Medical Illustration?

[boptheflop]

Also posted this in The Dorm, but just wanted to see if any non-dormers in OOT had any knowledge or interest in this subject:

Has anyone here studied in an accredited or non-accredited Medical Illustration program in the US or Canada, or know anyone who has? Any certified medical illustrators?

I have a BS in Biology and a strong interest in art, and have become curious about this possible career path. Outside of the websites of various med.ill. programs and the Association of Medical Illustrators site, I am interested in hearing/learning from anyone who took the route into Medical Illustration (or might be considering it?) or anyone who knows anything about this field. Thanks -

[Roan]

not to be an ass, but what kind of need is there for medical illustrators, i would think that frank netter and digital cameras have it pretty well covered

just curious as to what a medical illustrator might do?

[Skipbidder]

Is your last name by any chance Netter?

Do you anticipate that there will much work for you?

[boptheflop]

Apparently Netter is the ultimate medical illustrator? Well he's only one man, and according to some brief research I've done on the web, there is still a demand for medical illustrators. Here's a brief description of what a medical illustrator might do:

"The demands placed upon the contemporary medical illustrator are varied and numerous. Medical illustrators may illustrate innovative surgical procedures for medical journals, design multimedia websites, produce 3D animated films of cellular processes, or hand craft prosthetic appliances for patients. Many medical illustrators are employed by medical schools, urban medical centers, large hospitals, and specialty clinics. They may work in single-artist studios or in large production departments. Advertising agencies and publishers as well as pharmaceutical and medical product companies often use the services of private-practice medical illustrators. Attorneys may commission medical illustrators to produce art to be admitted as educational exhibits and demonstrative evidence in complex legal cases."
- Medical College of Georgia, Dept. of Medical Illustration

There seems to be many programs based on the medical illustration concept in the US and in Canada, so I was hoping there would be some people with first-hand experience/stories that would share them.

[wet work]

[ QUOTE ]
Also posted this in The Dorm, but just wanted to see if any non-dormers in OOT had any knowledge or interest in this subject:

Has anyone here studied in an accredited or non-accredited Medical Illustration program in the US or Canada, or know anyone who has? Any certified medical illustrators?

I have a BS in Biology and a strong interest in art, and have become curious about this possible career path. Outside of the websites of various med.ill. programs and the Association of Medical Illustrators site, I am interested in hearing/learning from anyone who took the route into Medical Illustration (or might be considering it?) or anyone who knows anything about this field. Thanks -

[/ QUOTE ]

Have you heard of this guy alex grey? He's one of my favorite artists. I own one of his originals. He started out as a medical illustrator and then moved into the stuff you see on his site. Obviously the medical stuff has remained a big influence in his work.

When I bought my piece I had a bit of a back and forth via e-mail with his wife(who's also very talented btw) and she was extremely cool, even going so far as to invite me to his studio to check out other pieces I might've been interested in buying.
I think if you contacted them they could be very helpful.

[Skipbidder]

[ QUOTE ]
Apparently Netter is the ultimate medical illustrator?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yep.
Although he has been dead for 15 years, so the quality of his recent work is starting to deteriorate a little bit.

[ QUOTE ]
There seems to be many programs based on the medical illustration concept in the US and in Canada, so I was hoping there would be some people with first-hand experience/stories that would share them.

[/ QUOTE ]
We're mostly just busting your balls. I would make sure to try to talk to some people who are actually making a living doing this. (I guess you are trying to do that here, but good luck to you...too many sarcastic bastards.)

[boptheflop]

[ QUOTE ]
Have you heard of this guy alex grey? He's one of my favorite artists. I own one of his originals. He started out as a medical illustrator and then moved into the stuff you see on his site. Obviously the medical stuff has remained a big influence in his work.

When I bought my piece I had a bit of a back and forth via e-mail with his wife(who's also very talented btw) and she was extremely cool, even going so far as to invite me to his studio to check out other pieces I might've been interested in buying.
I think if you contacted them they could be very helpful.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow! I've only been checking out his website for a few minutes and I've already come across some amazing work, some of the systems he presents in his Sacred Mirrors are incredibly detailed. I remember seeing a piece by him in an art textbook. I also found it interesting that in the biography posted on his site, he openly acknowledges that he and his wife would "trip together on LSD." Inspiration!

[boptheflop]

[ QUOTE ]
Apparently Netter is the ultimate medical illustrator?

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]
Yep.
Although he has been dead for 15 years, so the quality of his recent work is starting to deteriorate a little bit.

[/ QUOTE ]

Brutal.

[wet work]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Have you heard of this guy alex grey? He's one of my favorite artists. I own one of his originals. He started out as a medical illustrator and then moved into the stuff you see on his site. Obviously the medical stuff has remained a big influence in his work.

When I bought my piece I had a bit of a back and forth via e-mail with his wife(who's also very talented btw) and she was extremely cool, even going so far as to invite me to his studio to check out other pieces I might've been interested in buying.
I think if you contacted them they could be very helpful.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow! I've only been checking out his website for a few minutes and I've already come across some amazing work, some of the systems he presents in his Sacred Mirrors are incredibly detailed. I remember seeing a piece by him in an art textbook. I also found it interesting that in the biography posted on his site, he openly acknowledges that he and his wife would "trip together on LSD." Inspiration!

[/ QUOTE ]

He actually painted a sick painting commemmorating Albert Hoffmann's 100th birthday while actually tripping. Shouldn't be too hard to find on google. I think there was an article in Juxtapoz a few months ago about it.

And as far as the OP goes I would definitely get in touch with them, I really think they would be a great resource. Very open, cool and accessible people.

[shakingspear]

I work in the medical publishing industry. We use medical illustrators all of the time, mostly for covers of publications. They seem to be paid fairly well, though I don't know how much work they get. I'm also not sure if the illustrators specialize.