Tim Phelps, MS, FAMI
Professor
Tim Phelps has been a prominent figure in the field of medical illustration for 43 years, with 38 years of experience teaching and illustrating within the department. His artwork has appeared in over 100 surgical textbooks and atlases, 250+ book chapters and journals, and 20+ magazines. He has won more than 40 regional and national awards for his contributions to medical and scientific illustration. Phelps has worked on numerous prestigious projects, including surgical texts on Otolaryngology, Orthopedic and Cardiac Surgery, co-authorship of Surgical Pathology Dissection, and the Smithsonian’s Ocean Planet project. He has created illustrations for Dog World and Cat Fancy magazines, served as Art Director and primary illustrator for the Johns Hopkins Family Health Book, and completed over 500 illustrations for the 2008 Merriam Webster Dictionary.
A former President and Chair of the Association of Medical Illustrators, Phelps received the Max Brödel Award for Excellence in Education in 2015 and the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023. Since 1995, Phelps has also explored the art of flame painting, painting over 600 diecast cars and contributing to numerous magazines and blogs. He authored Up in Flames: The Art of Flame Painting (2006) and designed a line of flame-painted diecast cars for Greenlight® Toys. In recent years, Phelps has focused on creating over 1600 nature-centric mandalas and rectangular panels. He is the author and illustrator of a 2-volume book set, Wonders of the Garden and Wonders of the Earth, Wind, and Sea (2016), showcasing many of these mandalas. Many more have been featured in group exhibitions and will be part of a solo exhibit in 2025 at the Richmond Art Museum (RAM) in Richmond, Indiana.
Education
1981
MS, Medical and Biological Illustration
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
1975
BFA, Graphic Design and Illustration
Wittenberg University, Springfield, OH
1974
Honor Student
School of Visual Arts (SVA), New York, NY
Board Certification
1993 - 2007
Certified Medical Illustrator
Board of Certification of Medical Illustrators
Work Experience
2016 - present
1991 - 2016
1991 - present
1986 - 1991
Professor
Associate Professor
Director of Production
Assistant Professor
Department of Art as Applied to Medicine
The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
1984 - 1985
Editorial Artist
Houston Post, Houston TX
1982- 1986
Staff Medical Illustrator
Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX
1977 - 1979
Graphic Artist
Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
Projects
Ovarian Tumor
Cover Illustration
Carotid Endarterectomy
Skills & Expertise
Medical Illustration
Surgical illustration
Orthopedics
Cardiothoracic
Vascular
Techniques
Continuous Tone
Pen & Ink
Color
Digital illustration
Journal publication
Illustration
Cover art
Medical Education
Chapter Illustration
Infographics
Courses
Professional Actvities
Associations
Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI)
- Active Member (1983-Present)
- President (1998)
- Meeting Coordinator, Annual National Meeting (Baltimore 1997),
- Member of Board of Governors (1990-95, 1997-2000).
- Chairman, Board of Governors (1993-94),
- Fellow (FAMI 1992), Board Certification (CMI 1992)(CMI 1997).
- Committee Work (1983-present): Accreditation Review for the Medical Illustrator, Continuing Education, Finance, Internship, Membership, Mentorship, JBC Gallery Editor, Workshops, Public Relations, and Nominating.
The Vesalius Trust for Visual Communications in the Health Sciences
- Board Trustee, 1995-1998, 1998-2001
Publications
Cummings, C. et al, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Eds. (Flint) Philadelphia: Elsevier, 1993-2009.
Nichols, David et al., The Golden Hour: The Handbook of Advanced Pediatric Life Support. Chicago: Mosby Yearbook, Elsevier, 1st, 2nd and 3rd Eds. 1990-2009.
McFarland, E. et al, Examination of the Shoulder, Thieme Medical Publishers, NY, 2006.
Merriam Webster Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Springfield, MA, Primary Illustrator 500+ illustrations, 2008.
Hruban, R.; Westra, W.;Phelps, T.; and Isacson, C. Surgical Pathology Dissection: An Illustrated Guide. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1996, 2nd Ed 2003.
Klag,M et al,The Johns Hopkins Family Health Book, (Primary Illustrator and Art Director) created over 500 illustrations, Harper-Collins, New York, January, 1999.
Phelps, Tim, UP in FLAMES: The Art of Hot Rod Flame Painting, Motorbooks International, Wis., (July 2006).
Phelps, Tim, NATURE MANDALAS, WONDERS of the GARDEN, LIFE CIRCLES of BIODIVERSITY and CONSERVANCY, Schiffer Publishing (Jan 2016).
