Gallery: The Man Behind the Unexpected Beauty of Gray's Anatomy
Antbits01frontal-section1.jpg
Richard Tibbits is the chief illustrator for Gray’s Anatomy, the seminal medical textbook that was first published in 1858. He's a medical illustrator, which means his job is partly about artistry, partly about communication. This drawing is one of his, of the human body's frontal section.
Antbits02lung-sit1.jpg
Tibbits applies an infographic-like approach to his work, meaning the drawings he creates don't always look like the real thing. This illustration of a lung uses some careful color-coding, for instance.
Antbits03ant-superf-muscle1.jpg
Here, a rendering of a muscular structure.
Antbits04hand-vessels-sup1.jpg
And here, hand vessels.
Antbits05pharynx-vessels-11.jpg
When medical illustration was in its heyday, illustrators favored a more illustrious approach, and used pen and ink and wash. This drawing of pharynx vessels is computer-created, and more simplified.
Antbits06R-lat-cav1.jpg
A lateral cross-section of the upper body cavity.
Antbits07subocciptri-aw1.jpg
Suboccipital muscles, found at the base of the skull.
Antbits08thor-arts1.jpg
This drawing is designed to show off the thoracic artery—everything is deliberately muted.
Antbits09veins-of-cord11.jpg
Same here: this drawing is for studying veins in the spinal cord.
