Appeal Across Ages

9th and 9th Whale

Pediatricians see patients from newborns through eighteen. So why is the art in so many pediatric patient rooms feel geared for toddlers and young kids? I have a two year old, a six year old, and a thirteen year old. It sometimes feels like we're always going to the doctor's office for one thing or another. As such, I've seen many different rooms and I am keenly aware of the artwork that alienates my thirteen year old.

In fact, the first doctor I worked with made it very clear that he did not want cartoonish art. In previous offices, where he didn't have as much input over the artwork, he complained that patients would often leave his practice as they became teenagers because they felt like they had aged out of seeing a "kid doctor." Why? The art likely plays a big role in creating this mindset, as most pediatric art is aimed at an audience of toddlers and young children.

Style Matters

It's not so much that unicorns, fairires, pirates, dump trucks, and teddy bears are childish, as it is the style they are painted. Often, these are painted with exaggerated proportions and overly bright colors, which is exciting for a toddler but feel childish to a teenager.

Fox pouncing on bear

With this in mind, I use realistic proportions and colors designed to make the content feel more grounded. I want the murals to feel like one of the paintings I have on my wall at home. Indeed, I want the parents of your patients to be as interested in the art as their children.

This does not mean that you have to give up whimsy. Humor and whimsy is important, especially in a doctor's office. But humor can exist without being cartoonish or childish. For example, in this image, a fox is pouncing on what he thinks is a mouse under the snow but is a hibernating bear. It's fun and whimsical without being juvenile.

In the next example, I painted a frazzled osprey in a nest of demanding chicks. The humor is subtle, but I'm using nature to reflect human familial experiences of a parent who feels overwhelmed by parenthood. I also liked how the medical instruments on the wall looked like hungry chicks, which is where the inspiration came from.