For centuries, anatomical study has been a staple in the training of painters and sculptors because an understanding of how the body is built can improve an artist’s confidence and accuracy when working with the figure. Since the body is three-dimensional, we believe that anatomy is best understood when students can model the figure in the round. For this reason, the Vitruvian Fine Art Studio offers several courses where students can develop écorché sculptures. Écorché (ay-kor-shay) is a French word meaning “flayed” or “skinned”, but to artists it refers to representations of the figure that describe what lies under the skin. By using clay instead of pencil & paper, écorché students can develop a truly three-dimensional understanding of how the figure is put together and learn far more from their anatomical study.