Today we’d like to introduce you to James Archer.
Hi James, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in a small neighborhood in Mountain Park, GA on Jennie Lane. As a young boy, I spent most of my days riding my bike with friends or playing in the woods behind my house. One friend in particular, a boy named Huey, had a gift for drawing. Both he and his older sister had this gift. Huey was a few years older than me, and in many ways, I wanted to be just like him. I would spend hours copying drawings that he or his sister had created, mostly realistic drawings of animals and monsters.
These childhood events may seem trivial for some but for me, they are nothing short of providence. As I grew older, I would come to understand that drawing is the foundation of all art, even in today’s world of digital media.
I would go on to receive bachelor’s degrees from Emory University in Biology and Art History and a master’s degree in Medical Illustration from UT Southwestern Medical Center located in Dallas, TX. While the benefits of having a college degree are without question, I am convinced that it was a love for drawing that would prove to be the foundation for a lifelong career in Medical Illustration.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Art can be synonymous with “struggle”. Sometimes you have to fight for your art. I often spend long days and nights conducting research or combing through tutorials, all in an attempt to breathe some fresh air into some old, tried and tested techniques.
As for my career in general, the road has been smooth. I truly believe that I am bringing to bear a God given talent in the way that it was intended. And for me, that has made all the difference.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a member of a small community of artists and illustrators who call themselves “medical illustrators”. There are not many of us around. There are as few as 2,000 practicing medical illustrators in North America.
Early in my career, I accepted a position at the National Library of Medicine where I conducted research and development in the field of computer-generated imagery, specifically, 3D modeling and animation. I would use 3D graphics software to create illustrations that were hyper-real or photographic in appearance. The 3D production techniques that I developed at NLM would come to define my work as a medical illustrator.
I like to think that I am most known for how I serve others. I have never turned away a client for any reason, including budget. I have never set a limit on revisions. I treat my clients with kindness and respect. Remember, your clients may be under extreme pressure. Try your best to make their day a little easier.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Zero 🙂
I do not believe in luck. Likewise, I do not believe in “chance”. Chance has no causal power. Chance has no ontology. There is nothing that chance can do.
But you on the other hand, you can do a lot!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://anatomyblue.com/
- Twitter: @anatomyblue
Image Credits
Illustrations – James Archer, ANATOMYBLUE Family Photo – Carly Laine Photography
