Feeling flayed…and that’s okay
Greetings from Philadelphia where there have been ground-shaking changes all around me. Over the weekend, my 5-story apartment building shook as another, smaller building (pictured here in this paragraph) behind mine was demolished and bulldozed to the ground.
Similarly, my perception of my ability to draw accurately is getting a bit of a bulldozing as I’ve been learning to ‘flay’ the figure these past few days.
This is an exercise to further refine my knowledge of the muscles and tendons of the human figure as I strive for an accurate representation of whomever I may be drawing. The tradition dates back centuries to the Renaissance (perhaps even further back to the Greeks according to Wikipedia) and is derived from the French word Écorché.
We are looking at and drawing the human figure at a layer below the skin. I confess that as I’ve been learning this technique, I’ve been feeling a bit flayed myself. It’s one thing to loosely sketch out the shape of a ‘thing.’ Show that ‘thing’ to your friends or family or even post it on your favorite social media platform. You will get feedback and most times a ‘close enough’ representation gets comments saying your image is ‘cool’ or ‘really nice.’
In the world in which I live now, however, I am training my eye and hopefully my left hand to accurately represent what I see. Ay carumba! It’s very rare when these two things occur. 
Here’s one example of a pretty good effort and this was a third attempt in a day of numerous 1-2 hour Écorché sessions. But the reason for this focus is so that, in a few years time, I’ll more readily be able to create concepts and ideas with my hand without laboring over the technical questions of the gesture of a figure and its proportions.
Even though I’ve been drawing for three years, I realize that I am only now beginning to see. Some of my classmates and I were feeling frustrated about our inability to excel at Écorché drawings more quickly.
One of our teachers must have sensed this mounting frustration because, last week, he asked us to stop drawing for a minute and gather ’round. He said, “In the midst of this exercise, if you’re feeling comfortable, I’ll encourage you to push yourself more. If you’re feeling completely stressed out, I’ll ask you to consider taking a breath. If you’re feeling a bit uncomfortable, know that you’re in the right spot and you’re learning something challenging and new.”
He could have said, “If you’re feeling a bit ‘flayed,’ then it’s OK.” Interested in a good bulldozing anyone?
6 Comments
Beth
October 7, 2014I’m a bit of an anatomical patsy…I can’t stand talk about medical stuff. I was not a person who could go see that BODIES exhibit that toured the country. Gag. So I wasn’t excited to learn about this on the phone or read about it hear. BUT I think I can see how drawing these muscles and details beneath our skin will help a painter to master the subtleties of expression that distinguish individuals but also artists’s style. That’s the point of “digging beneath the surface” right?
Julie Holmes
October 9, 2014Hi Beth,
We’re not drawing from live cadavers here so no need to gag. I promise! So, yes, the focus is on paying attention to structure with these Ecorche drawings. Ultimately, this practice is intended to inform the gesture of the figure so that it’s accurate and lively!
Kathy Michaud
October 11, 2014Hi, in the middle of our move and taking an evening to watch a movie surrounded by piles & boxes. This looks hard Julie! Good for you- you’ll get better as you practice. ( btw what model ARE you drawing from?).
Julie Holmes
October 12, 2014Hi Kathy,
Good luck with your move and all the unpacking – ugh!
School is challenging right now and I’m noticing some things that I really need to pay attention to in order to improve including perspective and proportions. Ah! Now that I know where the problem is, I can focus on it. Whew!
As for the model; it is a live person. In fact everyday at school we are so fortunate to have at least two models who pose for us for up to 3 hours in the morning and another 3 hours in the afternoon. The challenge for these drawings was to envision the muscle structure of the model and draw those muscles accordingly. Fun and challenging. Stay tuned for more updates and I hope your new place starts feeling like home soon!
Steven Ray Miller
October 19, 2014wow, Julie – what an undertaking – UNDER the skin! Not to mention six-hour sessions at the easel. So glad you have this opportunity, and appreciate your perspectives – both visual and written. I had (briefly) forgotten your inspiring sense of humor. All the best (back at ya)…
Julie Holmes
October 20, 2014Hi Steven,
Thanks so much for reading and appreciating this adventure. As an artist, yourself, I’m sure you know the rigors of working to make sure what you create is ‘just right!’ That’s the best way to be – don’t you think? Keep at it and I’ll do the same. OK?