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Fiona Martin

@vizscience.bsky.social

370 followers 160 following 12 posts

Distilling complex concepts into beautiful visuals 😍 📰 Graphic Artist at Seattle Times 🎨 Sci Artist at Visualizing Science https://www.visualizingscience.com

www.visualizingscience.com

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Reposted by Fiona Martin

The Seattle Times @seattletimes.com · Aug 30

Here's what we know so far after federal agents arrested two firefighters on Wednesday.

What we know about the Bear Gulch firefighter arrests

Two firefighters were arrested by federal agents on Wednesday at the Bear Gulch fire. Here's what we know so far.

www.seattletimes.com

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Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · Aug 29

Recently I created a #cutaway diagram of a glacier in retreat, and what causes/accelerates melting. Also, #illustrations of animals and plants that may disappear as alpine meadows are lost 🏔️ Drawn digitally in pen-and-ink style. Read more at www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news... #sciart #climate

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Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · Aug 4

So happy this illustration was accepted into GNSI's annual exhibit! Learn about how trees lock away carbon for centuries—and competing economic interests—in these @seattletimes.com stories: bit.ly/4mwCOqV, bit.ly/4lUk9Fq

Exhibit:
www.gnsi.org/2025-gnsi-ju...

#evergreen #photosynthesis #sciart

Print version of graphic. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into sugars, using the food to grow. This process, called photosynthesis, allows plants to make their own food, storing the carbon in their tissues as they grow roots, branches and leaves. In this way, trees help fight climate change by absorbing and storing carbon pollution that is heating the planet. Big trees store the most carbon because of their mass, and long-lived species such as Douglas fir and red cedar can lock carbon away for centuries. Trees absorb carbon dioxide gas through openings in leaves or needles called stomata. Chloroplasts within leaves and needles use the energy of the sun to split water molecules drawn up through tree roots into hydrogen and oxygen, released through their stomata. Trees and other green plants create the air we breathe, and shelter and nourish life as we know it.

Mobile version of graphic. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and turn it into sugars, using the food to grow. This process, called photosynthesis, allows plants to make their own food, storing the carbon in their tissues as they grow roots, branches and leaves. In this way, trees help fight climate change by absorbing and storing carbon pollution that is heating the planet. Big trees store the most carbon because of their mass, and long-lived species such as Douglas fir and red cedar can lock carbon away for centuries. Trees absorb carbon dioxide gas through openings in leaves or needles called stomata. Chloroplasts within leaves and needles use the energy of the sun to split water molecules drawn up through tree roots into hydrogen and oxygen, released through their stomata. Trees and other green plants create the air we breathe, and shelter and nourish life as we know it.

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Reposted by Fiona Martin

Guild of Natural Science Illustrators @gnsiart.bsky.social · May 22

Time is running out to register for the 2025 GNSI Visual SciComm Conference! Register by June 12th to take full advantage of our July 13 - 19 conference in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.

Learn more and register here: www.gnsi.org/Visual-SciCo...

A photo of a handful of people standing in a gallery space talking informally in groups. There is an exhibition of science art on the walls in the background.

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Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · May 22

Sometimes I get lucky with the mobile office view

#ferry #ferrycommute #WSDOT #Seattle #WashingtonState

View of the water from second car deck on the Walla Walla

Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · May 17

Thanks Sally! I feel so lucky to be working with some of the best writers in the biz, Mike Reicher and Lynda Mapes.

Reposted by Fiona Martin

Margaret Harris @drmlharris.bsky.social · Jan 23

This is a science 🧪 story about Mount St Helens, and gophers, and how small positive actions can, in time, make a big difference. I thought a few of you might need to hear it this week. (1/x) 🧵

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Reposted by Fiona Martin

Conrad Swanson @conradswanson.bsky.social · Jan 13

Washington is turning into a hotbed for carbon capture, removal and storage work.

What the heck is all that stuff anyway? Does it, like, work? Or is it all hype?

www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

WA is a hotbed for carbon capture research. What is it anyway?

The concept of carbon capture, removal and storage is fairly simple, but in practice it's much more complicated and controversial.

www.seattletimes.com

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Reposted by Fiona Martin

Samantha Mash @samanthamash.bsky.social · Jul 11

An editorial piece I did in 2020. This one was for the New Republic about the California wildfires and what it means to be a Californian during such intense times of climate change

I enjoyed how this one turned out, and as a person who was born and raised in CA it was near and dear to my heart

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Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · Jan 11

This might be my favorite art challenge. Who else is doing this? @gnsiart.bsky.social #sciart #scicomm #vizscicomm

Noll @nollthere.bsky.social · Jan 3

Thank you @blueappaloosa.bsky.social for the official hashtag for this #SciArt challenge, which will be #EndangArt !
1 art piece for an endangered species per month in 2025 with optional prompts.
Use alt text please, any style/medium/effort welcome, as long as it's human-made!
#ArtChallenge

Graphic that reads "#EndangArt, 12 month challenge, 1 endangered species art piece per month in 2025 with optional prompts." The prompts listed are: January, Arctic and Tundra. February, Un-charismatic. March, forest. April, reptile. May, shoreline and water. June, colorful. July, desert. August, invertebrate. September, bird. October, mammal. November, fish. December, positive news. The image contains faded, retro images of an orangutan and a colorful fruit pigeon.

