Medical Art 1: Contemporary Theory and Practice module (DJ52038)

Medical art refers to the creation of illustrations and 3D models related to medicine and healthcare.

This is a specialised field that combines artistic skill with a deep understanding of human anatomy.

Medical artists produce accurate and informative visuals to help communicate complex information to a variety of audiences.

Applications include medical education, patient information, medico-legal evidence, and visualising scientific research.

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• learn about the history of medical art and contemporary practice
• learn to use 3D modelling software
• create medical illustrations and 3D digital models
• learn about a variety of career pathways within medical art
• learn about the ethical issues surrounding medical art
• take part in group critique sessions

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• discuss the history of medical art and how it relates to contemporary practice
• relate current developments within medical art to your own practice
• understand the ethical issues and responsibilities surrounding the profession including
• evaluate media use in order to select and apply the most appropriate for each project brief
• apply anatomical knowledge from previous modules to the creation of artwork
• create anatomical and medical illustrations. This will be in order to communicate information to both expert and general public audiences
• generate original and creative responses to project briefs
• critically evaluate your work and that of your peers

Assignments / assessment

• portfolio of artwork (4x set pieces) (80%)
• medico-legal ethics essay (20%)

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

• videos and online content
  • to provide the basis for the theoretical content
  • software tutorials can be viewed at your own pace
• lectures
  • to go over the online content in more detail
• guest lecturers
  • learn about different career pathways
• workshops
  • learn how to create anatomical illustrations and 3D digital models
• individual and group critiques
  • one-on-one sessions to discuss your progress
  • give and receive peer feedback on your work