Cooley Studios

As part of my independent study of classical drawing and painting, I am posting my progress. Initially I was hesitant about doing this because I am approaching this study as if I have had little to no art training. Because these drawings will be seen by many viewers, I wanted to render the Bargue drawings the way I would a medical drawing, with exacting detail. I decided to check my pride at the door, begin drawing as a beginner and see just how far I can go. My hope is that I become a more skilled and knowledgeable artist while at the same time any one following my blog who may actually be a beginner find inspiration to continue working toward success.

With the many exercises I will be undertaking, I will work on training my eye to see with greater accuracy and develop a more efficient harmonious collaboration of my mind, hand, and eyes. I will be making use of various measuring techniques which include: sight-size, comparative, 1 to 1 ratio. I will also make use of various drawing approaches including the construct, the gestural block-in, the envelop block-in, and loose gestural approach. Each method of measure and approach yields great accuracy if done correctly.

The first set of drawings are very basic. I utilized the sight-size method so I could achieve proper proportions.

The following Bargue drawings were done using the 1:1 ratio method of measure.

The Next series of Bargue drawings were done utilizing the comparative measurement approach.

Michael A. Cooley, Standing Man Arms Spreading Out, 2011, Graphite.

Michael A. Cooley, Seated Man Left Profile, 2011, Graphite.

Michael A. Cooley, Seated Man Rear View, 2011, Graphite.

I really learned a lot making these drawings. In each case, I had to slow down and make careful observations. Learning to be patient is tough but it will pay off in the end. I hope you will continue following me as I grow as an artist and if I can inspire you in some way, that is wonderful.

take care until next time,
Michael

Here are few of my paintings. As I work on my drawings I will periodically post some of the paintings I’m working on. I like oil, watercolor, acrylic, digital, wash, airbrush and gouache painting. Most of the paintings I post will be oil but at times I will post paintings of other media.

Michael A. Cooley, I See You, 2011, Digital Color.
This is a painting I did while in graduate school. It is a portrait from a photo shoot done in the home studio of one of my instructors, Ted Lewin.

Michael A. Cooley, Still Life – Eggplant, 2010, Oil.
This is a still life painting of a eggplant, lime, and tomato, using one light source.

Michael A. Cooley, Walk On By, 2010, Oil.
While in Los Angeles on a graduate school contact site visit, I happened on a scene where a homeless guy was clinging to his small dog and hoping for someone to offer a bit of help. Sadly people walked by paying little to no attention to him. I offered him some help and thought, I want to capture this moment.

Michael A. Cooley, Christiaan Barnard MD, 2010, Oil.
This is my painting of Christiaan Barnard, MD. He was the first cardiac surgeon to successfully perform a human heart transplant.

Michael A. Cooley, Vivian Thomas LLD, 2011, Oil.
This is my painting of medical pioneer Vivian Thomas, LLD., (1910-1985). He was and African American surgical technician who developed the treatment for Blue Baby Syndrome in 1944 at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

I have painted using most all media for years but I am pretty new at oil painting. It truly humbles me and lets me know that there is a journey I must take in order to grow. One has to work on it consistently, patiently and forgivingly. Although, these early paintings are very stiff and unappealing, I am more than inspired and motivated to improve. It will be a long journey, but it is what I love. Keep following and watching as I try, stumble, get up, persist and fight to grow as an artist.

take care and until next time,
Michael

After working 25 years as a professional medical illustrator, I decide to start from scratch and learn the methods and technique of drawing and painting used by the fine art masters from the Renaissance to the end of the 19th century. Before I begin posting drawings from my independent study, I am going to post some of my medical drawings and paintings. These images are from assignments I work on daily for my medical clients. I will post them periodically.

Michael A. Cooley, Baby and Cell, 1999, Airbrush, Self Promotion.
This illustration depicts a baby peering through a transparent human cell. This is a self promotion piece I created using a Passche AB and Iwata Micron airbrush.

By day I am a mild-mannered medical illustrator. By night I work on my classical art studies. I have also began teaching drawing fundamentals to art students at my studio.

Michael A. Cooley, Fetal Circulatory System, 2011, Digital.
This illustration depicts the underlying anatomy of the fetal circulatory system.

