Tips for creating scientific figures

Making your figures in Vector format

Please avoid saving as a JPG, PNG, TIF or BMP at any time, as this renders the file uneditable and it makes it into a pixel-image.

Please ensure that the resolution of images in figures is at least 300 dpi (see attached Figure Guidelines PDF [Link] for more information on preparing production-quality vector and bitmap formats).

[Source: Nature] Click here for instructions on how to create vector files from specific programmes.
[Source: Nature] Instructions on how to create a good scientific image [Link] 

IMPORTANT: Supply your figures in RGB colour mode.

Choosing  Colors  and Methods for Beautiful Figures

Creating beautiful figures which clearly communicate the primary points of your project can take time and is often overlooked by scientists who spend years of hard work gathering the data for their projects. However, overlooking Choosing a color palette can go a long way to making your project look as though it was thoughtfully crafted. A color palette should be divergent such that the constituent colors are distinct and stand out from a distance but should also avoid colors which can be considered aggressive on the eyes or distracting from the content you are trying to display. When creating a color palette keep these things in mind and also consider whether the palette is color blind safe, you can find some sample four color palettes here (https://www.canva.com/colors/color-palettes/) and can modify them using this tool (https://www.vis4.net/palettes/#/9%7Cs%7C00429d,96ffea,ffffe0%7Cffffe0,ff005e,93003a%7C1%7C1) which allows you to expand upon a smaller palette, check whether the palette is color blind safe and apply different filters and interpolators on your palette.

When displaying data 

Other resources:

[PLOS article] "Ten Simple Rules for Better Figures"

[Article] "How to Create Publication-Quality Figures (step by step using free software)"

[Presentation]Designing more effective scientific figures