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Life
Drawing from X-Rays
Teacher's
Guide
Summary
Students
study bones of animals and human X-rays as a source of artistic
inspiration.
Program
Area
This activity
is suitable to both introductory life drawing classes in the Arts
section of the Grade 9 curriculum, and as part of a life drawing
activity at higher level courses containing Visual Arts units.
Learning
Outcomes
Teaching,
learning, and evaluation will focus on the student's ability to:
- Match
bones and X-rays to appropriate body parts of a variety of animals;
- Identify
movements and functions of each bone or segment of x-ray;
- Describe
connections between X-rays and our own body;
- Show
recognition of human as physical being.
Materials
Required
X-rays which
may be obtainable from doctors' offices or hospitals, paper, pencils,
bones and sculls of a variety of animals, anatomy text.
Classroom
Development
- History
Component
Artists such as Leonardo, Picasso, Okeef, Miro, and Klee
studied skeletons in depth and found in them artistic inspiration.
Bone shapes and textures appear in the work of many artists
such as Henry Moore and Salvadore Dali.
- Bones
and X-rays
Show students the bones of animals and have them figure
out what animal they came from. Direct them to clues such as
the type of teeth, shape and size of bones. Then tape the x-rays
to the window. Discuss which part of the body is illustrated
by each segment of the x-ray. This can be fun if the teacher
intentionally mixes up the x-rays or puts them upside down.
Have students defend their choices in a group discussion.
Depending
on the interests and the skill level of the class, an appropriate
amount of information on the structure of mammals should be
given. At least that bones are compression members and that
muscles are tension members. You may even go so far as to
discuss tendons and ligaments. Perhaps discuss how strength,
locomotion, and balance are achieved.
- Connections
Make connections between the bone x-rays and the students
own bodies. Discuss the connection between balance in nature
and balance as an aspect of aesthetics.
- Standard
Safety Message
Just before students do any studio work remind them of the
safety precautions which are relevant to this particular activity.
Also explicitly refer to the introductory discussion/activity
on safety procedures from the beginning of the term/semester.
- Drawing
Bones
Students should be directed to use the bones and x-rays
as sources of inspiration, draw the bones they see, and add
the missing bones, muscle and skin. Then have them imagine and
draw the bones revealed by the x-rays.
- Life
Drawing
Have one student at a time pose and have the rest of the
class draw him/her with at least part of the body in skeleton
form.
Further
Development
With a motivated
group of students, have them go beyond bones to study muscle groups,
tendons, veins, and the effect of all of these on the skin.
Cross-disciplinary
Links
This activity
could complement an introductory science or biology unit on human
anatomy and other units within a Science program. In Physical
and Health Education units on the human body, the insights gained
here could be expanded upon.
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