Essential Materials to Sculpt Clay Portraits

Discover the tools you need to model, measure, and preserve a full-scale clay portrait bust

Sculpture provides an alternative way to recreate a moment, an expression, or even an emotion. Sculptor and university professor Efraïm Rodríguez (@efraim_rodriguez) uses clay sculptures to portray everyday characters with incredible realism.

But achieving these results requires great precision when choosing materials, defining proportions, and selecting the elements to execute the piece. Here, Efraïm introduces the essential tools and techniques needed to create a portrait in clay.

The magic of clay sculpture

Efraïm defines sculpture as a spatial construction of mass, gaps, and materials that form a language for telling stories, expressing interests, and interpreting a three-dimensional world.

Using different methods, Efraïm aims to translate a moment, expression, or posture into a unique portrait. Always open to experimentation, he plays around with materials like wood and metals to achieve this, however, when it comes to modeling he believes the best material for capturing the moment is clay. It's also the ideal material for beginners.

Essential materials for modeling clay portraits

From cutting and measuring instruments to the extras to preserve your bust during sessions, here's the basic kit you'll need.

Modeling tools

Efraïm recommends tools that cut clay cleanly and those that are especially useful for working on convex surfaces, such as:

- Spatulas.
- Scrapers.
- Sticks.
- Drainers.
- Wooden blocks. Used to bash to clay to form general shapes.
- Cutting thread. To slice and remove excess clay.

Whether you choose metal, wooden, or even plastic tools, according to our expert, there's not much difference between them – although metal ones can be heated for use with other materials.

Tip: Efraïm doesn't recommend using soft tools when working with clay.

Measuring tools

- Compasses.
- Rulers.
- Calipers. Often used to measure smaller or more precise details.
- Measuring tape. Especially useful for measuring forms such as the head or neck.
- Flexometer. An instrument to measure the length of both straight and curved surfaces.
- Sticks. Used to fix points.

Tools to preserve the bust between sessions

- Plastic bags.
- A rag or an old T-shirt.
- Water spray.

Modeling clay

Efraïm uses a white refractory clay containing up to 40% chamotte.

The chamotte, also known as grog, is made up of 0.5 mm grains of crushed clay giving it a grittier texture. Due to its mechanical properties, this type of clay doesn't change during firing, it's known for having excellent stability and cohesion, and allows the tools to slide more easily.

Tip: Efraïm uses this particular clay because he likes how it reflects the light, but recommends using anything you have on hand. A couple of things to take into account when working with the clay are:

- Fire it at a temperature between 1000 and 1300 degrees Fahrenheit.

- You'll need to consider the percentage of contraction. If the clay shrinks by 10% during firing, sculptors looking to make their final piece life-sized should model the bust 10% larger.

Materials for building the structure

To create the base on which to mount the sculpture, our expert uses a lead pipe covered with hexagonal mesh or chicken wire and stuffs it with newspaper – not only does this allow for a lighter piece, it also uses less material.

Tip: Mount the structure on a bracket that you can rotate.

To create this support, you'll need:

- Rods.
- Nuts.
- Double washers.
- A 35x35x2 cm board.
- Two 2x2x35 slats.

The creative process

There are many elements and details to the sculpting process, but the essential steps for modeling a clay portrait include:

- Selecting a model, photographing it, and analyzing the reference photographs.

- Sourcing and familiarizing yourself with all the materials.

- Assembling the structure on which you'll begin to shape the head, neck, and shoulders.

- Working on the details. Carefully study the structure of the nose, eyes, mouth, and ears and work on them simultaneously for a well-balanced and more realistic result.

- Carrying out the final touches. To touch up the effects and textures, from the eyes to the natural fall of the hair.

- Finally, you'll need to empty your piece and prepare it for baking.

Now you've got an idea of ​​the materials you need to sculpt a clay portrait, as well as the creative process, it's time to get stuck in.

To find out more about creating a portrait in clay, sign up for Efraïm Rodríguez‘s course Clay Portrait: Model a Full-Scale Face, in which you'll learn how to sculpt a full-scale clay portrait, from choosing your model through to the finishing touches.

English version by @acesarato.

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