- Carolina Hrejsa
- Skeleton of Proconsul africanus – Early Primate from East Africa
- Adobe Photoshop
Collection: Mammals x
This anatomical illustration depicts the reconstructed skeleton of Proconsul africanus, an extinct primate species that lived during the Miocene epoch in East Africa. Proconsul africanus is considered an early ancestor of both monkeys and apes, showcasing a mix of arboreal and terrestrial adaptations. The skeletal structure highlights key evolutionary traits, including limb proportions, a flexible spine, and grasping hands and feet, which suggest a primarily tree-dwelling lifestyle with some quadrupedal locomotion. This illustration is significant for studies in paleoanthropology, primate evolution, and Miocene fossil discoveries.
Illustrated by Carol Hrejsa, CMI for Body Scientific International. © 2021 Sage Publishing
About the Artist: Carolina Hrejsa x
Carol Hrejsa, CMI, MS is a board-certified medical illustrator and biomedical visualization educator. She has over 15 years of experience creating, directing, and visualizing scientific and medical concepts. She earned her BA at the University of Chicago and studied with mentor Dr. Paul Sereno at the Dinosaur Fossil Lab. She then attended the UIC Biomedical Visualization program and graduated with an MS in medical illustration.
She worked as a lead illustrator and project manager at Body Scientific International for 16 years. Additionally, she has been an adjunct professor teaching Introduction to Science Visualization at the UIC life science visualization undergraduate program. Moreover, she runs her own studio, Hrejsa Medical Illustration. At the end of the day, she proudly declares herself a master of Adobe Photoshop, but her heart truly belongs to the art of traditional figure drawing.