Patient positioning

Birthing illustration by Merlin Strangeway
Birthing illustration by Merlin Strangeway

birthing positions for patient positioning coursework by Merlin Strangeway
birthing positions for patient positioning coursework by Merlin Strangeway

The goal of this project is for the students to produce either one single artwork or a series of illustrations demonstrating patient positions in the medium of the candidate’s choice. The artwork should reflect the students ability to draw realistic illustrations of the human form in various positions in a medium they have developed considerable skills in. The project aims to progress the students skills in illustrating the human form they have obtained through life drawing and advance their understanding of patient depiction in operative, radiological or clinical procedures. This may also include subjects in manipulative procedures such as in physiotherapy or osteopathy. Emphasis will be placed on accurate observation of the subject matter. Instructional impact of the illustration for educational reasons is paramount, therefore ‘call-outs’, ‘anatomy ghosting’ and ‘instructional infographics’ will begin to feature in their artwork. To develop the students medium skills, the students will compositing their illustration in Adobe Indesign and display their final artwork in the layout the images would be used in, such as a book, poster or leaflet. The project will advance the student skills in digital programs.

Learn to analyse good examples of patient positioning illustrations from which to benchmark your own work. Emphasis on instructional impact.
Put into practice the principles of depicting the human form that was taught on the foundation course.
Develop skills learnt from previous projects in digital programs
Learn medical/ anatomical terminology, related to your patient positioning.
Create life drawing pencil studies of the patient, taking care to appreciate angles, perspective and the viewpoint of the onlooker.
Investigate the situation for the patient positioning and evidence your understanding through studies and text
Produce close up views or ghosted internal anatomy studies for your patient positioning, if this adds educational benefit.
Watch and follow along with the online tutorial on taking linework from Illustrator to Photoshop
Produce a patient positioning art with clear instructional or educational impact in Adobe Indesign with a clear layout for the artworks intended use.

An anatomically accurate illustration of a patient in a position or being positioned, which shows instructional or educational impact.
A collection of pencil life drawings of the patient, showing realism and anatomical accuracy.
Evidence of understanding of the situation for this patient positioning.
The ability to self assess own illustrations.
Mastered Adobe Indesign and other digital programs
Built upon skills in life drawing which you learnt on the foundation course.

Criteria	Levels of achievement
Illustrational impact and clarity. Including skill in chosen medium (final artwork only and marked out of 10 points) • Instructional impact of patient and procedure described in the illustration • Observation accuracy of human form, hands holding instruments and instruments themselves etc • Skill at capturing hard instruments, soft anatomy and deformation of skin under tension/pressure • Skill and neatness of rendered illustration • Effort given to the requirements of the project. • Rhythm and or progression within the illustration or the set of illustrations • Understanding and control of art materials and techniques, singly and in combination • Understanding of elements, such as colour, line, texture, balance etc	Fluent ability 9-10 points	Confident ability 7-8 points	Competent ability 5- 6 points	Basic ability 3- 4 points	Limited ability 1-2 points
Anatomical accuracy and exploration (final artwork only and marked out of 5 points) • Anatomical accuracy • Patient positioning • Ability to choose the best viewpoint or angle of the patient or procedure in the illustration • Understanding of the subject, medical situation within a wider context	Excellent form and anatomical accuracy 5 points	Extremely good form and anatomical accuracy with almost no errors 4 points	Very good form and anatomical accuracy with a few errors 3 points	Good form and anatomical accuracy with some errors 2 points	Basic form and many anatomical inaccuracies 1 point
Presentation and attractiveness (Includes all images/sketchbooks etc. and marked out of 5 points) Presentation neatness • Layout, call-outs, rhythm and readability • Titles, headlines and hierarchy of accompanying text • Text, typography, alignment and labelling design and effort • Spelling, grammar, widows, and orphans • Audience consideration in the language used. • Colour palate • Medium consideration for where artwork will be finally viewed	Excellent 5 points	Extremely good 4 points	Very good 3 points	Good 2 points	Basic 1 point
Observational and exploratory quality of the collection of illustrations. (Includes all images/sketchbooks etc. and marked out of 5 points) • Observational skill • Creation of final display • Independent research and original concepts • Supporting studies depiction of anatomy, instruments and human form • Awareness and appreciation of the context and purpose of illustration	Fluent ability 5 points	Confident ability 4 points	Competent ability 3 points	Basic ability 2 points	Limited ability 1 point

Level achieved from total points: This project is marked on the four categories listed above. Once points are assigned to each category they are added up and a grade is given depending on the total points.	Distinction (20 – 25 points)	Credit (19 – 15 points)	High Pass (10 – 14 points	Pass (5 – 9 points)	Pass with Amends/ Referred for re-submission (1 – 4 points)

Criteria

Levels of achievement

Illustrational impact and clarity. Including skill in chosen medium (final artwork only and marked out of 10 points)

