Illustration

Cadaver Dissection and Research

The first step I take to create an illustration is gathering reference material. This sketch was drawn from life after a cadaver dissection. 

Composition

To get a better idea of how I wanted to display the information, I did a series of sketches layered on top of each other. Using a lateral view of my face as a reference, I did a quick pencil drawing as a base layer. I drew the subsequent layers on tracing paper above the original, starting with the skull, then moving to the nerves,  arteries, musculature, and glands that I wanted to focus on.  

Digital Workflow

I start my digital illustrations by first painting everything in greyscale. This helps me ensure that the composition has a complete range of values. Once I am satisfied with the value painting, I add a layer of color over top. Each layer of anatomy is added separately, allowing me to mask and edit each structure individually.

Final Illustration

Jack Nelson 

Medical Illustration

Contact

jacknelsonillustration@gmail.com