Welcome to our website — Krisztina Bíró’s scientific illustrations and art
“Art in Science,Science in Art”
Dear Visitor,
I am neither an artist nor a scientist. For sixty years, I have tried to capture on paper the marvellous living creations of evolution—using pencil, technical pen, brush and, more recently, the help of a computer.
My aim is to create scientifically accurate illustrations of plants, insects and other living organisms. An artist develops a personal style, and the author of a work can often be recognised at first glance. Scientific illustration is different: it succeeds when only the precisely observed biological characteristics of the organism are visible. The illustrator must remain in the background.
Whenever possible, I work from living material, because nature does not deceive: it always shows reality.
My creative process begins with research in specialist books and online to understand what characterises the species. This can take many hours, before I have picked up a single drawing tool. Once I can clearly imagine what the image must contain, I plan the composition and begin drawing in pencil. Depending on the intended use of the illustration, I then continue with pen and ink or apply colour with a brush and watercolour.
Selected works
Collection
Columns
The artist
Krisztina Bíró
Agricultural engineer · scientific illustrator
Krisztina Bíró is a Hungarian scientific illustrator and agricultural engineer who has worked in scientific illustration since 1970. She graduated as an agricultural engineer in 1969 and developed her botanical drawing practice under Dr Vera Csapody, one of Hungary’s distinguished botanical illustrators.
Until her retirement in 2004, she worked at the Plant Protection Institute in Keszthely. Her illustrations combine scientific precision with an artist’s eye, covering botany, weeds and seeds, cultivated and ornamental plants, fungal diseases, agricultural pests, prehistoric plants, fossils and animal anatomy.
More than 4,000 of her scientific illustrations have appeared in 173 documented publications and other works. Since 1971, her work has been presented in 32 exhibitions. She has received the Nívó Award nine times for scientific book illustration and, in 1994, became the fifth Hungarian illustrator registered by the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation in Pittsburgh.
Professional recognition
More than five decades of scientific illustration
Member of the Hungarian Creative Artists’ Society since 1979. Her career and work are documented in several Hungarian biographical and art reference publications.
Archív felvétel
A rajzok születése
Egy korabeli pillanat a tudományos illusztrációk készítésének mindennapjaiból.
Szakmai életmű
Teljes munkásság és elismerések
Here we share the complete 251-entry professional record, including publications, exhibitions, honours and press references.
Behind the work
From observation to finished illustration
Research and species study
The work begins with specialist books and online sources, identifying the defining characteristics of the species before any drawing begins.
Observation from life
Whenever possible, living plants, insects or other organisms are studied directly, because nature provides the most reliable forms, proportions and details.
Composition and pencil study
Once the essential features are understood, the composition is planned and an accurate structural drawing is developed in pencil.
Final rendering
Depending on its intended use, the pencil study is completed with pen and ink, watercolour or digital tools.
Write to us
We're happy to answer your questions
Have a question about an artwork or product? We are happy to help you choose. Contact us by email: info@scientificart.hu