The state of the art

Graphical representation of molecular and cellular features is a key form of communication in structural biology in which abstract symbols of an economical and visually appropriate kind, pseudo-color coding, and dynamic animations all play their parts. Accordingly, it should not be surprising that many structural biologists--like traditional biologists before them--are talented artists who also express themselves on "non-scientific" topics. This article illustrates the approaches of and pictures by several practicing scientist-artists-mainly, in this sampling, electron microscopists.