Comics portfolio

I began exploring using comics to make medicine more engaging and accessible while training in medical illustration. Their overlap with traditional scientific illustration fascinated me, where both involve distilling ideas into their essence visually. Comics however have the added power of storytelling, and I have been injecting story and humour into visual narratives to explore healthcare topics ever since. This has led to creative projects including public health initiatives, knowledge translation by sharing medical research, clinical education, and a body of published research culminating in a Medical Doctorate of Clinical Research.

To commission art, please use the contact form or email cilein@artibiotics.com


Why communicate with comics?

Medicine can get pretty complex quickly, especially so the more specialised the topic. Trying to share that can sometimes be tough for those deeply embedded in the subject. Through comics, I try to distill the important ideas and make them more accessible, memorable, and fun to engage with.

The complexity of art depends on the audience and what you would like to share.


Education

Through sequential art, a topic can be broken down into manageable pieces and built up through a story.


Circulatory failure physiology comic v09 1190px artibiotics dr cilein kearns.jpg
Preeclampsia symptoms by Dr Cilein Kearns Artibiotics v16 72dpi 1600px.jpg
Base of skull fracture BOS 1024px.jpg
Exposure_signs_ABCDE_Paediatric_ALS_by_Dr_Cilein_Kearns_Medical_Illustration_Artibiotics_v02.jpg

Exploring Pathogenesis

Connecting the dots visually to relate signs and symptoms to underlying disease.

PE Pulmonary Embolism v02 72dpi by Dr Cilein Kearns Artibiotics.jpg

Public health campaigns

Helping make medicine accessible to wider audiences.


KnifeSavers comic v04 72dpi artibiotics.jpg

Sharing research

Research is useless when it isn’t discovered, read, or understood.

Comics can communicate key points visually in an easy-to-digest (and share) form for public, patients, and healthcare professionals.


Nelmy ICS paper combined v04 1280px.jpg

Comics Gallery

Some more examples.



Comic articles

Read my comics in their natural habitat on my blog.

Excerpt from “the curious case of influenza in the Southern Hemisphere” by Dr Ciléin Kearns

Excerpt from “the curious case of influenza in the Southern Hemisphere” comic by Dr Ciléin Kearns (Artibiotics)


Need something illustrated?

To enquire about commissioning comics, please use the contact form or email cilein@artibiotics.com


Some of the wonderful teams I've worked with: