The study of écorché aims to enhance an artist’s understanding of how bones and muscles impact the surface of the skin and create form. The term écorché literally means “flayed” and came into usage via the French Academies (such as the École des Beaux-Arts) in the 19th century.
I teach Écorché Monday nights from 6-10 p.m. Class is conducted at the Golden Gate Atelier (www.goldengateatelier.com), my art school in Oakland, California. First day of class begins with the construction of the metal armature. The course continues with the sculpting of a human skeleton where muscles will eventually be applied. Each student works with oil-based clay I provide as a medium. This step-by-step process is guided by lectures, written course materials and the students' own drawings.
Écorché is open to students of all levels and backgrounds. Average class size is 8 – 12 and we meet weekly for approximately 22 weeks beginning in the fall of each academic year. In past years, I have had the opportunity to teach this course to students from many diverse backgrounds including visual and digital artists and medical personnel.
Handouts and Visuals
The prime focus of the course is to help artists understand and approach a wide range of challenges and dilemmas they are likely to encounter when working from a live model, whether drawing, painting, sculpting or creating digital art.
At certain times during the course, I will invite a professional model to help me better illustrate different aspects of topics. Pictured here is Brittany, a talented model who has worked with us at the GGA over several years.
Here I am with another great model... the human skeleton!
Students have the chance to examine up-close a wide array of anatomical references in our studios to help them better comprehend what they see. These include freestanding skeletons, plaster casts of cadavers and copies of 19th century écorché sculptures. The goal: to help students create and construct more believable human figures in their own work.
Many of my students have taken other anatomy classes or have tried studying on their own before coming to Écorché -- and most already understand how easy it is get overwhelmed by this complicated subject. I believe that a good anatomy class should help a student develop a system for studying on their own and a good anatomy instructor should help make this information accessible and relevant.
Following each lecture, students will spend the rest of each class session sculpting their individual écorché figures.
I work alongside my students where I teach by demonstration. Creating an écorché sculpture is a unique and valuable educational exercise. Working with a tactile medium like clay allows the student to develop a three-dimensional understanding of these complicated forms. In addition, the oil-based clay used in this class never hardens, so students can continue to correct and improve their sculptures long after the course ends.
If you're interested in finding out when my next écorché class will be, visit the workshops page.