Profile

Tawatha T. Elguero

Based in Oslo, Norway.

Contact:
collab.tawatha@proton.me

Instagram

I create research-led visuals that make biological structures, ecological relationships, and environmental processes clear and engaging.

I work with researchers, conservationists, and environmental organisations to translate scientific knowledge into visual narratives that support the understanding, restoration, and protection of ecosystems and nature.

Background

My background combines self-directed study with formal training in scientific illustration through specialised courses, and the Illustraciencia Academy. I have worked with students, researchers, and environmental organisations, including the Roots & Shoots educational program of the Jane Goodall Institute in Spain.

Since 2018, I have been active in citizen science, contributing species observations across Europe through iNaturalist and supporting research projects through Zooniverse. I am also a member of the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators and DNT: The Norwegian Trekking Association.

Testimonials

“Ms. Elguero’s work is always carried out with great professionalism, commitment, attention to detail, talent, and care, which is evident in the final results.”

Marisa Mariñán, Coordinator of Roots & Shoots, Jane Goodall Institute Spain

”As a primatologist and researcher, I deeply value Tawatha’s work and perspective as a scientific illustrator. She has a remarkable ability to combine scientific rigor with artistic sensitivity, creating illustrations that are not only beautiful, but also meaningful and highly effective for science communication. Over the years, I have always been impressed by her professionalism, curiosity, and genuine passion for nature and science. I specially appreciate people capable of building such a strong bridge between art and science.”

Dr. Miquel Llorente

Director, Master’s Degree in Scientific Illustration in Natural Sciences, Universitat de Girona

Director, Master’s Degree in Primatology, Universitat de Barcelona

“I came across Tawatha’s work by chance, and it was an amazing find. I needed highly specific hyperrealistic illustrations for a scientific article, and the result exceeded all my expectations. Even though the subjects were almost indistinguishable from one another, she captured each individual’s uniqueness perfectly while staying in close contact with me throughout the process for feedback. She was an abdolute pleasure to work with.”

Carla Pascual, Primatologist, UdG (Universidad de Girona)

Skills

Visual Communication
Scientific Illustration
Graphics
Research & Information Synthesis
Ecological Storytelling
Field Observation
Creativity and Innovation

Software

Adobe Creative Suite
QGIS
Blender

Tawatha T. Elguero

Scientific Illustration

Visual Communication

Making the
Invisible Visible

Revealing the structures, processes, and relationships
of the natural world through scientific illustration, and
visual communication.

Case Studies

Field Notes

Blog

CS-8

Roots & Shoots Diploma
Mixed media
Jane Goodall Institute Spain · 2019

A certificate designed for the Roots & Shoots youth programme, combining hand-drawn illustration with digital colour, typography, and layout.

Roots & Shoots Diploma
Jane Goodall Institute Spain
Illustration & graphic design
Ink · Digital colour · Photoshop
Spain
2019

Context

In 2019, I began to collaborate with the Roots & Shoots youth program by the Jane Goodall Institute in Spain. This is an institute founded by the late Jane Goodall, a primatologist and activist, known for her long study of chimpanzees at Gombe National Park in Africa. Her work led to pioneering findings in primatology, such as the observation of chimpanzee tool use, a discovery that forced the scientific community to rethink the definition of what “human” meant at the time.

The program takes positive action through local and international projects aimed at wildlife conservation, the environment, and local communities.

I volunteered on multiple designs, including a diploma handed to new Roots & Shoots group participants.

Illustration process

I combined hand-drawn dot-work with later digital colour refinement, combining a traditional illustration style with a finished digital touch.

In the digital post-production stage, the original hand-drawn dot-work was refined through colour-correction, texture work, typography, and final layout adjustments in Photoshop.

Chimpanzee Hand

A chimpanzee hand so that children can compare their own hands to those of one of our closest relatives and understand the functionality of the opposable thumb.

By comparing their hand with the illustration, children can explore how the opposable thumb supports gripping, climbing, touching, grooming, and manipulating objects, while learning how form relates to function in evolution.

Final version:

Chimpanzee hand anatomy study - Tawatha T. Elguero