INTERViEW ~ Tips for Scientists on Working with Artists

There’s a new online resource for scientists, and it’s called Lifeology.

Lifeology | The place where science and art converge

Lifeology is a platform that brings together scientists, artists and storytellers to helping all people better understand and engage with science.

I was lucky enough to see their call to artists on Twitter and added my two cents to their article aimed at educating scientists about working with artists. It’s such a hugely important topic and this article is great for both scientists and artists.

My favorite interview questions was: What are some common basic questions that scientists have for you when the collaboration first gets going? What are some common misconceptions or lack of
knowledge that they have?

My Answer:
I’m as much an educator in sharing the process of creating, as much as I am the creator making the work. I also
often ask what the budget is up front because then I can tailor details like size, timeline, usage
rights, medium to the project. I learned that it’s incredibly helpful to provide a project contract
that scientist and I both sign which includes timeline, deliverables, payment, sketches etc. I
believe in long term collaborations (lifetime even) and I usually get involved because I’m
passionate about the subject and excited about the science and interpreting it visually. The
biggest misconception I would like to dispel is that we can/want to do the work for free, or for
exposure, or [fill in the blank]. I do pro bono work but that circles back to wanting to build long
term relationships.

Read the whole article: https://lifeology.io/how-do-i-work-with-a-sci-artist-15-artists-answer-scientists-qs/