Medicine + Science

An iron I’ve had in the fire for a great many weeks (months?), is the new redesign of Kansas University’s medical journal Kansas Medicine + Science. The project was an embarrassment of riches in respect to working with enormously talented illustrators and photographers. Keith Negley,  Nazario Graziano, and Michael Forester especially brought their A-game. I designed and Art Directed the whole issue, and I even got to do a few of my own illustrations, including a paper-sculpture of a brain (that was then photographed). It was a lot of fun to work on, and I’d definitely consider it a success. Head over to my portfolio to see more (and larger) images, and for some running commentary check it out below…

Cover Illustration by Keith Negley highlighting a story about children’s prescription medicine.

Photography by Kenny Johnson. This is the “news and tidbits” section at the beginning of the issue. I tried to create a photo-concept that was highly structured and would encapsulate the new, more refined and clean approach to the redesign. 

Illustration by me. For a story about the uncertain future of electronic medical records, I wanted to create an image that drew from popular iconography like the monolith in 2001 and 1984, to show how intimidating the future can seem to those at the foot of the mountain.

Detail of my illustration

Illustration by Nazario Graziano. Trying to come up with imagery for a story about Native Americans isn’t the easiest without seeming patronizing or offensive. Using a foreign citizen like Nazario lent some much needed objectivity to the matter.

Contextual view of Nazario’s illustration

Illustration by me. I assembled this out of paper, foam-core, and transparencies. I wanted a less-conventional approach for a story about the brain’s impact on over-eating. Each layer has bits of foam to give it depth. Then I photographed it. 

Detail of my illustration.

Photography by Forester. This was an interesting shoot, because this guy is extremely short, and the concept called for making him look like a bit of a badass. So we shot him at the top of a downward sloping hallway, keeping his head aligned with the top of the windows, giving the illusion of height. Also, the story has to do with the impact of oxygen (or lack thereof) on cerebral palsy, so the layout is inspired by an oxygen molecule.

Photography by Forester. For a story about a family with a 3-year old diagnosed with Leukemia, I wanted to show how the family keeps a light heart in the face of overwhelming difficulty. The solution was a “photobooth” set up in the family’s living room. The central figure was understandably uncomfortable with being put on display, but after some coaxing (and making lots of funny-faces and light-saber noises) he came around and the whole family seemed to enjoy the experience. 

So those are some of the highlights. if you want to see more, head over to my homepage. 

 Created at Design Ranch. Creative Directors Ingred Sidie and Michelle Sonderegger.