FAQs
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am constantly upgrading my skills by reading books, magazines, and through online training and tutorials. This field is evolving rapidly and an artist absolutely needs to stay in touch with what's happening in their field.
- How did you get started doing this type of work?
I have always had an interest in technology. I started using computers to create graphics in the mid 1980s when an artist needed a relatively powerful computer to produce even the simplest work. I began my career as a graphic artist for the Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota using a $250,000 dedicated graphic workstation to create 35mm slides for their physician's local, national, and international presentations and seminars. Since that time, computers have become much less expensive and much more powerful, and graphics software has become incredibly sophisticated, which allows me to continue to do the work I love more easily and quickly than ever before.
- What types of customers have you worked with?
My work varies greatly. Each project has its own scope; some are relatively simple jobs and are done quickly, while other more complex projects may take several days of work. Much of my regular work is cleaning up graphs and charts intended for publication in medical and scientific journals. Some other jobs involve taking existing images and merely removing any distracting visual clutter to provide a clearer message to the viewer. Other projects are started with a hand drawn sketch or even nothing but a verbal description of what the requestor would like the image to show. I create the initial version of the figure and the author reviews it and instructs me regarding any needed changes or corrections. I make those changes and provide the author with the updated final version.