Neurological Portrait
I created this portrait of myself with a sagittal cut of the brain in situ. Since we were allowed to use any style for rendering, I chose a more classical airbrushed/oil paint style. This piece was created in Procreate and Adobe Photoshop.
Role: Research, sketching, and rendering
Audience: General audience
Client: Dr. Shelly Wall
Communication Objective: Create a portrait accurately depicting the brain in situ from a unique angle.
Medium: Web, Illustration
Software: Figma, Procreate, Adobe Photoshop
Research
Upon deciding on a 3/4 view for the portrait, I conducted research using textbook references, 3D maquettes and imaging, and physical specimens to inform the rendering and determine relationships of anatomical structures.
Agur, A. M. R. (2023). Moore’s essential clinical anatomy. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Nieuwenhuys, R., Voogd, J., Huijzen, C. van. (2008). The Human Central Nervous System: A synopsis and atlas. Springer.
Schünke, M., Schulte, E., Schumacher, U., Rude, J., Ross, L. M., Lamperti, E. D., Taub, E., Voll, M., Wesker, K., Telger, T. (2011). Thieme Atlas of anatomy: Head and neuroanatomy. Thieme.
Rendering
A reference image (later adjusted for distortion)
Adding in the midtones, blending, and adding skin tones. I chose a less direct light source than the reference image so that the piece would be less visually cluttered and the brain and cranium would be more clear.
First pass of the outlines and shadow shapes
Top left: Anatomy.tv 3D web atlas
Bottom left: MRI scan of a brain, extracted using 3D Slicer, cleaned, and positioned in ZBrush
Middle: classroom head model
Right: Lamb brain from the grocery store
Blocking in flat tones in greyscale
Drawing the brain and skull. Adjustments included defining superior, middle, inferior frontal gyri, and central sulcus, making the lateral fissure lower and in line with the right pupil, ending the temporal lobe sooner, and including the cranial fissures and left zygomatic arch for more context.
