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The Ironic Workout: five muscles at once!

January 19th, 2007 at 07:57pm cicada

This is a screenshot from a wonderful anatomy learning tool, Artnatomy, by artist and educator Victoria Contreras Flores. It’s meant to teach facial anatomy in a Fine Arts context, but would work equally well in an introductory A&P course.

Teaching the facial muscles is a pain because they’re so small - you can’t really see them on a cat. On the human cadaver, they resemble thin sheets of jerky (well, they do! Sorry!) Plus, unlike the uncomplicated bicep, they function in some very complex facial expressions. Artnatomy shows you which muscles contribute to express an emotion like “irony” (above), which makes it much easier to remember each muscle’s position and function.

If you have a minute, though, check out the simulation of “pleasure.” There’s something a little odd about that one. At least to me.

Hat-tip: Tania Rabesandratana at Inkling

Entry Filed under: Education, Science, Artists & Art, Biology

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