Modeling the Portrait in Clay Part 2: Blocking in the Forms

[New Masters Academy]

Join internationally acclaimed artist, David Simon, as he teaches you his approach to modeling a three-quarter life-size portrait in clay.

You will learn how to build your armature, take measurements of your model, block-in the facial features, hair, and neck, and how to build relationships between them. David will also cover the materials and tools he uses, and demonstrate his finishing techniques.

This course is a comprehensive representation of the sculpting process from a few blocks of clay, a pipe, and a wire, to a finished portrait. 

In the second lesson, David lays in the sculpture’s profile in between the measuring nails. He starts to block in the facial features and gradually adds more visual information. By the end of this lesson, you should be able to roughly pull all the forms together. 

[Zelda Stroud]

Hi there,

I would urgently appreciate a full list of tools and materials please (including sizes/thickness and quantities/lengths).

I live in South Africa and may need to find alternatives so would like to order/collect everything in one go.

Love the course thus far but am finding it a bit frustrating to not have a comprehensive list as I am not building up any momentum.

 

[Daniel Daigle]

Hi Zelda, As David discusses in Part 1 Chapter 3, your armature does not need to be exact. Simply use materials that will get the job done.
With that said you will need some type of wooden board for the base. a pipe with matching flange. the pipe should be approximately 6 inches. and the armature wire thickness is probably around 1/4 inch thick, which will be fastened with a hose clamp.
for tools, you will need a rake, and something flat to spread the clay. You can use this tool in place of the exacto knife to cut the clay if you’d like.

I highly recommend watching this course all the way through and taking notes on the tools you think you will need. This will also make it easier for you when you sculpt along with David the second time, once you get your tools. When I started sculpting I built most of my tools. You can probably do the same. The tool only has to get the job done. you may have stronger preferences as you become more advanced.

you may also find this useful
https://www.nma.art/videolessons/intro-to-sculpting-tools-and-materials/     check out chapter 7 of this lesson
https://www.nma.art/videolessons/sculpting-a-life-size-female-portrait-in-water-based-clay/

[Zelda Stroud]

Many thanks for this. Much appreciated.

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