I have always been awed by the complexity and magnificence of living creatures, how they function, the physical anatomy, the cellular processes, instinctual and reactionary behavior, and how each critter fits within the “big picture” of their habitat. While I started out thinking I would like to teach biology, my passion for creating art was not satisfied. I am one of those oddities that have chosen to combine illustration with science and medicine. The combination of the two is a perfect fit. My research is based on teaching others medical and scientific concepts through my illustrations by captivating the viewer while not compromising accuracy of information. The bonus is that I get to learn the information before I interpret it as a visual image. Certainly, my illustrations are only useful as a teaching tool to the extent that I understand what I am illustrating. My medical and scientific illustration studio opened its doors full time in 1990. Since then I have been creating illustrations for publication in medical journals, pharmaceutical advertisements, surgical atlases, annual reports, patient education booklets and posters, and college level textbooks. While I originally relied on “traditional” media, such as airbrush and hand painting with acrylics, gouache, and watercolor as my tools of choice, I now work in both traditional and digital media. Most of my work now is a combination of the two. While I have spent considerable time in the medical and scientific commercial illustration arena, the skills learned are skills that can be used in any area of specialty. I have many years of experience working with art directors, meeting deadlines, refining technical proficiency, identifying effective use of color and composition, marketing to a target audience, copyright laws, negotiating contracts, etc. These are all things that I hope to share with my illustration students at NIU. RESUME 2004 to present – Assistant Professor of Illustration, Fine Arts Division, School of Art, Northern Illinois University. 1990 to present - President of Todd Buck Illustration, Inc. Specializing in medical and scientific illustrations for publication all over the globe. 1990 - Master's Degree in Medical Illustration from The University of Illinois at Chicago Department of Biomedical Visualization. 1987 - BA in Biological PreMedical Illustration (BPMI) from Iowa State University. Active member of the Association of Medical Illustrators. Todd's medical illustrations have won numerous awards from The Association of Medical Illustrators, including many Awards of Excellence, the Ralph Sweet Award (Best of Show), and several Certificates of Merit. He has also received awards from Creativity 26, RxClub, Midwest Medical Illustrators, DESI, Airbrush Action, and the Art Directors Club of New Jersey. His work has been published internationally, including Canada, Turkey, Portugal, Australia, China, South Africa, and Germany. Todd's illustrations have been displayed at Chicago's International Museum of Surgical Sciences, the Museum of Natural History, and the National Library of Medicine. Todd is a frequent guest lecturer at The University of Illinois Department of Biomedical Visualization. He was guest speaker at the graduation dinner for the class of 2001 and the class of 2004. He has also presented seminars at Iowa State University and University of Minnesota Duluth.
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