RMIT students paint anatomical man into human textbook

RMIT students paint anatomical man into human textbook
image courtesy of the age © simon o’dwyer

as a response to a national decline in the amount of time spent on anatomy in university courses, royal melbourne institute of technology professor dr. claudia diaz developed an innovative educational approach to engage graduates in their study. over a period of 18 hours, a student volunteer was fully transformed into a highly-detailed, and biologically accurate anatomical man. with the help of body paint and models, a team of five students meticulously concealed his entire body in layers of pigment, painstakingly coloring the muscles and tendons to be scientifically sound, in an indication of what the human body would look like if it were to be stripped of the skin.

instructing through the synthesis of art and science, the human representation is comparable to any resource available in a textbook. the finished anatomical man poses and flexes, showing in which ways the muscle groups respond to movement and stress. each body painting session is documented through photos, videos and 3D imaging, to use as an ongoing medical education resource and for an art exhibition in 2014.

‘anatomy is a cornerstone subject for students in health and medicine but it’s not enough for them to memorize it to get through their exams — our students need to have a real and lasting understanding of how the body works’ — dr. claudia diaz

the RMIT student volunteer and the team of painters begin the nearly day long painting endeavor
image courtesy of the age © simon o’dwyer

a detailed view of the anatomy painted onto the student’s body
image courtesy of the age © jodie donnellan

students paint the muscles and tendons in the face
image courtesy of RMIT uinversity

the anatomical man poses, showing in which ways the muscle groups respond to motion
image courtesy of RMIT uinversity