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Maria Fabrizio On Being Subtle

(Illustration for “How A Woman’s Plan To Kill Herself Helped Her Family Grieve”) 

Maria Fabrizio is an artist working out of Columbia, South Carolina. During the week she illustrates news headlines for her blog, Wordless News.

From mental health issues to how listening to music can speed up healing, Maria has transformed difficult-to-visualize health issues into provocative illustrations that balance sensitivity. As a visual producer for Shots, I often call Maria when we have a tough story that could benefit from a smart and emotional concept.

So I called her up to chat about it. Our discussion has been edited for clarity and length. 

Health issues can be particularly difficult to illustrate. How do you tease out ideas from challenging topics like mental health, aging, fertility—many of which are more internal?

A lot of times like that you can’t use photography because you don’t want to show an actual person. You want to make the concept broad enough so that people can reflect on it or put themselves in that position.

I like to start off with a metaphor. There was a piece earlier in the year on suicide and dementia, and deciding when the right time to go was. I thought of winter. And the feeling that winter is a time when things are dying. There’s also this bird flying away and this woman is letting it go. She’s making that decision. The timing was right. It’s hard to find the right level of sensitivity and abstractness so people can project onto topics that are difficult. 

(Top: Illustration for “If You Have Dementia, Can Hasten Death As You Wish?” Bottom: Illustration for “Women Want To Stay In The Game, But Life Intervenes”)

One of our favorite illustrations is the fireflies… what was the story behind that?

It was in the summer. I remember feeling like, “I don’t know how I’m going to do this.” At the same time I got the assignment I had been reading this blog by Eric Meyer– he is a coder and internet guru. His daughter was dying of brain cancer. She was young, five years old, and I was reading this blog and reading the piece you sent and I was so depressed. I went out on my back porch. The fireflies were coming out super early. The piece you sent me was all about this woman being surrounded by her family before she decided to end her life.

That was the only sketch I sent for that one. And I just said, “I hope this works.”

You’ve talked before about the importance of subtlety. It made me think of this one you made for a story on drinking and where the line exists between having had just enough and too many. The woman’s body posture hints at what she’s thinking. I’m remembering that you reworked her posture to get it right.

Being subtle or being quiet, especially for something like decision-making, is crucial in getting that tension right. In this one, I drew her like 15 times. She’s looking down, her left foot is way off the glass but she also looks really relaxed. I wasn’t drinking when I made this, but I did try and get in the mindset—ok, what does it feel like when you’ve had a couple drinks and you’re relaxed and you’re like should I have another one? And I felt like the martini glass was the right level of fragile for the concept. It’s all very subtle.

Illustration for “Rethinking Alcohol: Can Heavy Drinkers Learn To Cut Back?”

All illustrations by Maria Fabrizio for NPR

List of Free Science Books

Here’s an alphabetical list of all available free books. Note that many of the links will bring you to an external page, usually with more info about the book and the download links. Also, the links are updated as frequently as possible, however some of them might be broken. Broken links are constantly being fixed. In case you want to report a broken link, or a link that violates copyrights, use the contact form. 

A

A Beginner’s Guide to Mathematica

A Brief Introduction to Particle Physics

A First Course in General Relativity

A New Astronomy

A No-Nonsense Introduction to General Relativity

A Popular History of Astronomy During the Nineteenth Century, Fourth Edition

A Review of General Chemistry

A Simple Guide to Backyard Astronomy

A Text Book for High School Students Studying Physics

A Tour of Triangle Geometry

About Life: Concepts in Modern Biology

Acoustic Emission

Adaptive Control

Advanced Calculus

Advanced Learning

Advanced Mathematics for Engineers

Advanced Microwave Circuits and Systems

Advanced Technologies

Advances in Computer Science and IT

Advances in Evolutionary Algorithms

Advances in Geoscience and Remote Sensing

Advances in Haptics

Advances in Human Computer Interaction

Age of Einstein

Aging by Design

AMPL:  A Modeling Language for Mathematical Programming

An Introduction to Elementary Particles

An Introduction to Higher Mathematics

An Introduction to Many Worlds in Quantum Computation

An Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning

An Introduction to Mathematics

An Introduction to Proofs and the Mathematical Vernacular

An Introduction to Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

Analysis 1 (Tao T)

Analysis 2 (Tao T)