Michael A. Cooley, Bilateral Cleft Lip 1a, 2011, Digital, Publication, Nationwide Children’s Hospital. This is one in a series of illustrations depicting diagnosis and treatment of a bilateral cleft lip.

Michael A. Cooley, Bilateral Cleft Lip 1b, 2011, Digital, Publication, Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Michael A. Cooley, Bilateral Cleft Lip 1c, 2011, Digital, Publication, Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

Michael A. Cooley, Bilateral Cleft Lip 1d, 2011, Digital, Publication, Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

take care until next time,
Michael

Hello world! Thanks for visiting my new blogspot. I invite you to come along on a journey with me, my artistic journey. As time permits, I will be posting my ideas and thoughts about what I am thinking, doing and experiences I am going through.

I am going on an artistic journey of discovery to become a more knowledgeable and skilled artist. You see, I am a classically trained medical illustrator with 25 years of professional experience. I was trained in the atelier system with the exception, the subject matter was medical in content. Of more than 100 applicants, I was one of 6 students accepted into the medical illustration program at The Ohio State University through the School of Allied Medical Professions.

Michael A. Cooley, Orthopedic Surgeon, 2002, Digital Color.
This illustration depicts an Orthopedic Surgeon working on the right glenohumeral joint (shoulder) of his patient.

The program at Ohio State started in 1948 and closed in 1995. I graduated earning my Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Communication concentrating in Medical Illustration in 1987. In 1988 I began working as a professional medical illustrator. In 2009 I decided to return to school to further my education. I enrolled in the Low Residency MFA in Illustration program at the Hartford Art School through the University of Hartford in Connecticut. 2011, I finished my course work and graduated with a cumulative gpa of 3.94.

The Hartford Art School is no ordinary program (http://hartfordillustrationmfa.org/)! It is successfully run under the direction of Murray Tinkelman (b. 1933). This prestigious program is the ONLY Low Residency MFA in the country that is dedicated exclusively to Illustration. It is designed for highly motivated professional illustrators looking for an environment where they can experience artistic stimulation and an infusion of new ideas, graphic designer/illustrators looking to enhance their illustration skills, and illustrators seeking to obtain an advanced degree for a career in education.

At Hartford I began to discover my interest in art other than that which pertains to medicine. Through the wonderful history of illustration lectures given by Murray Tinkelman I began to think more broadly about art/illustration and the possibilities waiting for me to discover. Dennis Nolan (b. 1945), one of my professors opened my eyes to classical fine art, the apprentice and atelier system with his presentation tracing his artistic lineage to Jacques-Louis David (1748 – 1825).

I have embarked on an intensive independent study of classical art in drawing and painting. I believe the best way to attain a classical fine art education is to enroll in one of the Artist Renewal Center approved atelier programs. Since there are no atelier programs here in Columbus Ohio, I will commit to follow the very intensive curriculum of the Charles Bargue’s (1826 – 1883) Drawing Course and the best art atelier programs in America, Canada, and Europe. Additionally, I will seek out and take workshops and study with living painting masters such as Marvin Mattelson, Dennis Drummond, Jacob Collins and Stephen Gjertson. My training in medical illustration will serve me well in my quest. So join me as I chronicle my artistic progress. I will try not to write so much on future posts.

Michael A. Cooley, Detached Retina, 2004, Digital Tone.
This illustration depicts a detached retina and treatment via vitrectomy. These illustrations were create for patient education for Dr. Rex Hawkins of Retina Vitreous Associates in Houston Texas.

Michael A. Cooley, Inguinal Hernia,2010, Crowquill Pen and Ink, Surgical Atlas.
This Illustration depicts a hernia in the inguinal canal. The cecum has protruded into the inguinal canal through the defected deep or internal inguinal ring. This is one of more than 1200 illustrations created for the Atlas of General Surgical Techniques – Courtney Townsend, MD., and Mark Evers, MD. Client: Elsevier

To learn more about medical illustration and the father of modern day medical illustration, Max Brodel (1870 – 1941), please click on this links listed below:

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/medart/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC200894/pdf/mlab00259-0010.pdf

http://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=max+brodel&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&oi=image_result_group&sa=X

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_illustration

thanks for taking this journey with me,
Michael