Medical illustration and my passion for art, by doli

Medical illustration and my passion for art, by doli - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

I have chosen medical illustration as my major. In medical illustration, illustrations are created to represent the human anatomy, tissues, fats, and other bodily parts. They mostly work for textbooks ,websites, hospitals, and online courses. When surgery is needed, a medical illustrator would be hired to showcase how the operation would need to be done. Additionally, 3D modeling is also used and may be used in legal cases.
Ever since I was young, I was always interested in art. I grew up in New York City, and all around me were apartments, trees, pigeons, MTA trains, and vehicles. Everyone was always in a rush, and the scenery of the Empire State was just above the horizon. I would sit on my balcony and draw my neighbors' apartments and cars. At school, we would have reading sessions, and I stumbled upon a manga by James Patterns and drawn by NaRae Lee called Maximum Ride. I have never seen such a distinctive art style and captivating story. Every panel that I flipped through, I would redraw it. The shading techniques and values of the characters gave me a sense of comfort. My best friend loved my drawings and would request that I draw her favorite cartoons. This made me learn about coloring styles, and I would use multiple mediums, such as colored pencils and crayons. Despite my love for drawing, my mother was severely opposed to it. She viewed it as a waste of time and instead wished for me to study. We would argue continuously, and at times she would rip my drawings apart. I grew anxious, which made me hide every drawing I have ever made. This was mostly in elementary and middle school. The only time I would find a sense of security was when I had art class and hung out with my art teacher. Mr. Islam taught me important factors in drawing, such as graphite shading. This helped me improve my drawings rapidly.
During eleventh grade, advanced placement classes were offered, and I have never taken any before. One of the classes that stood out to me was AP art. I immediately applied and got in. Art was not what I expected; there was far too much I did not know, but I was determined to learn. We had an art exam that required submitting five original art pieces and a personal essay. I taught myself how to use acrylic paint, oil paint, watercolors, and charcoal. I started improving my ability to draw anatomy and immediately fell in love with the human body. Each muscle and its proportions made me enjoy drawing even more. Our guidance counselor started talking about college and told us to start thinking about a major. I knew that I wanted to do something with art and science. I did research and found out about medical illustration. Only a few colleges offer that major, and not many talk about it. I felt as if it was unappreciated, but it made me so excited. I would be able to do what I love and challenge myself at the same time.
The exams were slowly coming to an end, and I stayed up several nights to finish my art pieces. When the results came, I received a 4. I felt as if all my hard work had paid off, and I felt as if it was a sign to choose medical illustration.