Living Anatomy Workshop

Anatomical illustrations on a life model that depict the muscles beneath the skin. Photo credit: N. Woolridge

On Friday, April 17, 2015, the Master of Science in Biomedical Communication (MScBMC) at the University of Toronto hosted a Surface Anatomy Workshop for students and faculty. Yvan Freund led the “living écorché” session.

Freund, a medical illustrator from Strasbourg and an instructor in the scientific illustration program at the Haute école des arts du Rhin, visited Toronto for a week. He presented on his career and on the structure of the program in Strasbourg.

Coordinated by Shelley Wall, MScBMC assistant professor, a lecture hall and spotlights were reserved, a riser was borrowed from the Erindale Studio Theatre, and an artist’s model was engaged. Participants took turns painting muscles, tendons, and bones directly onto the model’s body.

The basic musculoskeletal anatomy refresher provided an opportunity to see living anatomy in practice. It helped participants to think critically about how underlying anatomy effects overlying surface appearance, especially in the context of a living, moving body.

The workshop provided a stimulating and educational break for students from their master’s research projects.

BMC Surface Anatomy Workshop Video: https://vimeo.com/125353847