sci-figure-format

name	sci-figure-format
version	1.0.0
description	Guide for creating publication-quality scientific figures that meet major journal standards (Nature, Science, ACS, RSC). Use this skill when users ask about scientific figure formatting, journal requirements, colorblind-safe palettes, resolution/DPI, file formats, fonts, or figure dimensions for publication.

Scientific Figure Formatting

Guidelines for creating publication-quality figures that meet standards of Nature, Science, ACS, and RSC journals.

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Universal Standards (All Major Journals)

Element	Requirement
Colors	Okabe-Ito palette (colorblind-safe)
Font	Helvetica or Arial, 6-8 pt
Resolution	600 DPI minimum
Format	PDF (graphs) or TIFF (images)
Width	3.5" (single column) or 7" (double column)
Line weight	≥0.5 pt

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1. Color Palettes

Okabe-Ito (Default - Categorical Data ≤8 groups)

#E69F00
#56B4E9
#009E73
#F0E442
#0072B2
#D55E00
#CC79A7
#999999

When to use: Line plots, bar charts, scatter plots, any categorical data

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ColorBrewer Set3 (9-12 categories)

#8DD3C7
#FFFFB3
#BEBADA
#FB8072
#80B1D3
#FDB462
#B3DE69
#FCCDE5
#D9D9D9
#BC80BD
#CCEBC5
#FFED6F

When to use: More than 8 categories needed

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PiYG Diverging (Data with midpoint)

#C51B7D
#DE77AE
#F1B6DA
#FDE0EF
#E6F5D0
#B8E186
#7FBC41
#4D9221

When to use: Correlation matrices, positive vs negative values Why: Avoids red-green, colorblind-safe

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BuRd Diverging (Blue-Red)

#2166AC
#4393C3
#92C5DE
#D1E5F0
#F7F7F7
#FDDBC7
#F4A582
#D6604D
#B2182B

When to use: Temperature data, classic diverging scale

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Two-Color Pairs

• Blue-Orange: #0072B2 + #E69F00 (most versatile)
• Green-Magenta: #009E73 + #CC79A7
• Cyan-Vermillion: #56B4E9 + #D55E00

Avoid: Red-Green combinations (colorblind issue)

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2. Typography

Font: Helvetica or Arial (sans-serif only)

Sizes:

• Axis labels: 8 pt
• Tick labels: 7 pt
• Legend: 7 pt
• Panel labels (a,b,c): 8-10 pt bold

Minimum: 5 pt (Nature/ACS requirement) Recommended: 6-8 pt for readability

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3. Resolution & File Formats

Resolution:

• Default: 600 DPI (exceeds all journal minimums)
• Color images: 300-600 DPI
• Line art: 600-1200 DPI

File Formats:

• Graphs/charts: PDF (vector, preferred) or EPS
• Photos/images: TIFF or PNG
• Avoid: JPEG (lossy compression)

Key principle: Use vector formats (PDF/EPS) for graphs - they scale without quality loss

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4. Figure Dimensions

Standard widths:

• Single column: 3.5 inches (9 cm)
• Double column: 7 inches (18 cm)
• Height: ≤10 inches

Journal-specific widths:

• Nature: 90mm / 180mm
• Science: 3.5-7.3 inches
• ACS: 3.25" / 7"
• RSC: 8.3cm / 17.1cm

Design at final print size to ensure text legibility and correct proportions.

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5. Design Principles

Do:

• Keep simple and uncluttered
• Use clear axis labels with units (e.g., "Time (s)")
• Remove unnecessary gridlines
• Maintain consistency across all figures
• Ensure line thickness ≥0.5 pt (prefer 1-1.5 pt)

Avoid:

• Red-green color combinations
• Rainbow colormaps
• Font sizes <5 pt
• 3D effects
• Serif fonts
• JPEG for graphs

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6. Pre-Submission Checklist

Format:

• 600 DPI minimum resolution
• Vector format with editable text

Typography:

• Helvetica or Arial used
• Font size ≥6 pt
• Consistent font across all figures

Dimensions:

• Width: 3.5" (single) or 7" (double)
• Height ≤10 inches
• Designed at final size

Colors:

• Colorblind-safe palette (Okabe-Ito)
• No red-green combinations

Design:

• Clear axis labels with units
• Line thickness ≥0.5 pt
• No unnecessary decoration
• Consistent style

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Workflow

When helping users format figures:

1. Select color palette:
   • ≤8 categories → Okabe-Ito
   • 9-12 categories → Set3
   • Diverging data → PiYG or BuRd
   • 2 colors → Blue-Orange
2. Apply standards:
   • Font: Helvetica/Arial, 6-8 pt
   • Resolution: 600 DPI
   • Width: 3.5" or 7"
   • Format: PDF (graphs) or TIFF (images)
3. Verify design:
   • Simple, clear layout
   • Labels with units
   • Line weights ≥0.5 pt

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