Artist profile

Kari C. Toverud is the only illustrator in Norway with a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in medical illustration. She received her degree from the Medical College of Georgia in 1983. Only approximately 45 students in the United States and Canada earn this degree each year among the 5 accredited graduate programs. She is the only Board Certified Medical Illustrator (C.M.I.), in Norway and one of 3 all of Europe. There are only 293 active CMI illustrators in the world.

This three-year program included courses with the medical students in human gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, microscopic anatomy, pathology and animal surgery as well as two years of human surgical observation and extensive training in medical art techniques. This background allows the graduate to communicate with experts in medicine and health education, and to grasp complex scientific information and then to present this information visually to a variety of different audiences.

Kari C. Toverud has been working as a professional award-winning medical illustrator for 35 years. She provides informative medical illustrations, animations, interactive learning sites and storyboard script-writing for a variety of clients, including publishers, medical journals, physicians, advertising agencies and the pharmaceutical industry. She has provided illustrations for 190 textbooks for medical, nursing, junior high and high school students as well. Many of these titles have been translated into Danish, Swedish and Finnish.

Questions, specific requests or suggestions for a new project should be directed to Kari C. Toverud by phone or email.

Education

1980 - 1983 Master of Science (M.S.) degree in medical illustration, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, USA

1978 - 1980 Graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) degree in Art and Biology from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

1977 - 1978 University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

1976 - 1977 Fana Folk High school (1-year college credit) Bergen, Norway

Professional experience

1983 - 1989 Universitetsforlaget (University Press), Oslo, Norway; medical illustrator for textbooks for nursing- and medical students.

1989 - 2006 Freelance medical illustrator, Oslo, Norway

2006 - present CEO of Kari C. Toverud Inc. Oslo, Norway

Professional Memberships

Member of The Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI), Student status 1980-1983, professional status since 1983-present.

Member of the Norwegian Graphic Arts and Illustrator Association (GRAFILL). since 1983.