Clay Portrait: Model a Full-Scale Face
A course by Efraïm RodríguezSculptor and University Professor
A course by Efraïm Rodríguez, Sculptor and University Professor
Create a three-dimensional portrait with your own hands by working with clay to depict every detail of a face
Sculpting is a powerful form of expression that allows artists to tell stories and capture a moment, an expression, or a feeling with their work. Efraïm Rodríguez, sculptor and university professor whose works can be found at international art fairs, experiments with shapes, empty spaces, and materials like clay to create strikingly realistic characters from everyday life.
In this course, learn how to sculpt a full-scale clay portrait, from choosing your model to the finishing touches. Discover the different stages of modeling and shaping a bust and focus on minute details to craft an expressive face and bring a sculpture to life with your own hands.
What will you learn in this online course?
33 lessons & 16 downloads
Influences
8 minutes, 29 seconds
Reality as inspiration, the bust as a fragment
9 minutes, 22 seconds
Materials
6 minutes, 25 seconds
Assemble the frame
7 minutes, 26 seconds
We begin the modeling: profile, frontal and skull perimeter
17 minutes, 2 seconds
Face and head
20 minutes, 47 seconds
What's included in this course?
To begin, Efraïm Rodríguez introduces himself and tells you about his professional career and family history, both of which are closely tied to the art world. He also shares some of his favorite projects and his biggest sources of inspiration.
Go over a few important sculpting concepts and look to reality for inspiration by studying some of the prominent artists who specialize in portrait sculptures. Select a model for your project following Efraïm's advice and see how to work with reference photos to model your bust.
Next, review the materials you need to sculpt your clay portrait before you get to work. Learn how to assemble your base and work with blocks of clay by modeling the front and profile of your bust. Shape the head and face of your sculpture referring to your photos often to ensure accuracy. Work your way down and define the neck, shoulders, and collarbone while paying close attention to their proportions.
Now it's time to bring your piece to life by adding facial features and other expressive details. Analyze the structure of the eyes, the ears, the nose, and the mouth and start modeling each piece. Understand how these individual features form part of a whole and that they should be modeled in parallel to give your portrait a highly realistic look. Contour the face by carefully sculpting one of the most important features: diagonal lines.
Bring in your model for a live session to put the finishing touches on your sculpture. Create textures and effects ranging from a gleam in the eyes to the natural shape of hair. Finally, learn how to hollow out your sculpture and prepare it for firing in the kiln. The only thing left to do is share your 3D portrait with the world!
What is this course's project?
Sculpt a full-scale clay bust, from choosing your model to the finishing touches.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone interested in the art of sculpting who wants to experiment working with clay.
Requirements and materials
You need to be familiar with modeling and sculpting to take this course.
As for the materials, you need clay, modeling and measuring tools, a simple base for your sculpture, and other items your teacher will cover during the course. You also need a camera, a computer with Photoshop, and a model for your sculpture.
Reviews
- rosadaliageranioPLUS1 month ago
Excelente curso.
- 2 months ago
Muy bueno y claro
- 5 months ago
Un curso bien estructurado, y explicado. Su desarrollo resulta muy acompañado
- 8 months ago
Me encantó mucho, me ha reforzado en muchos aspectos en donde tenía falencias. Es un curso especial para persona ya con conocimiento de base.
- 9 months ago
No recomendaria el curso para alguien que inicie a aprender escultura, pues no se abordan temas puntuales y detallados de como modelar partes del rostro o el cuerpo, de hecho se evito en el curso hablar de anatomia. El profesor basicamente se dedica a realizar su modelo y basado en este explica lo que va haciendo sin entrar en detalles.
Efraïm has also devoted the past 20 years to creating his own sculptures to sell in art galleries. His work can be found in numerous collections and has been featured in international fairs and industry publications around the world.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Influences
- U2
Preparing our modeling
- Reality as inspiration, the bust as a fragment
- Model search and bust projection
- Prepare the photos
- U3
We started modeling
- Materials
- Assemble the frame
- We begin the modeling: profile, frontal and skull perimeter
- Face and head
- Neck and clavicle 1
- Neck and clavicle 2
- U4
Modeling in detail
- Nose
- Eyes
- Mouth
- Diagonals
- Ears
- U5
Finishing our work
- Photo retouching session 1
- Photo retouching session 2
- Photo retouching session 3
- Photo retouching session 4
- Photo retouching session 5
- Photo retouching session 6
- Retouching session with photographs 7
- Retouching session with live model 1
- Retouching session with live model 2
- Retouching session with live model 3
- Retouching session with live model 4
- Touch-up session with live model: the final touches 1
- Touch-up session with live model: the final touches 2
- Last details 1
- Last details 2
- Draining and baking 1
- Emptying and baking 2
- FP
Final project
- Clay Portrait: Model a Full-Scale Face
What to expect from a Domestika course
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FAQs
You will learn how to select and prepare photographic references, take precise anatomical measurements, build internal structures, and model realistic clay busts using professional techniques for optical correction and proportions.
The course is designed for people with basic to intermediate prior knowledge of sculpture and modeling. It is not intended for absolute beginners.
You will need grog clay, threaded rods, chicken wire mesh, paper, measuring tape, compass, metal spatula, carving tools, cutting wire, spray bottle, printer, and life-size photographic references.
You will be taught how to prepare a photo session, choose poses, use a scale stick, and avoid optical distortions to get accurate and useful reference images.
Yes, you will learn how to identify and correct optical distortions in photos to ensure realistic proportions in your sculptural modeling.
The course explains how to measure objects and proportions in photos using tools like tape and compass, and how to transfer those measurements to clay for anatomical accuracy.
You will learn to build an internal armature with threaded rods, light cross braces, mesh, and paper, providing a stable and lightweight base for clay modeling.