The Art of Science

Gökçe Tanıyan

MEDICAL ILLUSTRATOR

📍 İzmir, Turkey

Gökçe Taniyan is a medical illustrator and biochemist whose work transforms complex biomedical concepts into clear, engaging visual stories. With a background in biochemistry and professional experience in medical illustration, she creates anatomical, surgical, scientific, and patient-education imagery in collaboration with healthcare professionals and researchers. Her work combines scientific accuracy with visual clarity, helping make intricate medical information easier to understand.

THE INTERVIEW:

Could you introduce yourself and tell us a little about your background? How did your education and experiences in biochemistry and the life sciences eventually lead you to a career in medical illustration?

My name is Gökçe Tanıyan, and I am a medical illustrator with a background in biochemistry and the life sciences. I also hold a Master’s degree in Biochemistry. Throughout my university years, I was always involved in art in some way. After completing my undergraduate studies in 2015, I began working as a freelance medical illustrator and eventually realized that medical illustration allowed me to combine two things I truly enjoyed: science and art. I then worked as a medical illustrator at a scientific visualization company, where I gained experience creating illustrations and animations on a wide range of scientific and medical topics. Following this, I completed my PhD in Basic Oncology, focusing on radiological image analysis and segmentation of lung CT scans. After completing my PhD, I worked remotely for a UK-based company, creating patient education visuals and animations.Looking back, my career developed quite naturally. My scientific education taught me how to understand complex biological concepts, while illustration gave me a way to communicate those concepts visually. I have been interested in both biology and art since childhood, so when I discovered a profession that brought these two interests together, I immediately knew it was the right path for me!

How has your academic background in science influenced the way you approach your work as an illustrator?

My scientific background has a major influence on the way I approach illustration. I don't see medical illustration simply as making something look realistic; I see it as a process of understanding the science first and then deciding how that information can be communicated visually. My education in biochemistry and my research experience trained me to question information, look at primary sources, understand biological mechanisms, and pay attention to details. My PhD research, in particular, involved working with medical imaging and image segmentation, so I became very comfortable interpreting radiological images and thinking about anatomy in a spatial and analytical way.This scientific foundation is especially useful when I work on complex subjects. I can communicate with researchers and healthcare professionals using their terminology, ask more specific questions, and recognize when a visual detail might be scientifically important. At the same time, I try not to let scientific knowledge make the illustration unnecessarily complicated. The goal is to understand everything so that I can decide what the viewer actually needs to see.

You collaborate closely with scientists and healthcare professionals to create illustrations for research, surgery, and patient communication. What does that collaborative process typically look like?

The process usually begins with a conversation about the purpose of the illustration. I first try to understand what the client wants the viewer to learn or understand after looking at the image. Depending on the project, I may receive scientific papers, surgical photographs or videos, radiological images, anatomical references, sketches, or simply a verbal explanation from the researcher or surgeon. I then do my own research and identify the anatomical and scientific details that need to be represented. For surgical illustrations, communication with the surgeon is particularly important because small anatomical or procedural details can make a significant difference. I often go through several rounds of feedback to make sure that the anatomy, surgical approach, instruments, and sequence of the procedure are represented correctly. I see the process as a collaboration rather than simply receiving instructions and drawing them. The scientist or physician brings their expertise in medicine, while I bring my expertise in visual communication. The final image is usually the result of combining both.

Demyelination illustration

Athlete and muscles

Could you walk us through your creative process when creating a medical illustration, from researching a scientific concept and developing the initial idea to producing the final artwork?

My process usually starts with research. Before I begin drawing, I try to understand the subject from both an anatomical and scientific perspective. I look at scientific papers, anatomy references, medical imaging, surgical resources, and, when necessary, the original research provided by the client. After understanding the subject, I define the main message of the illustration. I ask myself: What is the most important thing the viewer needs to understand? I then develop the composition and usually create a rough sketch. At this stage, I focus more on the relationships between structures, perspective, and visual hierarchy rather than details. Once the structure is established correctly, I work on textures, lighting, colors, and smaller details. Finally, I go through the image with the scientific or medical collaborator and make revisions based on their feedback. So although the final artwork may look like a purely artistic product, a significant part of the process actually happens before I start drawing.

Medical illustrations need to be scientifically accurate while also being visually clear and engaging. How do you decide which details to emphasize, simplify, or leave out when translating a complex medical concept into an image?

I think this is one of the most important skills in medical illustration. I start by identifying the main purpose of the image. Scientific accuracy does not necessarily mean showing every single anatomical structure. If everything is shown with the same level of detail, the viewer can actually have a harder time understanding the important information. For example, if the purpose of an illustration is to explain a surgical technique, I may emphasize the surgical field, the relevant anatomical structures, and the direction of the procedure, while simplifying or removing structures that are not relevant to the message. I think of it as controlled simplification. At the same time, I am careful not to simplify something that would change the scientific meaning. The challenge is finding the balance between anatomical accuracy and visual clarity.

