Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
SciDraw (scidraw.io) is a free, community-driven digital repository of scientific illustrations and diagrams created by and for researchers. Designed to remove financial and technical barriers in academic publishing, the platform offers open-access vector drawings and high-resolution images covering laboratory setups, model organisms, and cellular biology. By combining free access with open licensing under Creative Commons and persistent attribution through Zenodo Digital Object Identifiers, SciDraw provides academic laboratories with a transparent alternative to proprietary figure design software.
What it is
SciDraw is an open repository enabling researchers to find, download, adapt, and share scientific illustrations for peer-reviewed papers, poster presentations, grant applications, and slide decks. The platform addresses a common challenge in academic communication: producing accurate, publication-ready diagrams without relying on costly software subscriptions or low-resolution web images that infringe copyright.
All assets on the platform are released under open copyright frameworks, primarily the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC-BY 4.0) or the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) Public Domain Dedication. This licensing structure ensures that researchers can integrate drawings into academic publications, modify vector paths, and satisfy institutional and funder open-access mandates without paying licensing fees or risking copyright disputes. Unlike browser-based canvas editors, SciDraw functions as an open asset repository: users download raw graphic files—predominantly Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG)—to import directly into professional vector editors for custom compositing.
Who runs it and what it covers
SciDraw was created and is maintained by neuroscientist and software developer Alexander Harston alongside neuroscience researcher Federico Claudi. Originating within the international open-science research community, the project was developed to foster community sharing of experimental diagrams that researchers traditionally drew from scratch in isolation.
According to live platform metrics retrieved from the official SciDraw REST API on November 8, 2026, the repository hosts 774 curated illustrations contributed by 144 scientific authors, representing more than 719,372 total downloads and 16 formally tracked publication citations worldwide.
The repository organizes scientific assets across eight primary categories:
- Cell (187 drawings): Cellular architecture, organelles, receptors, ion channels, signaling pathways, and microscopy schematics.
- Mouse (114 drawings): Anatomical outlines, brain region diagrams, behavioral apparatus, surgery templates, and physiological recording setups.
- Human (65 drawings): Whole-body anatomical outlines, neurological structures, organ schematics, and clinical models.
- Rat (59 drawings): Stereotaxic frames, behavioral boxes, cannula implants, and neuroanatomical diagrams.
- Fish (36 drawings): Developmental stages, larval anatomy, imaging chambers, and behavioral assays for zebrafish.
- Drosophila (35 drawings): Anatomical drawings, larva schematics, optical setups, and genetic assay configurations.
- Bird (31 drawings): Avian anatomy, sensory system diagrams, and behavioral arena layouts.
- Other (247 drawings): Laboratory equipment, electronics, optical tables, microfluidic chips, surgical instruments, and generic assay components.
How to search or use it
The SciDraw platform requires no account creation or login to search, inspect, or download illustrations. The following seven steps outline the end-to-end workflow for finding and utilizing assets:
- Open Search or Quick Find: Navigate to the main portal and click the primary search bar, or use the global keyboard shortcut
Cmd+Kon macOS orCtrl+Kon Windows and Linux to open the search modal. - Filter by Format and Category: Refine results by activating the Vector only toggle to restrict listings to scalable SVG assets, or click category pills (such as Mouse, Cell, or Drosophila) to narrow by research domain.
- Examine Asset Metadata and License: Select an illustration card to view its dedicated landing page. Check the format indicator (SVG, PNG, JPG, or BMP), vector verification badge, total download count, creation date, and specific license (CC-BY 4.0 or CC0).
- Download the Graphic Asset: Click the primary download button to retrieve the source graphic directly without registration gates or CAPTCHA barriers.
- Capture Attribution and Identifier Details: Click the built-in Copy DOI button to record the persistent Zenodo DOI assigned to the illustration (under prefix
10.5281/zenodo.*), or click Copy Citation to copy the formatted reference string:Author Name(s). (Year). "Illustration Title". SciDraw. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx. - Import and Compose in Vector Software: Import downloaded SVG assets into desktop vector graphic editors—such as Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator—to recolor pathways, scale components without resolution loss, and assemble multi-panel journal figures.
- Contribute Original Illustrations via Upload: Navigate to the Upload interface to share original artwork. Select Single Upload or Batch Upload, upload files under 10 MB (SVGs preferred, or raster images of at least 1,000 px), select a category, assign CC-BY 4.0 or CC0, confirm copyright ownership, and submit for editorial review (moderation generally completes within a few hours).
Strengths and limits
Evaluating SciDraw within an academic laboratory workflow requires balancing its open-science advantages against its functional boundaries as a community repository.
Strengths
- No Subscription Fees: All illustrations are completely free to browse and download. Laboratories incur zero licensing costs, regardless of lab size or publication volume.
