Medical Art

Medical Art introduces the methods, principles and techniques that form the foundations for the successful medical artist. It focuses on artworks created by hand and places a strong emphasis on observational and drawing skills. As well as artistic techniques, it explains the skeletal and related structures relevant to the artist, covering many structural anatomical elements and their visual representation. It will be an invaluable handbook for anyone interested in the skills and information that underpin the astonishing images of medical art. ‘Medical art stands at the interface between art and medicine, a vital service for healthcare professionals regardless of their medical role and fills a very important niche. A medical artist may be asked to illustrate: a surgical technique in a book on surgery, an anatomy textbook, a poster for an exhibition/conference to illustrate research results, patient information leaflets, articles for publication in a medical journal, 3D modelling of some part of the body such as hand or foot, a joint with its associated bone or an internal organ, to design a website perhaps with a video which might include 3D images. This book clearly outlines the techniques needed to become a medical artist with detailed guidelines and exercises to introduce a potential medical artist to the skills required. These include basic drawing techniques using pen and ink and a range of pencils. There are also details of how to use and mix watercolour and how to match this with skin and specimen colours. This book is essential reading for any artist who wishes to specialise in medical art.’ DR MICHAEL O’BRIEN MD, FRCP, FRGS, Hon. FMAA, Chairman and Examiner of the MAET