Cynthia Turner · CLIENT: Alexander and Turner Medical Illustration Studio
A conceptual illustration of an air-filled inner landscape with galactic depth conveying the breathlessness wrought by emphysemic changes to the alveoli air sacs of the lungs. The inner walls of the alveoli are damaged, causing them to break down and merge to form larger, fewer air sacs. This creates one larger air space instead of many small ones. The remaining alveoli become abnormally large and inflated, also reducing the surface area available for gas exchange. These cumulative structural tissue changes cause the lungs to become less elastic, making it difficult to exhale air effectively.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- A conceptual illustration of an inner space landscape of emphysemic alveoli, highlighting collapsed bronchioles and damaged alveolar air sacs. The inner walls of the alveoli rupture and create enlarged air sacs, resulting in inefficient oxygen exchange and diminished respiration. Temple Health Lung Center is a national leader in diagnosing and treating lung disease. The Center desired a conceptual illustration of emphysemic changes in alveoli for marketing purposes.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Width 444.5 mm x Height 292.1 mm, 350 dpi, tiff
- Tags
- medical illustration, biomedical artist, visual science, emphysema
- Production Technology
- Created using Cinema 4D, a 3D modeling program, 3D models, and hand-painting in Photoshop, using a stylus and tablet on a Mac.
- Design Challenge
- The artist sought to create an air-filled inner landscape with galactic depth conveying the breathlessness that can come with emphysema.
- Project Duration
- The project was in development for two weeks at the artist's studio in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, USA.
- Operation Flow
- The work depicts a frozen moment in time reflecting the devastation of lung function wrought by emphysematic changes to the air sacs of the lungs.
- Research
- The artist reviewed bronchial anatomy and the pathophysiological changes of emphysema by studying radiological images and cat scan images to ensure accuracy. She then built a complex bronchiole tree using rendered 3D models, and hand-painted the structural alterations of the lung’s alveoli air sacs that occur in the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease of emphysema. As the walls of the alveoli become thin, they break down and merge, forming larger, fewer air sacs. This creates one larger air space instead of many small ones and reduces the surface area available for gas exchange. The remaining alveoli become abnormally large and inflated, further reducing the surface area for gas exchange. This cumulative structural change in the tissue causes the lungs to become less elastic, making it difficult to exhale air effectively.
- Inspiration
- Developing atmospheric perspective and depth of field was important to convey the inner space scene within the lungs. The image was created with a 3D software model and developed as an illustration in Photoshop.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Illustrator Cynthia Turner / Alexander and Turner Medical Illustration Studio / Emphysema, 2023
Image #2: Illustrator Cynthia Turner / Alexander and Turner Medical Illustration Studio / Emphysema, 2023
Image #3: Illustrator Cynthia Turner / Alexander and Turner Medical Illustration Studio / Emphysema, 2023
Image #4: Illustrator Cynthia Turner / Alexander and Turner Medical Illustration Studio / Emphysema, 2023
Image #5: Illustrator Cynthia Turner / Alexander and Turner Medical Illustration Studio / Emphysema, 2023 - Patents
- Copyright belongs to Cynthia Turner, 2023. VA 2-366-423
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