First Week Project – Self Portrait, The Inner Body

Posted on 02/10/2014 Updated on 13/01/2015

So for my first work week at Sunderland University, I had to draw a life size self portrait of myself. On the Friday previous, I went with the uni to see the Gunther Von Hagen’s Body Worlds Vital exhibit in the Life Center in Newcastle. The exhibit is composed of real human bodies which have been preserved through the process plastination. For my self portrait, I had to draw my anatomy; my own personal view of my anatomy. I used Hagens work as a starting point for the project, then I researched Leonardo Da Vinci, Antony Gormley, and some concept/in-game art from some games which I play. I used Hagen and Da Vinci’s work so I could understand the nature of the human body and where certain organs can be located. The main influence of Gormleys work was his metal sculptures which are formed from the human body. The brief of the project said to use our imagination to create the anatomy within the body, and to show our interests; so I decided to use games as an influence for my portrait; I mainly used an idea/concept from a game I enjoy and created my own design based from it.

As the week went on I drew A5 sized drawings depicting parts of the human anatomy in my own design, and by the end of the week created a life size self portrait of myself showing my interests and thoughts. Below are some images of the portrait which I drew.

Enjoy.