When you hear the word "artist", you might not think at first of the person who drew the pictures in your science textbook, or created images of the coronavirus during the pandemic. But medical and scientific illustrators are definitely artists. The job requires equal amounts of scientific research and artistic skill. Just look at works by Cynthia Turner, or Bryan Christie. They're gorgeous enough to frame and hang on your wall.
Medical illustrations not only have to communicate complex information in visual form, but they also have to reach a specific audience. Does it need to be simple enough for the average person to understand, or detailed enough for medical students and professionals? And what colors should the artist choose? For example, some artists chose to use reds and oranges to show the dangerous nature of the coronavirus, while others decided on blues, greens and purples to attract people's attention without scaring them too much.
Medical illustrators prove that art and science aren't mutually exclusive but can work together in harmony to teach more than either could alone.