Morphology: The Study of Natural Form and Its Representation
An understanding of morphology (surface form and its underlying structure) of the human figure, which includes, but is not limited to artistic anatomy, is essential to the study of fine representative work. Demystifying the subject by teaching it in a way which probes its many related aspects, such as the rhythmic integration of contour and interior surface along with the location and shape types of bone landmarks, is an important part of the AAC curriculum. Our approach to teaching these subjects goes well beyond reproducing medically-styled anatomical diagrams and instead deciphers the elusive achievement of anatomical believability by focusing on its integration into the practical design challenges the student will face – making frequent mention of master drawings.
The student learns to spot deficient morphological conclusions in their own drawings and more importantly, how to address these shortcomings; the aim being to strengthen the expressive integration of their knowledge of form with other pictorial considerations involved in creating a more inspired artistic presentation. This becomes critical when the student is met with the challenge of using their study drawings for the creation of easel pictures, away from the model and the academic environment.