How does your approach to creating scientific and medical illustrations change depending on the intended audience?

The audience changes almost everything about the visual language of an illustration. When I create an illustration for a surgeon or researcher, I can include much more anatomical and technical detail because the audience already has a strong scientific background. In these cases, accuracy and precise representation of anatomy or a procedure are usually the priorities. For students, I might use a more educational approach, with clearer visual hierarchy and more explanatory elements. For patient communication, the situation is completely different. The goal is not to demonstrate everything that is anatomically present, but to make the information understandable and less intimidating. I may simplify the anatomy, use clearer visual cues, and avoid unnecessary technical details.

What do you think art and visualization can communicate about a scientific discovery or medical procedure that words alone cannot?

Images can show relationships that are extremely difficult to explain with words alone. For example, describing the three-dimensional relationship between anatomical structures, the direction of a surgical approach, or the mechanism of a biological process can require a very long explanation. A well-designed illustration can communicate those relationships almost instantly. Visualization also allows us to make invisible processes visible. Molecular interactions, cellular mechanisms, internal anatomy, or what happens during a surgical procedure cannot always be directly observed by the audience. Illustration gives us a way to construct a visual representation of those processes. I also think there is an emotional aspect to visualization. The way an image is composed can make a complicated scientific subject feel understandable and approachable rather than overwhelming. In that sense, medical illustration is not just about showing information. It is about creating a visual way of thinking about that information.

Transorbital approach

Pelvic muscles

Medical illustration has evolved from traditional anatomical drawings to digital art, 3D visualization, animation, and other technologies. How have new tools changed the field, and what do you think remains uniquely important about the artist’s role?

Technology has changed medical illustration enormously. Today we can combine digital painting, vector illustration, 3D modeling, animation, medical imaging, and even interactive visualization within the same project. These technologies make it possible to create things that would have been extremely difficult or time-consuming with traditional methods. However, I don't think technology replaces the role of the artist. In fact, as the tools become more powerful, the ability to make good visual decisions becomes even more important. Someone still needs to decide what the image should communicate, what perspective is most informative, which structures should be emphasized, and how much information the viewer can process. The software is a tool. The ability to understand the subject and communicate it visually is still the core of the profession.

Are there any scientists, artists, mentors, or experiences that have significantly influenced your approach to medical illustration?

Leonardo da Vinci has probably been one of the biggest influences on me. What fascinates me most about him is the way he brought art and science together. His anatomical drawings show an incredible level of observation and curiosity, and he didn't simply draw what he saw—he wanted to understand how the human body worked. I find that approach very inspiring because it is very close to the way I think about medical illustration today. Working in scientific research taught me to be curious and skeptical about information. My experience in a scientific visualization company taught me how to work with researchers and translate scientific ideas into visual narratives. And working independently with surgeons, physicians, and researchers has taught me how different every project can be.

One experience that had a particularly strong influence on me was moving from purely scientific work into professional medical illustration. It made me realize that understanding science and communicating science are two different skills. You can know a subject extremely well, but that doesn't necessarily mean you can explain it visually. As for mentors, I don't think I have had one single person who shaped my career. Instead, I have learned from many different people throughout my career—scientists, physicians, surgeons, researchers, and other illustrators I've had the opportunity to work with. Each collaboration has taught me something different. I think one of the most valuable things I have learned from these experiences is that being a good medical illustrator requires both curiosity and humility. You have to be willing to keep learning, even when you already have a strong scientific background.

What advice would you give to students who love both science and art and are interested in pursuing medical illustration or another career that combines the two? What skills or experiences would you recommend developing while still in school?

My biggest advice would be not to feel that you have to choose between science and art. I know that it can sometimes feel like you have to decide on one path, but having an interest in both can actually become your greatest strength.

I studied Biochemistry, and at the same time, I continued to draw and develop my artistic skills. At that point, I didn't know exactly where those two interests would take me. It was only later, when I discovered medical illustration, that I realized they could actually become part of the same career.

If you are still in school, I would recommend developing both sides rather than focusing on only one. Build a strong foundation in biology, anatomy, and other relevant sciences, but also practice drawing regularly. Learn about perspective, light, composition, color, and visual storytelling. You don't necessarily need to become an amazing artist before starting—you improve by practicing and by making things. I would also encourage students to explore digital tools and different forms of visualization. Try 2D illustration, digital painting, 3D modeling, animation, or even medical imaging if you have the opportunity. You don't have to master everything; experimenting will help you discover what you enjoy and what you're good at. Another important skill is learning how to research. In medical illustration, you are constantly learning new subjects, so knowing how to find reliable scientific information and understand it is just as important as knowing how to draw. And finally, start building a portfolio early. You don't have to wait until you feel "ready." Pick subjects that genuinely interest you, create your own projects, and gradually learn from them. Looking back at my own career, I think the fact that I kept both science and art in my life eventually allowed me to find a career that brought them together.