• Instructional impact of patient and procedure
described in the illustration
• Observation accuracy of human form, hands holding instruments and instruments themselves etc
• Skill at capturing hard instruments, soft anatomy and deformation of skin under tension/pressure
• Skill and neatness of rendered illustration
• Effort given to the requirements of the project.
• Rhythm and or progression within the illustration or the set of illustrations
• Understanding and control of art materials and
techniques, singly and in combination
• Understanding of elements, such as colour, line,
texture, balance etc

Fluent ability

9-10 points

Confident ability

7-8 points

Competent ability

5- 6 points

Basic ability

3- 4 points

Limited ability

1-2 points

Anatomical accuracy and exploration
(final artwork only and marked out of 5 points)

• Anatomical accuracy
• Patient positioning
• Ability to choose the best viewpoint or angle of the patient or procedure in the illustration
• Understanding of the subject, medical situation within a wider context

Excellent form and anatomical accuracy

5 points

Extremely good form and anatomical accuracy with almost no errors

4 points

Very good form and anatomical accuracy with a few errors

3 points

Good form and anatomical accuracy with some errors

2 points

Basic form and many anatomical inaccuracies

1 point

Presentation and attractiveness
(Includes all images/sketchbooks etc. and marked out of 5 points)

Presentation neatness
• Layout, call-outs, rhythm and readability
• Titles, headlines and hierarchy of accompanying text
• Text, typography, alignment and labelling design and effort
• Spelling, grammar, widows, and orphans
• Audience consideration in the language used.
• Colour palate
• Medium consideration for where artwork will be finally viewed

Excellent

5 points

Extremely good

4 points

Very good

3 points

Good

2 points

Basic

1 point

Observational and exploratory quality of the collection of illustrations.
(Includes all images/sketchbooks etc. and marked out of 5 points)

• Observational skill
• Creation of final display
• Independent research and original concepts
• Supporting studies depiction of anatomy,
instruments and human form
• Awareness and appreciation of the context and purpose of illustration

Fluent ability

5 points

Confident ability

4 points

Competent ability

3 points

Basic ability

2 points

Limited ability

1 point

Level achieved from total points:
This project is marked on the four categories listed above. Once points are assigned to each category they are added up and a grade is given depending on the total points.

Distinction (20 – 25 points)

Credit (19 – 15 points)

High Pass (10 – 14 points

Pass (5 – 9 points)

Pass with Amends/ Referred for re-submission (1 – 4 points)

First step in initial seminars: Discuss with the supervisors and review good examples of patient positioning illustrations to devise some ideas of a patient positioning procedure you would like to illustrate. You may like to link this project to your surgical sequence or clinical appearance. Read about the situation in which this patient would be positioned and the procedure and make notes to fully understand the reasons and how this affects the patient. Make initial accurate and interpretive sketches, and form a clear understanding of the what happens to the underlying anatomy or what part of the patient can be studied because of the position. Obtain initial feedback on your sketches from your supervisor. To develop your medium skills there is an online tutorial on layout in Adobe indesign.
1. Homework
  1. Form: Life drawing pencil studies of your patient in all the necessary views taking special care to appreciate angles, perspective and the viewpoint of the onlooker. Through this process you may discover an optimum angle you had not first appreciated.
  2. Exploration: Produce close up views or ghosted internal anatomy pencil or pen and ink studies which may assist. Evidence your understanding of the patient position and how they are positioned.
  3. Medium development: Scan in one of your life drawing pencil studies and follow along with the online tutorial on illustrating in Adobe illustrator and using the line work in Adobe Photoshop.
  4. Coursework draft: Produced work-in-progress illustrations of the patient position/steps/process. This can be in either pencil or in the final medium of your choice (Photoshop or Illustrator).Composite all your draft illustrations into Adobe Indesign and produce a layout that your images would be used in, such as for a book, poster, leaflet etc. Add draft text.
Second step is the interim design presentation: You present your finished life drawing studies of the patient, and finished studies showing your have fully understood the anatomy and procedure. Present a work-in-progress illustration of your final artwork. Supervisor and peer review of the work-in-progress will provide formative feedback to produce your final version.
1. Homework for the next seminar:
  1. Incorporate any feedback received on the homework into your work and add final artwork to portfolio ready for next assessment. This work will not be marked independently at assessment, but will form part of the observation and exploratory section of the marking criteria.
  2. Complete the illustration of the patient based on feedback at the seminar. Present again at following seminar for final feedback.
Final step is the final presentation: Before submitting to assessment you must have it checked by the supervisor at seminars or on a designated tutoring day via email and telephone. In assessment your work will be marked according to the marking criteria of that project. You will receive a detailed feedback form after assessment.
Please note: when you are drawing from a patient, it is each student’s responsibility to gain the relevant consents. Further information may be found via the ‘National Guidelines’ link on the ‘Rules and Regulations’ page of this website.

You must bring:

- The final patient positioning artwork, mounted and labelled.
- Homework artworks which include all studies and the pencil drawings of the patient.
- Make sure all artwork is well presented, neat and labelled.