Kalliopi Monoyios

science illustration

Science Illustration (2001-2020)

My science illustrations reflect over a decade of work in the paleontology lab of Neil Shubin at the University of Chicago. As Shubin's primary scientific illustrator I worked on documenting the exciting discovery of Tiktaalik roseae, the only fossil to ever appear above the fold on the front page of The New York Times, as well as his best-selling books, Your Inner Fish and The Universe Within. Shubin's latest book which I had the pleasure to illustrate, Some Assembly Required, was just released in March of 2020. Other highlights included illustrating for the Princeton Alumni Weekly, various researchers in developmental biology, and Jerry Coyne's best-selling book, Why Evolution is True.

Tiktaalik roseae reconstruction, 2014

Tiktaalik roseae reconstruction, 2014

Cover illustration for Your Inner Fish

Your Inner Fish; paperback cover. 

Following the discovery of Tiktaalik roseae, Neil Shubin embarked upon a popular science book that would illuminate the meaning of the discovery for everyone from high school students to retirees. The project unfolded over a year and a half resulting in 41 original illustrations created alongside the emerging text, plus the cover illustration. Creating the images in tandem with the text was critical in making the visual explanations fit seamlessly with the verbal. Published in 2007, the book has won numerous awards and has been translated into 27+ languages.

Tiktaalik roseae fin stipple

Tiktaalik roseae fin stipple, 2006


Shubin, et. al.

The pectoral fin of Tiktaalik roseae and the origin of the tetrapod limb. Nature volume 440, pages 764–771 (06 April 2006).  doi:10.1038/nature04637

Most of the elements that make up our bodies were formed in the hearts of stars; illustration for Neil Shubin's book, The Universe Within; 2013

cover illustration of Science magazine, April 2004


Shubin, et. al. The Early Evolution of the
Tetrapod Humerus Science 02 Apr 2004:
Vol. 304, Issue 5667, pp. 90-93
DOI: 10.1126/science.1094295

Drosophila illustration

Drosophila melanogaster, 2013 

for the Princeton Alumni Weekly magazine

Earth (left) and Exoplanet (right) interior cross-sections, 2020 for Thomas Duffy, Professor of Geosciences at Princeton University

Press release figure for 2014 paper on fossil evidence for limb regeneration in a 300-million year old fossil, Micromelerpeton.


Fröbisch NB, Bickelmann C, Witzmann F. 2014 Early evolution of limb regeneration in tetrapods: evidence from a 300-million-year-old amphibian. Proc. R. Soc. B 281: 20141550.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.1550

lungs and swim bladders from Some Assembly Required

Lungs and swim bladders, from Some Assembly Required, by Neil Shubin

Bithorax in Drosophila

The effect of the gene mutation bithorax on Drosophila. 

Antennapedia in Drosophila

The effect of the gene mutation antennapedia on Drosophila



Cover illustration of Nature

Cover illustration of Nature

Endosymbiosis, from Some Assembly Required, by Neil Shubin

Endosymbiosis, from Some Assembly Required, by Neil Shubin

Maiasaurus logo by KMonoyios for GNSI annual conference, 2007, Bozeman, MT

Logo featuring Maiasaurus for the 2007 Guild of Natural Science Illustrators' Conference

honeycreepers of Hawaii illustration by KMonoyios for Jerry Coyne's Why Evolution is True

Honeycreepers, 2008

for Jerry Coyne's book, Why Evolution is True

vestigal tail in humans illustration by KMonoyios for Jerry Coyne's Why Evolution is True

Vestigal tails in humans, 2008

for Jerry Coyne's book, Why Evolution is True

Using Format