Analytic Functions

Astronomical Discovery

Astronomy for Amateurs

Astronomy Today

Astronomy with an Opera-Glass

Automation and Robotics

B

Basic Algebra, Topology and Differential Calculus

Basic Concepts of Mathematics

Basic Concepts of Thermodynamics

Basic Concepts of Thermodynamics Chapter 1

Basic Ideas in Chemistry

Basic Math: Quick Reference eBook

Basic Mathematics for Astronomy

Basic Physics

Basic Positional Astronomy

Basic Principles of Classical and Statistical Thermodynamics

Basic Principles of Physics

Basics of Physics

Beginner’s Botany

Biochemistry

Biochemistry (practice book)

Biology

Board Notes for Particle Physics

Book of Proof

C

Calculus

Calculus Based Physics

Celestial Navigation, Elementary Astronomy, Piloting

Circuit QED — Lecture Notes

Classical Dynamics

Classical Geometry

Classical Mechanics

Climate Models

Collaborative Statistics

College Algebra

Complex Analysis

Computational Geometry

Computational Introduction to Number Theory and Algebra

Computational Physics with Python

Conceptual Physics

Consistent Quantum Theory

Cook-Book Of Mathematics

College Physics

Crude Oil Emulsions- Composition Stability and Characterization

Curiosities of the Sky

D

Decoherence: Basic Concepts and Their Interpretation

Do We Really Understand Quantum Mechanics?

Differential Equations

Diophantine Analysis

Discover Physics

Dr. Donald Luttermoser’s Physics Notes

Dynamics and Relativity

E

Earthquake Research and Analysis

Earthquake-Resistant Structures – Design, Assessment and Rehabilitation

Einstein for Everyone

Electromagnetic Field Theory

Elementary Mathematical Astronomy

Elementary Linear Algebra

Elementary Particle Physics in a Nutshell

Elementary Particles in Physics

Elements of Astrophysics

Embedded Systems – Theory and Design Methodology

Encyclopaedia of Mathematics

Encyclopedia of Astrophysics

Engineering Mathematics 1

Engineering Mathematics with Tables

Essential Engineering Mathematics

Essential Physics

Exoplanet Observing for Amateurs

Experimental Particle Physics

F

Fields

Foundations of Nonstandard Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions about Calendars

Fundamental Concepts of Mathematics

Fundamentals of Analysis (Chen W.W.L)

Further Mathematical Methods

Fusion Physics

G

General Chemistry

General Relativity

General Relativity

Geometric Asymptotics

Geometry and Group Theory

Geometry and Topology

Geometry Formulas and Facts

Geometry Study Guide

Geometry, Topology and Physics

Geometry, Topology, Localization and Galois Symmetry

Great Astronomers

H

Handbook of Formulae and Physical Constants

High School Mathematics Extensions

Higher Mathematics for Engineers and Physicists

History of Astronomy

Homeomorphisms in Analysis

How to Use Experimental Data to Compute the Probability of Your Theory

I

Intelligent Systems

Intrinsic Geometry of Surfaces

Introduction to Astronomy and Cosmology

Introduction to Cancer Biology

Introduction to Chemistry

Introduction to Cosmology

Introduction to Elementary Particles

Introduction to General Relativity

Introduction To Finite Mathematics

Introduction to Particle Physics Notes

Introduction to PID Controllers

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics with Applications to Chemistry

Introduction to Quantum Noise, Measurement and Amplification

Introduction to Social Network Methods

Introduction to String Field Theory

Introduction to the Time Evolution of Open Quantum Systems

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

Introductory Computational Physics

Introductory Physics 1

Introductory Physics 2

K

Kinetic Theory

L

Laboratory Manual for Introductory Physics

Laws of Physics

Learn Physics Today

Lecture Notes in Discrete Mathematics

Lecture Notes in Quantum Mechanics

Lecture Notes in Nuclear and Particle Physics

Lecture Notes in Particle Physics

Lecture Notes on General Relativity

Lectures on Astronomy, Astrophysics, and Cosmology

Lectures on Particle Physics

Lectures on Riemann Zeta-Function

Light and Matter

M

Mag 7 Star Atlas Project

Many Particle Physics

Math Alive

Mathematical Analysis I(Zakon E)

