SciArt

Illustrate to communicate

The below images are for use on this portfolio page only. For permissions and commissions, contact me.

About my illustrations

Since early graduate school, I have been fascinated by using images to communicate about science. My illustrations have appeared on journal covers, in textbooks, in biotechnology curricula, and on scientific knowledge resource websites. Additionally, I have designed a number of study and department logos.

I work in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and Procreate to create vector illustrations in modern, simplistic icon styles for health applications and logo design. Further, I use these programs to create vector and pixel-based two dimensional cartoon-realism style illustrations for educational purposes; these take on various degrees of "realism" depending on the application. I also work in traditional media to create realistic illustrations, though as of yet I have not applied these media to scientific concepts. I currently am learning to work in Blender, Nomad Sculpt, and Cheetah3D along with traditional protein modeling software to create three-dimensional illustrations. 

Watch my talk1 in the Vanderbilt University Dean's Lecture Series Lab-to-Table Event on Scientists-Artists: Embracing Duality.

1 . Kathleen F. Mittendorf. Scientist-Artists: Embracing Duality. Moderated Panel Presentation and Discussion. Lab-to-Table Conversations. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences. Dean’s Lecture. July 27, 2022. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dA0f3Wc9jQ&feature=youtu.be. Accessed July 2024.  

Example Assets from Mittendorf Portfolio

Vector Icons and Other Small Vector Assets

A cartoon bottle of a prescription bottle containing pills. Two red and blue pills rest to the side

Prescription

A cartoon of a phone and a tablet. There is a sheen on the screens.

Mobile devices

A cartoon representation of a saliva kit for DNA sample collection

Saliva kit

A cartoon representation of a patient chart on a computer screen

Electronic patient chart

A cartoon representation of two chromosomes in teal with orange bands representing sections/genes

Chromosomes

A cartoon representation of two vials of blood in blue capped tubes

Blood vials

A cartoon depiction of a computer; the screen displays a large folder with the cross health icon on the folder

Electronic health record

A cartoon image representing a mammogram. Breast tissue on film is seen

Mammography

phone icon with a person icon and a red cross icon on the screen

Patient portal

Icon depiction of stethoscope with a red cross in a circle

Healthcare

icon depiction of a magnifying glass over an anatomical heart

Diagnosis

cartoon illustration of a stubbed out cigarette butt

Smoking cessation

An icon showing the left hemisphere of a brain and the right hemisphere is made of nodal connections

Machine learning

A simplistic icon showing a healthcare working with brown skin, dark brown hair, green scrubs, and a stethoscope

Healthcare worker

Cancer drug efficacy

A simplistic icon depicting a piece of paper on a clipboard with a person's photo, the red cross symbol, and a red EKG line

Patient chart

cartoon depiction of a 7 transmembrane helix protein binding to a ligand

GPCR ligand binding

cartoon depiction of ATP synthase, a circular enzyme that behaves like a series of gears driven by a hydrogen gradient

ATP synthase

cartoon depiction of a cell with two pairs of chromosomes depicted in the nucleus

Cell

cartoon depiction of a proteosome, a multisubunit cylindrical protein with a tunnel through the center

Proteosome

cartoon depiction of a steroid hormone chemical structure

Steroid hormone

cartoon depiction of a person with long hair in a white lab coat from the chest up

Study personnel

highly simplified cartoon depiction of an anatomical heart

Anatomic heart

cartoon depiction of a flask filled with red liquid. In front of the flask is a magnifying glass over a DNA molecule

Genetic diagnosis

Cartoon depiction of a rib cage x ray

X-ray

cartoon depiction of a DNA helix in blue, with one red base pair to indicate a mutation

DNA variant

very simplified single color envelope icon

Envelope

Simplified linework depiction of a group of 3 devices - a computer, a tablet, and a phone.

Simple devices icon

linework icon with a gear inset on the side of a cloud, with the text API

API icon

cartoon depiction of a cloud with a cartoon icon of a database, which is a set of flat stacked cylinders

Cloud database

Wheelchair icon, depicting the person as actively rolling their wheels

Accessibility

yellow triangle with black skull and cross bones

Toxic label

2D Illustration Assets

Realistic depiction of an anatomic heart

Anatomic heart

semi-realistic drawing of small and large intestines

Intestines

drawing of the bones of a hand within a person's hand with dark skin. The joints are depicted as glowing red.

Arthritis

Brain

Lungs

Kidney

Example 2D and 3D Illustrations from Mittendorf Portfolio

A stylized illustration of a peripheral neuron, depicting the structure of the axon and the myelin sheath that covers the axon. It shows that individual Schwann cells wrap around the axon, and that between the cells are nodes where a small piece of axon is exposed.

Architecture of Peripheral Nerve Myelin

A cartoon depiction of the cell cycle. Each phase is labeled and interacting molecules are depicted as labeled boxes.

