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From your abstract or PDF

Graphical Abstract Maker

Paste your abstract or choose your paper's PDF. The AI reads it, proposes the context, approach and main finding for you to approve, then draws a clean graphical abstract. Mark any label, arrow or icon to change it; the rest stays as it is.

Graphical AbstractSkill

PDFs are read in your browser and never uploaded. Only the abstract text is sent.

  • Plan approved before you spend
  • 10 credits per draft at 1K
  • 5 free figures to start
  • No watermark

How to make a graphical abstract with AI

  1. 01

    Add your abstract

    Paste the text, or choose your PDF and the abstract is found for you. The PDF is read in your browser and never uploaded.

  2. 02

    Approve the story

    The agent writes the context, approach and finding in one sentence each, lists what it will draw and the short labels it will use, all taken from your abstract, and shows the credit cost. Nothing is generated until you approve, and you can correct any part first.

  3. 03

    Draw, then refine

    The figure opens on a canvas. Mark a spot to change it, run a free label check, export a PNG at 1K or 2K, upscale 2× for print, or export to PowerPoint with editable labels (beta).

Graphical abstract examples

Made with Scientific Figure Generator. Open them as templates and adapt the layout to your own study.

Graphical abstract of a multimodal clinical AI pipeline connecting health data sources, model approaches, applications and outcomes
Multimodal clinical AI pipeline
Graphical abstract comparing community profiling with physiological, molecular and bioinformatics characterization of methanotrophs
Methanotroph functional characterization
Browse all templates

Graphical abstract size by journal

As checked October 12, 2026. Requirements change, so confirm the current author guide before you submit.

Graphical abstract size requirements and the matching format in Scientific Figure Generator
Where it appearsWhat is asked forWhat to choose
Elsevier journalsAt least 1328 × 531 pixels (width × height) at 300 dpi, in a 5:2 shape, with text that stays readable when shrunk to 200 pixels high. SourceChoose Wide. Check the exported size against the minimum, use Upscale 2× if you need more pixels, and trim or pad the sides if the journal asks for exactly 5:2.
Cell Press journalsA single square panel that gives the take-home message at a glance. Guides commonly cite 1200 × 1200 pixels at 300 dpi; confirm the size in your journal's guide. SourceChoose Square and keep it to one panel.
Slides, posters and social mediaNo fixed rule. A 16:9 image fits slides and most social previews. Choose Landscape.

What makes a good graphical abstract

  • One take-home message, not the whole paper.
  • A left-to-right flow: context, then approach, then finding.
  • Few words in large type, and no paragraphs.
  • Icons and arrows instead of data panels.
  • Colors that mean the same thing everywhere in the figure.

What the AI will not do

  • It uses only claims stated in your abstract. It does not invent results, numbers or effect sizes, and a number appears only exactly as you wrote it.
  • It does not draw charts, plots or axes, because a drawn chart would imply values your abstract does not give.
  • AI helps with illustration, not scientific validation. Check every label against your paper, and your journal's policy on AI-generated images.

Graphical abstract maker FAQ

Is the graphical abstract maker free?
New verified accounts receive 5 free figures (30 credits at signup, 20 the next day), and accounts without a subscription are topped up to 10 credits each day. A graphical abstract at 1K uses 10 credits and at 2K uses 20. Credits are used only for successful results, and downloads have no watermark.
Is my unpublished paper uploaded?
No. When you choose a PDF, it is read in your browser and the file is not uploaded. Only the abstract text you approve is sent to the AI model to plan and draw the figure.
Which format should I choose for my journal?
Choose Wide (21:9) for Elsevier and most journals, Square (1:1) for Cell Press and other single-panel formats, and Landscape (16:9) for slides and posters. Always confirm the current size in your journal's author guide.
Can I edit the graphical abstract after it is made?
Yes. Mark any label, arrow or icon and describe the change; only those spots are changed and every version is kept. You can also run a free label check that flags likely misspellings and wrong terms.
Will it invent results or draw charts?
No. The plan uses only claims stated in your abstract, numbers appear only exactly as written, and it does not draw charts, plots or axes. You approve the plan before anything is generated.
Can I use an AI-generated graphical abstract in my paper?
Many publishers accept AI-assisted illustrations with a disclosure, but policies differ and some do not allow AI-generated images. Check your journal's policy before you submit. A ready-to-paste AI disclosure statement is one click away on every figure.
What file formats can I download?
PNG at 1K or 2K, a 2× upscale for print, and a PowerPoint file with editable text labels (beta). Editable SVG is not available.

Keep going

How to make a graphical abstract

Reduce a paper to one visual story, step by step.

Graphical abstracts with SFG

Styles and layouts that work for journals and posters.

Scientific templates

Start from a proven layout and adapt it to your study.

Citing AI-generated figures

Disclosure wording and journal checks before you submit.

Your abstract, as one clear picture.

Paste it above, approve the plan, and refine any detail by marking it.

Make a graphical abstract