Mathematical Biology

Mathematical Methods

Mathematical Methods 1

Mathematical Methods for Physical Sciences

Mathematical Methods of Engineering Analysis

Mathematics, Basic Math and Algebra

Mathematics for Computer Science

Mathematics for Computer Science

Mathematics for Computer Scientists

Mathematics For Engineering Students

Mathematics Formulary

Motion Mountain

Music: A Mathematical Offering

Mysteries of the Sun

N

Natural Disasters

New Frontiers in Graph Theory

Noise Control, Reduction and Cancellation Solutions in Engineering

Nondestructive Testing Methods and New Applications

Nonlinear Optics

Notes on Coarse Geometry

Notes on Elementary Particle Physics

Notes on Quantum Mechanics

O

Observing the Sky from 30S

On Particle Physics

Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces

P

Particle Physics Course Univ. Cape Town

Particle Physics Lecture Notes

People’s Physics Book

Perspectives in Quantum Physics: Epistemological, Ontological and Pedagogical

Photons, Schmotons

Physics Lectures

Physics Tutorials

Physics Study Guides

Pioneers of Science

Practical Astronomy

Practical Astronomy for Engineers

Preparing for College Physics

Primer Of Celestial Navigation

Principal Component Analysis – Multidisciplinary Applications

Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific Volume 1

Q

Quantum Dissipative Systems

Quantum Field Theory

Quantum Fluctuations

Quantum Information Theory

Quantum Magnetism

Quantum Mechanics

Quantum Mechanics

Quantum Mechanics: A Graduate Course

Quantum Mechanics: An Intermediate Level Course

Quantum Notes

Quantum Physics Notes

Quantum Theory of Many-Particle Systems

Quantum Transients

R

Recreations in Astronomy

Relativistic Quantum Dynamics

Relativity: The Special and General Theory

Review of Basic Mathematics

Riemann Surfaces, Dynamics and Geometry Course Notes

S

Short History of Astronomy

Sintering of Ceramics – New Emerging Techniques

Solitons

Some Basic Principles from Astronomy

Special Relativity

Spherical Astronomy

Star-Gazer’s Hand-Book

Statistical Physics

Street-Fighting Mathematics

String Theory

Structures of Life

Supernova Remnants: The X-ray Perspective

Superspace: One Thousand and One Lessons in Supersymmetry

System of Systems

T

The Astrobiology Primer: An Outline of General Knowledge

The Astronomy and the Bible

The Astronomy of the Bible: An Elementary Commentary on the Astronomical References of Holy Scripture

The Basic Paradoxes of Statistical Classical Physics and Quantum Mechanics

The Beginning and the End

The Beginning and the End of the Universe

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Sun

The Convenient Setting of Global Analysis

The Eightfold Way: The Beauty of Klein’s Quartic Curve

The General Theory of Relativity

The Geology of Terrestrial Planets

The Geometry of the Sphere

The Handbook of Essential Mathematics

The Moon: A Full Description and Map of its Principal Physical Features

The Open Agenda

The Origin of Mass in Particle Physics

The Particle Detector Brief Book

The Physics Hypertextbook

The Physics of Quantum Mechanics

The Planet Mars

The Small n Problem in High Energy Physics

The Story of Eclipses

The Story of the Heavens

The Structure of Life

The Wonder Book of Knowledge

The World According to the Hubble Space Telescope

The Zij as-Sanjari of Gregory Chioniades (June 27, 2009)

Three Dimensional Geometry

U

Understanding Physics

Unfolding the Labyrinth

Utility of Quaternions in Physics

Uses of Astronomy

Don’t erase a mixed persons identity because they aren’t exactly 50/50

Don’t erase a mixed persons identity because they are part of a race/ethnicity that you don’t like

Don’t erase a mixed persons identity because they are multiracial but not multiethnic

Don’t erase a mixed persons identity because they grew up with one side of their family

Don’t erase a mixed persons identity because they only know the culture of one side of their family

Don’t earse a mixed persons identity because they don’t ‘look’ mixed

Don’t earse a mixed persons identity because they ‘look’ more like one side

Don’t erase a mixed persons identity because they don’t speak in a certain dialect or slang

Don’t erase a mixed persons identity because they don’t speak their native language(s)

Don’t erase a mixed persons identity because they don’t fit a stereotype

Don’t erase a mixed persons identity because you disagree with them

Just don’t do it at all.

Sexist ✓ Racist ✓

This meme is perpetuating one of the worst stereotypes black women face.

it is very very important for boys to know that:

you’re allowed to express your discomfort and hurt

you’re allowed to speak up and defend yourself

your emotions are valid

you’re not a bad person 

you’re not ugly

you don’t have to laugh at sexist jokes just because everyone is laughing

you’re not inferior to girls

you are loved

the stereotypes that mainstream media portray you as are untrue

only you know what it’s like to be you, everyone else is just looking in from the outside

you’re not a bad person, and people are going to try and make you feel like you are, but you’re not

Watch: President Obama delivers pointedly feminist speech at United State of Women summit