Wynn Kapit graduated from the University of Miami, attended the Art Center School in Los Angeles, and received a Masters in Painting from the University of California at Berkley. He also took a class in human anatomy at San Francisco City College. While taking that class, he realized that he could coloring the subject's drawings helped him learn the topic. Kapit, a former graphic designer, and Lawrence Elson, the class instructor, created The Anatomy Coloring Book (1977) which also served as a foundation for The Physiology Coloring Book (1987) and The Geography Coloring Book (1991).