Page 19 - Plasticos-magazine-7

Luke states that “every Plastic Surgeon I have met
over the past 20 years has an outstanding knowledge
of anatomy. They each have fantastic manual dexterity.
However, when it comes to understanding 3-D shapes

of the face they are quick to tell me that they do not
have similar confidence.”

Each surgeon knows anatomy like a road map, with exact
details of how to navigate accurately from one form to
another. But knowing 3-D visual language is a different
skill. It’s more like being able to read the topography
of that landscape. What exact curvature are the fields

and the rolling hills as you travel from A to B? Where
are the valleys and what is growing alongside the rivers?
Apply this to the exacting curvature of the forms of the

face and it’s easy to either misread or not know the
signs of what to look for.

For the past 20 years Luke has been teaching plastic and
maxillofacial surgeons how to gain confidence in visual

understanding. In other words, how to understand the
language and vocabulary of sculpture. So, in clinic, their
eye can inform them of the exact tightness of a curve

or volume they are seeking. This added skill adds a rich
benefit to their surgical protocol, a more refined understanding of what is perceived and better surgical
results. Their knowledge of facial forms and how they discuss the shapes they see enables prospective
clients to feel they are in safe hands.

How we perceive can be understood just like a language - a visual language. There are complex rules
which apply. Without being shown the “grammar” and “vocabulary”, knowledge remains instinctive at
best. Fortunately, these rules can be broken down into easily understandable protocols and taught in a
straightforward manner.

Exactly what we do in the 3-day course?

The 3-day course is a practical course based 75% in the studio modelling clay. Studio time is supplemented
throughout with lectures and demonstrations to facilitate learning.

19 VOL 7, 2021