✳ Renato Nakazone Start a project
Scientific & naturalist illustration · Lisbon

Art grounded in biology.

I'm a biologist and illustrator creating accurate, characterful images of the natural world — for field guides, publications, museums, brands and album covers.

MScApplied Biology & Sci. Communication
2D · 3DDigital & traditional media
10+Institutional partners
Illustrated early hominin portrait under a starry sky
Early homininPliocene · Digital painting
Work

Portfolio

Featured · Animation

Contact. — animated short

Official teaser for an original animated short: my illustration style, set in motion.

More on YouTube ↗
Mocho-diabo — Asio stygius · species plate
Mocho-diaboAsio stygius · species plate
Tupandactylus imperator — Paleoart
Tupandactylus imperatorPaleoart
Parasaurolophus walkeri — Paleoart
Parasaurolophus walkeriPaleoart
Brazilian Coast Sharks Guide — Field guide
Brazilian Coast Sharks GuideField guide
Owl — Scientific illustration
OwlScientific illustration
Botanical infographic — Scientific & editorial
Botanical infographicScientific & editorial
Bird & bananas — Botanical / zoological
Bird & bananasBotanical / zoological
Paleolusitana #02 — Publication cover
Paleolusitana #02Publication cover
Falcon — Bird plate
FalconBird plate
Tarsier & moon — Editorial illustration
Tarsier & moonEditorial illustration
Puma & cactus — Editorial illustration
Puma & cactusEditorial illustration
Night creature — Personal project
Night creaturePersonal project
Portrait — Digital painting
PortraitDigital painting
Sweatshirt print — Toca do Tamanduá
Sweatshirt printToca do Tamanduá
Tee print — Toca do Tamanduá
Tee printToca do Tamanduá
Serpent sweatshirt — Apparel
Serpent sweatshirtApparel
Tee print — Apparel
Tee printApparel
Hoodie print — Apparel
Hoodie printApparel
O Outro Eu — Album cover
O Outro EuAlbum cover
Synth Therapy — Album cover
Synth TherapyAlbum cover
Album cover — Music
Album coverMusic
Album cover — Music
Album coverMusic
Album cover — Music
Album coverMusic
Album cover — Music
Album coverMusic
Nomar Stash — Label artwork
Nomar StashLabel artwork
Vinyl release — Album cover in context
Vinyl releaseAlbum cover in context
Vinyl release — Album cover in context
Vinyl releaseAlbum cover in context
Allosaurus — 3D model texturing ▶ Process video
Allosaurus3D model texturing
Allosaurus — 3D model · Univ. Aveiro
Allosaurus3D model · Univ. Aveiro
Allosaurus — 3D render
Allosaurus3D render
Allosaurus — 3D render
Allosaurus3D render
Allosaurus — Sculpt detail
AllosaurusSculpt detail
Allosaurus — Clay render
AllosaurusClay render
Allosaurus — 3D render
Allosaurus3D render
Brachiosaurus — Modelling process ▶ Process video
BrachiosaurusModelling process
Brachiosaurus — 3D model
Brachiosaurus3D model
Brachiosaurus — Head study
BrachiosaurusHead study
Brachiosaurus — 3D model
Brachiosaurus3D model
Brachiosaurus — Scene render
BrachiosaurusScene render
Brachiosaurus — Scene render
BrachiosaurusScene render
Brachiosaurus — Turnaround
BrachiosaurusTurnaround
Sarcosuchus imperator — Modelling process ▶ Process video
Sarcosuchus imperatorModelling process
Sarcosuchus imperator — Skull model
Sarcosuchus imperatorSkull model
Sarcosuchus imperator — Skull model
Sarcosuchus imperatorSkull model
Sarcosuchus imperator — Skull · dorsal
Sarcosuchus imperatorSkull · dorsal
Sarcosuchus imperator — Skull · lateral
Sarcosuchus imperatorSkull · lateral
Sarcosuchus imperator — Skull · frontal
Sarcosuchus imperatorSkull · frontal
Sarcosuchus imperator — Topology study
Sarcosuchus imperatorTopology study
Linocut — Engraving
LinocutEngraving
Linocut print — Engraving
Linocut printEngraving
Relief print — Engraving
Relief printEngraving
Relief print — Engraving
Relief printEngraving
Printed tee — Engraving
Printed teeEngraving
Linocut block — Engraving
Linocut blockEngraving
Relief print — Engraving
Relief printEngraving
Relief print — Engraving
Relief printEngraving
Kingfisher — Watercolour
KingfisherWatercolour
Bird study — Watercolour
Bird studyWatercolour
Specimen study — Watercolour
Specimen studyWatercolour
Creature study — Watercolour
Creature studyWatercolour
Creature study — Watercolour
Creature studyWatercolour
Axolotl — Watercolour
AxolotlWatercolour
Field sketchbook — Watercolour
Field sketchbookWatercolour
Bird study — Watercolour
Bird studyWatercolour
Canvas — Painting in situ
CanvasPainting in situ
Portrait on canvas — Acrylic
Portrait on canvasAcrylic
Portrait on canvas — Acrylic
Portrait on canvasAcrylic
Nudibranchs — Painting
NudibranchsPainting
Botanical plate — Ink
Botanical plateInk
Pine study — Ink
Pine studyInk
Bird study — Graphite
Bird studyGraphite
Skull studies — Graphite
Skull studiesGraphite
Portrait — Graphite
PortraitGraphite
Fish study — Mixed media
Fish studyMixed media
What I do

