
About the artist
Hannah Forward is an illustrator and animator who creates medical imagery that emphasizes both accuracy and viewer engagement. After earning her BFA in Illustration from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Hannah returned to Baltimore to pursue an MA in Medical and Biological Illustration at Johns Hopkins University.
Hannah’s visuals serve as invaluable educational tools for healthcare professionals, researchers, and educators, offering a visually compelling means of understanding and communicating complex medical information. Her love for comics and animation are reflected in her colorful palettes, clean line work, and compositions which lead the eye naturally to key details.
Education
Education
2025
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHU SOM)
Master of Arts in Medical and Biological Illustration
2021-23
University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder)
Biology, anatomy coursework
2019
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration, Conc. in Sequential Art
cum laude
Experience
Experience
2023
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
Human Anatomy Laboratory, CU Boulder, Boulder, CO
Taught anatomy to undergraduate students on human cadavers and plastic models; hosted review sessions.
2019-23
Freelance Illustrator
Denver, CO
Created bespoke illustrations for clients; wrote, illustrated, and distributed original comics.
Awards & Honors
Awards & Honors
2025
Vesalius Trust Research Grant Award
Joseph M. Dieter, Jr., Scholarship for Creative Design Excellence
2024
Award of Merit – Anatomical Illustration
AMI Student Salon
For “Embryological Precursors of the Posterior Cerebral Artery”
2023-25
B. Saunders Scholarship
Elinor W. Bodian Scholarship
William Didusch Scholarship
JHU SOM Tuition Grant
2015-19
MICA Dean’s List
2015
Scholastic Art Award
National Gold Medal