International Space Station Program Artist Shows His Creative Process

The classic artist reaches for a brush, pen or pencil, or perhaps a pastel crayon to paint or sketch. Michael C. Jansen, for three decades an engineer at Johnson Space Center, sits before a computer display, stretches with his right hand for a mouse and begins to draw as though he was working with sketch pad or canvas. The inspiration for his space-themed creations flows as passionately through Microsoft PowerPoint as it once did through pencil and brush. Jansen's struggle with Parkinson's disease, which was diagnosed in mid-career, changed much in his life. He decided to switch direction and do what he felt was most important to him while he could—and that was art. Thanks to his innovative use of PowerPoint to steady his artistic stroke, a painstaking commitment to realism in his imagery and a supportive workplace, Jansen creates NASA-sponsored creations in support of space station. His latest pieces include a commemorative logo, poster and patch in celebration of humankind's first permanent off-Earth presence with the Russian element Zarya launch 15 years ago this November. This video shows Jansen's creative process as he creates art with a computer.