A guest lecture titled "Practicing Visual Science: Creating Informative and Aesthetic Biological Illustrations" was held on Wednesday, October 22 and 29, 2025, by the Biology Education Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Yogyakarta State University. This event featured Ratih Dewanti, a science illustrator actively working in the field of scientific visualization for publications, learning, and educational media.
In this activity, students gained an in-depth understanding of how illustration works as a scientific communication tool, which must not only be visually appealing but also accurate, informative, and compliant with biological principles. Ratih Dewanti explained the steps in the illustration process, from determining the subject matter and selecting credible scientific reference sources to applying sketching, outlining, coloring, and emphasizing shapes to produce visual works that are anatomically and structurally accurate.
As a practice subject, students drew a golden ladybug (Aspidomorpha sanctaecrucis), an insect species with unique shape and color reflection characteristics. This process helped students practice their ability to observe the morphology of organisms in detail, while also understanding how visualization can strengthen their understanding of the concepts of structure and function in biology.
One of the participating students, Cesar Nurlita Falah, shared her impressions,
"This activity helped me understand that biological illustration isn't just about art, but about the precision in interpreting the form and structure of organisms.
Meanwhile, Annisa Noor said,
"Ratih's explanations were very applicable and easy to follow. I became more confident in drawing, especially when I understood how to select the correct scientific references and process them into attractive illustrations."
The activity concluded with a work appreciation and documentation session. This guest lecture provided an inspiring learning experience and strengthened students' competency in visualizing biological concepts scientifically and aesthetically.