How to use color effectively in your scientific visualizations
Making a good figure is an art, requiring careful consideration of the data and the reader. Color is one tool that can help communicate information, and should be a consideration whenever preparing to present data. Many readers will look at figures before (or instead of!) reading a paper. During talks, it is easy to miss context from the speaker. For this reason, the easier a figure is to understand by itself, the easier it will be for your audience. There are numerous factors to consider when choosing a palette, but the right choices can make it easier to understand the underlying data.