Digital Residency- Hana Pokojna- Anatomy Research
A big part of this project is rooted in anatomy. Specifically, the anatomical structure of human body will be applied to the statues that are popular in Scotland.
To ensure accuracy, a lot of my previous training went into learning anatomy through life drawing and through écorché of skeletal system and musculature.
The figures above and below are examples of life drawing practice. This helped me to learn to draw the human form and pay attention to the surface anatomy landmarks, as well as proportions and light properties.
Aside from surface anatomy, I have studied the gross anatomy of the body. This was done not only in dissection rooms, from textbooks and other digital resources (such as 3D models), but also from drawing the specimen in anatomy museums and published photographs of cadavers in medical textbooks.
The figure on the left is a study in coloured pencils drawn from a clinical photograph focusing on the anatomical snuff box region of the hand.
The picture on the right is one of the first drafts of a diagram showing the opposability of the thumb. It was drawn from a combination of 4 specimen: live hand, Thiel embalmed hand, formaldehyde embalmed hand and a skeleton.
Combining life-drawing and anatomy knowledge leads to creating accurate pictures of the human body. Below are the examples of muscular and skeletal écorchés made from life-drawing sessions and study of anatomy teaching resources.
The diagram above was a part of my portfolio during my study of Medical Art. This work focuses on the anatomy of muscles but shows several skeletal insertions of the muscles.
Another work made for my degree course was made from a life-drawing class, this one focused on the skeletal system.
After being confident enough with knowing the human form as a whole, in terms of proportions and understanding anatomical accuracy, I applied more artistic approach to the anatomical diagrams. This was one of my first attempts to combine artistic skills and science, and then make it art again. This is the approach I will be applying in my residency in the final pieces.
Below is the progression of making an anatomical illustration. It all starts with a life-drawing.