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Reposted by Fiona Martin

Robert Simmon @rsimmon.bsky.social · Jan 10

The graphics in this @reuters.com article on air tankers battling the fires in LA are astonishingly good.

www.reuters.com/graphics/CAL...

via @interactives.bsky.social

Map of flight paths around the Los Angeles fires. Flight paths are indicated by red lines, roads by gray lines, forested areas with muted green, and active fires with dark gray dots. The map is accented by hill shading.

Annotated graphs of altitude and flight times for observation aircraft and tankers, showing coordination of the fleet.

Hand-drawn illustration showing how helicopters and aircraft are used to dump water and flame retardant to help fight wildfires.

High-resolution color satellite image showing red flame retardant laid in front of an advancing fire with copious smoke.

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Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · Jan 9

Happy #WIP Wednesday. Here's some sketches behind an illo I created about bull #kelp. Research included a survey by boat off Burrows Island with Samish Dept. of Natural Resources. Full story: www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news.... Writing by @conradswanson.bsky.social; photos by Nick Wagner. #sciart

Refined sketch with attention given to proportions and details, as well as the overall composition.

Rough thumbnail illustrations (business card–sized) help me to narrow the scope and decide what I want to show.

The final illustration shows a close-up of bull kelp in the foreground, with part of the bulb cut away to show that it's hollow and filled with air. Another inset shows the holdfast that anchors the kelp to rocks. The background illustration shows a sample bull kelp forest from sea floor to surface, where the fronds sprawl out to create a floating canopy. The underwater forest provides both shelter and food to a rich array of life, from shellfish to salmon.

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Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · Nov 23

Show me your pet and what they are named after:

Reposted by Fiona Martin

Mark Skaggs @markskaggs10.bsky.social · Nov 20

942mb bomb cyclone!! Likely the lowest pressure ever recorded in this area of the Pacific Ocean #wawx

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Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · Nov 20

When left alone, nature will regulate itself… log-jammed, braided rivers that once covered the PNW naturally slowed, spread, and filtered water as it made its way to the sea, providing varied habitats for salmon, beavers, and more 🪵Read more at www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...

Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · Nov 20

Post a picture you took (no description) to bring some zen to the timeline

Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · Jan 6

Count me in! Looking forward to meeting some of you. Science illustrator and graphic artist nerd from Seattle Times 👩‍🎨

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Reposted by Fiona Martin

Liz Butler @lizlagomorph.bsky.social · Aug 4

#SciArtSeptember Year 3!
Upcoming monthly art challenge: for drawing + sharing creatures, geology, archaeology, and your other favourite objects of study (or affection).
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🐡 🎨

Banner for the Sci Art September art challenge. The banner features a sketch, as an example of art to create during the event. It also features the following text: Hashtag Sci Art September. Month-long art challenge. Following that is the 30-word prompt list, included here: 1 Starry, 2 Battle, 3 Favourite, 4 Cold-Blooded, 5 Strangling, 6 Understory, 7 Indigo, 8 Simian, 9 Heart, 10 Gossamer, 11 Lyrical, 12 Overgrowth, 13 Carmine, 14 Glowing, 15 Bird-like, 16 Ochre, 17 Abstract, 18 Talon, 19 Charcoal, 20 Sweet, 21 Misty, 22 Nocturnal, 23 Adornment, 24 Metallic, 25 Alchemical, 26 Threads, 27 Amethyst, 28 Monumental, 29 Tale, 30 Rebirth. After the list is the following text: Hosted by @FlyingTrilobite and @LizLagomorph. Year 3, September 2023.

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Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · Aug 9

Thank you Glendon! Curious, why the puffer fish? 🐡 Love it tho (marine bio major here)

Fiona Martin @vizscience.bsky.social · Aug 9

Hello Blue! I’m a science illustrator/designer, and enjoy interpreting info visually. When done well, art is like a universal language. Combined with text, it becomes a rich storytelling experience. Honored to work with talented authors and scientists, learning more w/each project. #sciart #scicomm

Infographic explaining how chocolate products can get contaminated with cadmium (mostly from soils) and lead (mostly dust polluted from lead gasoline or lead paint). This happens more often in poorer countries where farmers are not paid a living wage 🙁 That said there are safer brands out there. Originally published in Seattle Times February 2023.

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