most abstract of scribbles can be enough to spark an idea that we can develop and refine through trial and error. A simple step like this can cut down the time involved enormously.

“Infographics need to be appealing pieces of art in their own right, of course, but to be successful, they must provide the crucial content in a simplified format that allows the viewer to absorb the information quickly, easily, and intuitively.

“Infographics are born of more art than science — to create them effectively, you need a good graphic design eye and a strong sense of layout — but being a scientist is a huge help in creating scientific illustrations. Even a basic knowledge of the subject matter is invaluable when attempting to depict and relate complex concepts or ideas.

“For example, knowing which species are appropriate in which settings increases the accuracy of the content, improves the efficiency of the creative process, and enhances the effectiveness of the ultimate design.

“Once I get going on a design, I build the artwork in layers, which can be clicked on and off. This allows greater flexibility for quick changes and edits down the road.

Once drafted, I work with colleagues to review and refine until the infographic delivers what they need. I revel in the process and enjoy getting ideas across to an array of audiences.”

A Rembrandt in Residence

Now, while Iain is a talented digital artist, we sometimes need something a little more traditional. For that, I go directly to our “Rembrandt in Residence,” Shearon Murphy.

Shearon, a loon biologist by day, started painting for pleasure at night. Her latent talent emerged when BRI needed a few bird illustrations for a report. With that first project, the flood gates of creativity sprung open. Here are her thoughts on what it takes to make an infographic come alive:

“It is my challenge to absorb another person’s vision, then process it into graphic reality. Usually, the product must work in concert with other graphics, text, and design elements — all of which must be considered.

“With each assignment, the ‘cognitive processing’ starts immediately; I must visualize the product to some extent before I can begin to create it. Often, that mental picture coagulates while my colleague is articulating their ideas to me, but sometimes it takes more coffee, aimless walks, and research to get there.

“In the first phase of creation, I will amass reference information, produce sketches, and work with the communications team to approve the composition. As the idea gels, I’ll choose the media and tools I need to bring the vision into reality.

“As a scientist and a person who appreciates accuracy, I spend A LOT of time researching my subjects; I am compulsive about understanding the nuances of the story I am trying to tell, or the subject that I am trying to represent. The internet allows me to explore places I have never been, and to observe creatures that I have never seen.

“Google Earth allows me to fly over the planet and visit far-flung landscapes — it’s kind of like an out of body experience. Botanical records help me know the correct plant species to establish an accurate sense of place.

“Images and videos across the internet show me details such as distinguishing characteristics, proper body proportions and (importantly) postures and mannerisms that give a species its unique character.

“For example, the USFWS Feather Atlas shows me the shapes and patterns of individual bird feathers by species. The internet also provides a window into communities, landscapes and ways of life around the globe, which is invaluable when I am tasked with representing cultures that I’ve never experienced.

“For each illustration, I will view hundreds to thousands of photos and resources, and I will select from around 10 to over 100 images on which to base my sketches and provide painting reference.

“Unlike Iain’s purely digital creations, most of mine require some component of traditional art techniques. I use a variety of media including graphite, watercolor, acrylic, and gouache.

“I either scan or photograph the artwork, then I use digital tools (such as PaintShop Pro or Procreate) to clean up and color correct the images before providing them to the communications team for use in published materials.

“Currently, I am working with BRI to provide illustrations for BRI’s upcoming book about the birds of Amboseli National Park, in Kenya. This project has challenged me in new and exciting ways, with complicated graphics and a new-to-me medium — not to mention the need to represent with accuracy complex species and human interactions in a place that I have never been!

“For this challenge, I am synergizing traditional painted pieces with digital layering to compose complex and dynamic scenes that are malleable in both content and composition.”

Science communications is an expanding industry, one that relies on the ability to translate complex into accessible, or what I call deceptively simple.

The final result might seem like a simple illustration, but the work needed to build layer upon layer, while keeping in mind audience, accuracy, and design, is anything but.

Deobrah McKew is Communications Director at the Biodiversity Research Institute. BRI’s mission is to assess emerging threats to wildlife and ecosystems through collaborative research, and use scientific findings to advance environmental awareness and inform decision makers. 

This essay first appeared in BRI’s quarterly, One Drop of Water, which features stories about their science, scientists, and the critical intersection where science informs policy.

Illustrations, from above: Illustrator Iain Stenhouse at work; a BRI loon infographic by Ian Stenhouse, Shearon Murphy and Linda Mirabile; and Shearon Murphy with a life-sized Red Wolf she painted for an art exhibit highlighting endangered species.