ABSTRACTThere has been an essential dialogue between artists and scientists for many centuries. Even today, creating environ-ments that favor the interaction of professionals from these two fields provides many potential opportunities to devel-op transdisciplinary experiences. In the present study, we describe the adventures of a partnership between the Rio de Janeiro Federal University Fine Arts School and the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, based on the report of a student in art education. The student illustrations of Brazilian mammals reflect on different aspects of these traits and the potential benefits of this interaction for scientific dissemination, species conservation, and art appreciation. The experience of the routine of the Laboratory of Biology and Parasitology of Reservoir Wild Mammals (LABPMR) and Mammalogical research, and the rethinking of scientific illustration as an art form, supported novel interpretations of the characteris-tics of Brazilian mammals and their role in the environment. The images were exhibited at events that promoted public health, scientific dissemination, and culture in both the Fine Arts School and the Oswaldo Cruz Institute.