- Perpetual Publication Rights: Drawings licensed under CC-BY 4.0 or CC0 carry permanent publication permissions, eliminating licensing expiration risks.
- High-Fidelity Vector Files: Unlike static bitmap libraries, SciDraw’s SVG files allow researchers to isolate graphical elements, adjust stroke widths, change colors, and scale diagrams without resolution loss.
- Academic Credit via DOIs: Each approved submission receives a permanent Zenodo DOI, allowing contributing illustrators to receive citation credit in published bibliographies.
- Zero Administrative Overhead: No user registration, password management, or credit card requirements are imposed on browsing or contributing users.
Limits
- No Built-in Canvas Editor: SciDraw is strictly an asset repository. It lacks an integrated in-browser drafting canvas; researchers must use external software to arrange and export completed figures.
- Smaller Catalog Size: With 774 drawings, SciDraw offers a smaller catalog than commercial platforms that feature tens of thousands of proprietary biological icons.
- Stylistic Heterogeneity: Because illustrations are contributed by diverse researchers worldwide, visual styles and line weights vary across different entries in the repository.
- No Self-Service Post-Publication Editing: Because user accounts do not exist, uploaders cannot directly modify published files through the interface and must contact maintainers via email or social channels to implement corrections.
Alternatives
Researchers building scientific diagrams can choose among several asset libraries, online composition platforms, and vector editing software:
| Platform / Tool | Model / Pricing | Primary Asset Formats | Academic Publication Rights | Built-in Canvas Editor | Primary Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SciDraw | Free / Open-Access | SVG, PNG, JPG, BMP (vector-focused) | CC-BY 4.0 or CC0 with Zenodo DOI attribution | No (asset repository) | Free vector assets for custom figure compositing in external software |
| BioRender | Freemium / Commercial subscription ($35–$99+/mo per user) | PNG, PDF, SVG (SVG gated to paid tiers) | Restricted on free tier; requires active paid license for journal publication | Yes (full browser canvas) | Rapid standardized biological pathways and graphical abstract generation (see our BioRender guide) |
| Bioicons | Free / Open-Source | SVG (vector-only) | CC-BY 3.0/4.0 and CC0 | No (asset library) | Modular life-science, chemical, and physical science vector icons |
| Servier Medical Art (SMART) | Free / Open-Access | PowerPoint slides, PNG, SVG | CC-BY 4.0 attribution required | No (downloadable slide sets) | Medical, clinical, and human anatomical diagrams for slide presentations |
| Mind the Graph | Freemium / Paid subscription ($9–$29+/mo) | PNG, PDF, SVG (export formats tiered) | Watermarked on free tier; paid plans grant scientific publication rights | Yes (infographic maker) | Scientific infographics, poster templates, and graphical abstracts |
| Inkscape | Free / Open-Source Software | SVG, PDF, EPS, PNG | Full author ownership of created artwork | Yes (desktop vector editor) | Assembling, editing, and formatting open-source SVG components into journal-ready figures for open-access publishing |
FAQ
Can I use SciDraw illustrations in commercial scientific journals?
Yes. SciDraw illustrations are released under CC-BY 4.0 or CC0 licenses, which permit commercial reuse and adaptation in peer-reviewed journals provided that CC-BY works include proper attribution to the author and the SciDraw Zenodo DOI.
Do I need to create an account or sign in to use SciDraw?
No. SciDraw operates without user accounts or login systems. Any researcher can immediately search, filter, download, or submit drawings through the upload form without registering an account.
How should I cite a SciDraw illustration in a research paper?
Include the creator’s name, illustration title, platform name, and Zenodo DOI in your figure caption or acknowledgments section using the standard template: Author Name(s). (Year). "Illustration Title". SciDraw. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx.
Can I modify and recolor vector drawings downloaded from SciDraw?
Yes. Under both CC-BY 4.0 and CC0, users are permitted to modify, adapt, rescale, and recolor drawings. When publishing modified versions of CC-BY illustrations, cite the original author and note that modifications were made.
What are the submission requirements for uploading new drawings?
Submissions must be original scientific artwork created by the uploader or shared with explicit copyright permission. Vector formats (SVG) are strongly preferred, but high-resolution raster files of at least 1,000 pixels are accepted up to 10 MB. Submissions undergo a brief moderation review before publication.
Sources
- SciDraw Official Platform and About Page.
https://scidraw.io/about(Accessed November 8, 2026). - SciDraw Terms and Conditions.
https://scidraw.io/terms(Accessed November 8, 2026). - SciDraw Licensing Guidelines.
https://scidraw.io/licensing(Accessed November 8, 2026). - SciDraw Submission and Upload Specifications.
https://scidraw.io/upload(Accessed November 8, 2026). - SciDraw Live Repository REST API.
https://scidraw.io/api/v1/stats(Accessed November 8, 2026). - Creative Commons. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC BY 4.0).
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/(Accessed November 8, 2026).
