Sometimes, professors need to get creative to keep students interested and effectively learning their studied courses. For the past three years, RMIT University lecturer Dr. Claudia Diaz has adopted an unconventional method for her senior anatomy course involving a live model of the human musculoskeletal system. Most recently, 22-year-old chiropractic student Zac O'Brien offered his body for the creative learning project that would require students to paint in the fine details directly on the living and breathing subject's physique, turning him into the Anatomical Man.
Starting at 4pm one afternoon, O'Brien was painted for 18 hours straight. The process began with students landmarking the significantly prominent structures of the body, including bony bumps and major muscles. Following the figurative blueprint, three other artists stepped in to paint the details, making it seem as though O'Brien has been stripped of his skin and is simply exposing his underlying musculoskeletal system.
Of course, none of these artists are actually art professionals. In fact, Dr. Diaz made it a point to use students who study anatomy to give them the opportunity to properly locate parts of the body and applying their anatomical knowledge in a hands-on manner. In the end, finished product is an accurate depiction of the human anatomy and not just an art project attempted by painters.
via [Beautiful Decay, The Age]
