Bio:
Nicholas K. Pontone graduated with honors from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn in 2020 with a BFA in Illustration, just as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. He freelanced as an illustrator while cultivating an interest in biology as he worked in landscaping and gardening. It was during this time he discovered medical illustration. He enrolled at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, taking three semesters of premedical classes to build upon a lifelong interest in the sciences. In 2024, he completed a two-year MA in Medical and Biological Illustration from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
He is currently living in Philadelphia and works as a full time medical illustrator for Stream Studios within the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. One day, when he grows up, he hopes to have his own garden.
2022-2024
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland MA Medical and Biological Illustration
2021-2022
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Maryland Biology classes
2021-2022
- Pratt Institute of Art and Design, Brooklyn, New York BFA Communications Design: Illustration major
2024
- Inez Demonet Scholarship for “student with the most promise for contributions to the profession of medical illustration”
- Vesalius Trust Thesis Research Grant
- AMI Student Salon, Excellence Award in Anatomical Illustration
- AMI Student Salon, Merit Award in Biological Illustration
2023
- AMI Student Salon, Merit Award in Biological Illustration
- Joseph M. Dieter Jr. Scholarship for Creative Design Excellence
2020
- Society of Illustrators Student Award
- Pratt Circle Award
- Pratt Institute Excellence in Academic Achievement Award
2017
- Pratt Foundations Award Scholarship for Overall Excellence
2016
- National Merit Award from YoungArts Scholastics Art and Writing Awards National Gold Medal: Selected drawing and illustration
- National Silver Medal: Selected drawing and illustration
- Two Silver Key Art Portfolio Awards
2024-2025
- Medical Illustrator at Stream Studios within the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
2022-2024
- JHU client based student projects: illustrations and animations
2020-2022
- Illustrations for Offshore Wind: Turbine manual and infographics
- Freelance illustration for the August issue of Scientific American
- Mural for Baltimore Toolbank: Outdoor urban ecology classroom
- Kingsdene Nursery: Nursery Assistant
2018-2019
- La Di Das Lifestyle, LLC: Graphic Design
- Outside Space NYC: Landscaping and Mural painting
2016-2017
- Vesta Partners Construction: Branding/Advertising Warrior Wellness Solutions
- Veterans non-profit: Graphic Design
- Valley View Farms: Nursery Assistant/Customer Service
2024
- Art of Neurosurgery Show at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) (Houston, TX)
- Visualizing Healthcare: Joint Exhibition by Johns Hopkins AAM and NTUH (Taipei City, Taiwan)
- AMI Student Salon (Rochester, NY)
- Vesalius Trust Lucille Innes Student Showcase (Rochester, NY)
2023
- AMI Student Salon (Henderson, NV)
- Photoshop CC
- Illustrator CC
- Indesign CC
- After Effects CC
- Premier CC
- Cinema 4D
- ZBrush
- PyMol
- Procreate