Services

From rigorous species plates to playful merch — the style adapts to the brief, the accuracy doesn't.

01

Scientific illustration

Species plates, field guides, anatomy and infographics for research and education.

  • Field guides
  • Infographics
  • Publications
02

Editorial & covers

Original artwork for books, magazines and musicians — each style deserves its own cover.

  • Album art
  • Editorial
  • Posters
03

Apparel & merch

Print-ready designs for t-shirts, hoodies and brand collections.

  • T-shirts
  • Hoodies
  • Brand assets
04

3D & paleo models

Sculpted reconstructions of extinct and living species for museums and parks.

  • ZBrush
  • Paleoart
  • Renders

Tools & methods

01

Software

  • ZBrush
  • Photoshop
  • Illustrator
  • InDesign
  • Microsoft Office
02

Traditional media

  • Watercolour (aquarela)
  • Gouache
  • China ink (nanquim)
  • Graffiti
  • Colour pencil
  • Acrylic
  • Oil
03

Disciplines

  • Digital illustration (2D)
  • 3D modelling & sculpting
  • Traditional illustration
  • Graphic design & advertising
Portrait of Renato Nakazone
About

Biologist first, illustrator always.

I'm a Brazilian biologist and illustrator based in Lisbon, Portugal, where I completed my master's and a specialisation in Scientific Illustration at the University of Aveiro.

My work takes a naturalistic, scientific approach — equally at home with playful, ludic briefs and with projects that demand full academic rigour.

“Naturalistic art is a fantastic tool for teaching people and building social awareness.”
Based inLisbon, Portugal
EducationMSc, University of Aveiro
BackgroundBiologist · Brazil
FocusScientific & naturalist art

Partners & clients

SESC SOS Toca do Tamandua Herptrips Dinoparque UNISO Universidade de Aveiro GEAS Brasil CABIO
Teach & share

Workshops

Hands-on sessions in scientific illustration, artistic drawing and art communication. Anyone can join and sharpen how they see — and draw — the natural world.

TBA2027

Scientific Illustration

Universidade de Aveiro · Aveiro

Course
TBA2027

Scientific Illustration Workshop

Lisbon

Open to all
✳Private

Schools & institutions

Custom sessions on request

Enquire
Book a workshop
Workshops photo 1 Workshops photo 2 Workshops photo 3
Workshop moments

Learning to see the natural world

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Learning to see the natural world 11
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Learning to see the natural world 14
Learning to see the natural world 15
Let's work together

Have a species, a story or a cover in mind?

Tell me about your project — timeline, use and budget help me reply with a clear proposal.

Lisbon, Portugal

Helpful to include
  • What you need — species plate, cover, apparel, 3D model, workshop…
  • Where it will be used (print, web, merch, exhibition)
  • Your timeline
  • A rough budget, if you have one
Email r.nakazone@hotmail.com Write to me →

I usually reply within 2 working days.