Below is one slide from "What is Scientific Illustration?" a powerpoint I use to introduce students to the field. Those employing science and nature can often use an illustration.
Most these users are self-evident, but some can use further explanation:
-Drug/pharmaceutical industry hires illustrators to explain their product on inserts and packaging.
-Commercial products/Advertising-think botanical illustrations on packaging for teas, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. What about greeting cards, clothing, bags, and whatever you can think of.
-Medical schools and journals have obvious uses for illustrations showing dissections, normal and abnormal anatomy, surgical techniques, etc.. Malpractice lawyers use illustrations, often 3-D animations, to demonstrate what happens when, for example, a client suffers a work-related injury or sustains whiplash from a driver behind them checking their email.
You can find uses for scientific illustrations everywhere. Or create a need.
Above: Sketchbook style drawings for the RWP Zoo Wetlands Trail.
Below: Removal of adrenal tumor showing procedural instruments being used for journal publication.
Feel free to comment and add other markets for scientific illustrations.