Phelps, Tim, NATURE MANDALAS, WONDERS of the EARTH, WIND, and SEA, LIFE CIRCLES of BIODIVERSITY and CONSERVANCY, Schiffer Publishing (Jan 2016).
Nichols, D.; Cameron, D.; et al., Critical Heart Disease in Infants and Children, Philadelphia: Mosby Yearbook, Elsevier, 1stv and 2nd eds., 1995 and 2006.
Yaremchuk, M., et al., Lower Extremity Salvage and Reconstruction: Orthopaedic and Plastic Surgical Management. New York: Elsevier Science Publishing Co., 1989.
Hoffman, M et al, Symptom Solver for Dogs and Cats, Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA, February 1999.
Veterinary Illustrator, Cat Fancy Magazine, Irvine, CA, various illustration assignments, 2001-2003.
Veterinary Illustrator, Dog World Magazine, Chicago Ill, various illustration assignments, 1999-2001.
Series Veterinary Illustrator, “Tip to Tail” Cat Fancy Magazine magazine, monthly assignments, 1997.
Smithsonian Institution, Ocean Planet Exhibit, Washington, DC, on site and Traveling Exhibit, 1995 – Present.
Veterinary Illustrator, 3 monthly newsletters, Catnip, Your Dog, Horse!, Parkinson Group, Clinton MA,1994-1998.
Phelps, Tim, Creating Textures in Medical and Scientific Illustration in Pen and Ink, Journal of Biocommunication, 30:1, 2003.
Phelps, Tim, Colored Pencil for Medical and Veterinary Art, Journal of Biocommunication, 29:4, 2003.
Presentations
Workshop Instructor/Presenter:
- July 2009, Association of Medical Illustrators Annual Meeting, Richmond, VA
- July 2008, Association of Medical Illustrators Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN
- July 2006, Association of Medical Illustrators Annual Meeting, Boston, MA
- July 2004, Association of Medical Illustrators Annual Meeting, Cleveland, OH
- July 1997, Association of Medical Illustrators Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD
- June 1994, “World Congress on Biocommunications,” Orlando, FL
- August 1992, Association of Medical Illustrators Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL
Visiting Instructor:
- University of Michigan, March 1999
- Wittenberg University, October 1998
- University of Michigan, March 1993
- Medical College of Georgia, May 1991
- Philadelphia College of the Arts, July 1990
- University of Michigan, March 1990
Recognition
Lifetime Achievement Award
Association of Medical Illustrators, 2023.
Max Brödel Award for Excellence in Education
Association of Medical Illustrators, 2015.
20 Salon Awards
Association of Medical Illustrators, 1983-Present.
Distinguished Alumni Award
Wittenberg University, Springfield, OH, 1998.
The William P. Didusch Art Award
American Urological Association, Baltimore, MD, 1998.
Illustrators Who Teach
Society of Illustrators Exhibit, New York, 1997.
Featured Artist
American Artist Magazine, August 1997.
Best Illustrated Book Award
Co-author Surgical Pathology Dissection: An Illustrated Guide, Springer-Verlag, NY, 1996
2nd Ed. with new art- (2003), Merit Award, 2003
Association of Medical Illustrators
Award of Merit Book Award
Natural Science Text
Fish Medicine, WB Saunders, Philadelphia
Association of Medical Illustrators, World Congress, 1994. (300+ illustrations)
Award of Merit Book Award
Anatomic Text
Dance Science: Anatomy, Movement Analysis, Conditioning, Princeton Book Company, NJ
Association of Medical Illustrators 2015. (80+ illustrations)
10 Art Awards
Baylor College of Medicine Interpretations Art Salon, Houston, TX: 1984-1986
10 Art Awards
Texas Scientific Communicators, 1983-1986
Other Professional: 8 Awards
News
Tim Phelps’ “Eyes on Nature” Exhibit Opens at Richmond Art Museum
The Department is proud to share that faculty member Tim Phelps recently opened his nature art exhibition, Eyes on Nature: Works of Tim Phelps, at the Richmond Art Museum in Richmond, Indiana. The exhibit opened on June 7, 2025, and will run through July 26, 2025, in...
Tim Phelps Earns Lifetime Achievement Award
Tim Phelps, Medical illustrator and Professor in The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine’s Department of Art as Applied to Medicine, is the 2023 Recipient of the AMI Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Medical Illustrators.
Hopkins Represents at the 2022 AMI Meeting
The 2022 AMI meeting in Des Moines was our first in person AMI meeting since 2019! Hopkins students, faculty, and alumni were well represented this year.