Thread by @realscientists

(1/6) This was a fun piece I illustrated with @NatGeo on the neuroanatomy of the common octopus 🐙 Seems relatively simple but (as many of you can attest) a lot of good storytelling is stripping AWAY info as opposed to adding.. (here's a peak at the process work below)

(2/6) First sketch that was proposed to me for the story. I was immediately hooked since I am fascinated with octopi 😍🐙

(3/6) Most of the work in science illustration actually goes into background research, coordinating w/ world experts (sometimes means emailing across 5 different timezones - Greenland, Australia, Canada, US, Europe...). Most times we have to go with the best 'theory' out there 🤔

(4/6) I made a new sketch of the original proposal, tried to add some dynamic angles, moved scale bar horizontal vs vertical, etc. Very very rough at this stage as it should be (you can't get bogged down with details at the early phase) ✏️🗑️

Senior Graphics Editor Fernando Baptista is a genius sculptor and is able to re-create anything in 3D (clay/hand-made, not digital!) This helped us create volume and texture to bring the sketch to life 🐙

(6/6) We add anatomy back into the digitized sculpture and vector lines for more geometric shapes (like the nerves). After several review stages w/ editorial team, writers, graphic designers, art director and researchers, we arrive (magically) at the final product 🙂🐙 #teamwork