About Kaël Nahikian:
A fascination with the human body and passion for the visual arts prefaced my undergraduate studies at Brandeis University, where I earned dual baccalaureate degrees in biology and in fine art. Cultivating my growing interest in scientific and clinical research, I earned a Master of Science in Public Health with a concentration in clinical research methods from Dartmouth College. My graduate work in clinical research and a love of medicine led me to join the Tufts academic community, where I earned a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences. I then also completed medical school at the Tufts University School of Medicine. I then completed my General Surgery residency at the Lahey Hospital. I am currently a Hand Surgery fellow at the University of Minnesota.
What are scientific and medical illustrations?
Scientific and medical illustrations are refined tools that demonstrate concepts more clearly and rapidly than is possible through words alone. Education in a broad spectrum of scientific and medical disciplines, in addition to technical artistic talent and fluency in modern graphics software, is therefore critical to producing powerful illustrations that support research, textbooks, or presentations effectively.
I create all of my illustrations entirely from scratch. They are rendered by hand using an electronic pen and digitized drawing tablet to paint directly into computer graphics software. Whether a line drawing or a complex color image, the result is a highly polished, professional product that can be modified and scaled to any size for print, projection, web, or any other media that suits your needs.
From conceptualization to publication of an image, I communicate constantly with my clients to ensure that important ideas are accurately conveyed through impeccable illustrations that emphasize the value of your work.
Why do you create medical illustrations alongside your medical career?
Illustration as a means of documentation shares an inextricable history with the progress of medicine over the past two thousand years. My own interest in medical illustration grew from a profound admiration for the aesthetic and technical beauty engraved in so many historical examples (particularly the plates of Nicolas-Henri Jacob in Traité complet de l'anatomie de l'homme comprenant la médecine opératoire), which remains a tenet of the field to this day.
A meticulous attention to detail, reflective and methodical approach, and honed sense of observation are among the many traits one refines through artistic pursuits. I see an additional opportunity for the intersection of visual arts and science in the development of these qualities, as the “art of medicine” truly benefits from physicians who practice these virtues.
Each illustration I produce is an opportunity to explore breakthroughs in science and medicine and a unique exercise in seeing beneath the skin to expose layers of somatic design and function. I have collaborated with and supported the work of leading physicians, biomedical engineers, and researchers over the twelve years I have created medical illustrations, and continue to enjoy conversations that will inspire me throughout my own career as a physician.