About

Background
Barbara is a biological and medical illustrator, either living seaside on Cape Cod, MA, or living horse-side in Ocala, FL. She provides illustration services to Boston clients as well as national ones. Her professional experience includes being a staff member for two museums (MA, FL) and two teaching hospitals (NJ, IL). She has operated her business as an independent contractor serving the fields of publishing, education, museums, and advertising, since 1991.

Her work is created through a combination of traditional art and digital work in Photoshop or Illustrator. The work comes from her solid foundation in traditional board art (watercolor, gouache, airbrush, pen and ink, scratchboard, colored pencil, oil, acrylic). A Master’s degree in Medical Illustration (University of Illinois at Chicago) and a Bachelor’s degree in both Zoology and Fine Art (University of California, Berkeley) have provided her with the basics of the academic and technical tools she applies in creating her vivid images. Barbara won both the People’s Choice (Ralph Sweet) Award with the Association of Medical Illustrators’, and Best in Show with the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators in 2010.

Stock Art and Prints
A number of stock images are available for re-use. Countless animal species are available; if you do not see something on the site, please email or phone Barbara for the most current and complete list.

Barbara has a long history of private commissions, and many pieces of Barbara’s work are available as fine art giclee prints. Anything on this site can be converted to a giclee or digital print; email or phone Barbara for updates, prices, or ordering.

See more work at Barbara’s fine art blog, or mural blog.

Pricing

Illustration prices are variable, and are based on: size, complexity, research required, reference material provided, turnaround time, quantity and other variables. Estimates are given happily, and are often given with a range of pricing, since many factors are often not known at this stage.
Illustration prices are generally assessed per project. Miscellaneous fees occurring beyond the original scope of the project will charge at an hourly rate.
Rush work is charged at a higher rate as schedules must be altered to accommodate your request.
For book projects, or pieces in a series, there may often be a volume discount.
Prices attribute copyright ownership to Barbara Harmon and generally assess a one-time, limited use (determined by contract), to the author, publication or institution. Additional usages can be arranged. If copyright is necessary for the client, then the job will price out higher to compensate the artist for potential lost wages.
Depending upon the scope of the project, payment is generally made in three separate installments: 1) 30% after completion of rough or conceptual sketch, 2) 30% after completion of a comprehensive (to contain all agreed-upon elements) color drawing, and, 3) 40% with delivery of final art.

Testimonials
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to work with Barbara for over 20 years! Her knowledge and grasp of animal biology and habitat is amazing! She brings an energy and excitement to all projects, large and small! She can grasp onto a project regardless of how vague my direction, producing beautiful results that always exceed expectation! I always look forward to working with her!!!”-Cathy LeBlanc, Senior Designer, New England Aquarium

“Barbara created several beautiful paintings for me, what impressed me the most was that she was able to take my somewhat vague vision & bring it to life. Her attention to detail is second to none. I receive constant compliments on the artwork.” –Bill Harkins, Bill Harkins Brokerage

“Barbara’s work is fabulous and it excites museum visitors. She makes every effort to over-deliver. Hire her, that’s my advice.” –Paul Erickson, Paul Erickson Studios