Cell cycle control

License owned by MyCancerGenome.org

A cartoon realism illustration of various aspects of cellular metabolism. The chemical steps of glycolysis are shown in the upper left. The upper right contains an inset box labeled Box A depicting the citric acid cycle. The electron transport chain is depicted in the bottom.

Cellular Metabolism

License owned by MyCancerGenome.Org

Lupus Impacts Slide

Overview of CHARM Study Processes

A 7 part illustration of the seven phases of mitosis

Mitosis

B-cell expansion

License owned by MyCancerGenome.Org

a three dimensional stylized illustration of a protein, with subunits of different colors.

Hypothetical gamma secretase (blues/purples) cleavage of APP-C99 (rust)

A three part cyclical figure showing the interaction of three Aims, Aim 1: Analytic validity, Aim 2: Social Implications, and Aim 3: Clinical utility, for assessing an intervention's success and feasibility. Each aim is connected to each other aim with text indicating their impact on the care system (Aim 1-Aim 3), Patient experience (Aim 2-Aim 3), and accessibility (Aim 1-Aim 2)

Grant aims illustration

A stylized cartoon image of a tumor cell interacting with an immune cell and its extracellular matrix. Various signaling pathways are indicated in text

Tumor signaling

License owned by MyCancerGenome.Org

A vector illustration of 3 red blood cells. They appear shiny

Vector red blood cells

Alternative splicing of membrane proteins

A figure comparing a clinical workflow on the top to an alternative healthcare delivery workflow designed for a healthcare study.

Study workflow figure for grant application

A depiction of a body showing percent risk of cancer in various organs

Lynch syndrome cancer risk

A depiction of a body showing percent risk of cancer in various organs. The body is split in half to display female reproductive anatomy on the left and male reproductive anatomy on the right

HBOC cancer risk

Patient Information Slide About Targeted Cancer Therapies

A two dimensional drawing of a honey bee on a black background. The bee is rendered in white line work

Apis mellifera

A stylized image of a pill capsule with one half purple and the other half clear. Through the clear half, you can see a stylized DNA ladder with small stylized circular balls surrounding it

Targeted therapy

A cyclical graphic showing the interaction between curated knowledge bases and data repositories, clinical decision support services, patient centered support tools and services, and research tools and services

Figure created for Moonshot to Cure Cancer Working Group document

a labeled illustration of a bioreactor, showing various parts such as the baffle, diffuser, and cooling jacket

Stirred tank bioreactor

Example Logo Designs  from Mittendorf Portfolio

A logo for a podcast titled "informatics in the round". The logo is a white mic in a red circle. The lines on the microphone depicting the input have circles on the end, as data, informatics, and computer chips are sometimes stylistically depicted. The title of the podcast is below.

Logo for Informatics in the Round podcast

A study logo for a study titled "Oncology Knowledge Rapid Alerts" (OKRA). The O in Okra is shaped like OKRA. The outside of the O looks like a DNA double helix

Logo for OKRA study, funded by an NIH R21

Logo for Sparrow Family Medicine, a primary care practice in Paducah, KY

A logo for a company named Lavender Spectrum Health. The word Lavender is depicted in the color Lavender, the phrase "spectrum health" is depicted in the green of lavender flower stems. To the left of the name is a stylized heart in the same shade of green. In the heart are three sprigs of lavender, with their blossoms depicted in rainbow colors.

Logo for Lavender Spectrum Health, a primary care practice in Vancouver, WA, with a special focus on neurodivergence, trans care, and size-inclusive care

Example Study Materials from Mittendorf Portfolio

A poster adapted from the #BetterPoster style. The poster depicts a title, followed by a highlighted summary statement. The problem and solution addressed by the study are depicted next. Two boxes show the development process of a web application, including screen shots from the final application. A final box shows information on early implementation of the web application, showing that a large proportion of participants complete the tool without assistance and do so in a short amount of time.

Study poster

Presented at ASHG, 2019; poster award

An infographic handout explaining patient genetic testing results at a clinic site from a study and notifying providers of their potential recruitment to interviews related to their patient's study participation.

Study update

Used to recruit providers to interview

Example 3D Illustrations from Mittendorf Portfolio

3D illustration showing textured red blood cells, virus in teal, and textured white blood cells which are depicted as blue and purple under a layer of bubbly transparent purple. All cells are spilling out of a cropped blood vessel

Red and white blood cells with virus

Three dimensionally modeled neurons on a dark background. Neurons in the back are blurred to indicate perspective

Neurons

Stylized neurons

Three dimensionally modeled chromosomes in teal and DNA in blue. Perspective blur is applied

Genetics

Stylized chromosomes and DNA

A three dimensionally modeled lightbulb. A bright teal DNA model is in place of the filament

DNA filamented lightbulb

Three dimensionally modeled red blood cells flow through a vessel. Some of the blood cells are sickle-shaped while the rest appear healthy

Sickle cell trait

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