Step by step sculpting tutorial

Hello everyone! I've found myself using the information provided in this custom section quite often, so I figured I would offer up some info of my own. this thread will be a step by step process as I finish a head sculpt from start to finish. Here's some info and materials!

Ill be using super sculpey firm for this sculpt. It's readily available, strong enough to hold good detail and works fast.

Below is a picture of the basic tools I use including: a scalpel shaped blade, needle tool, varying sizes of ball tools, a ribbon tool and a wooden tool with a point. Ill also be using jb weld epoxy putty and a wooden dowel.



I use a wooden dowel for the handle of my sculpt. It's important to use either wooden or metallic objects for this because the head will eventually be baked and the handle will need to resist the heat.



Jb weld will be the foundation for the sculpt. It will give the clay something to stick to. I also texture the epoxy before it hardens to help the bond.



The next steps are just a matter of bulking out the basic shape of the head. I take large gum ball sized pieces and roll them in my hands to soften them. This makes building the forms quicker and easier to smooth out.



After I've got a basic shape I start to add the jaw line. This is all generic at this point. I just want it to resemble a human head, moving to specific features for a likeness comes later. Aside from just using my fingers, I also use a scalpel blade turned sideways like a spatula to add and smooth bulk forms.



I should say that sculpting human anatomy requires some study of the human form, especially in regards to proportion. The next step shows the basic proportion of facial features. I create a rough middle line, eye, nose and mouth line. The eyes are roughly halfway down the face, nose is between eyes and chin, and mouth between nose and chin. The jaw typically ends half way between the front and back of the head. Again, only temporary to achieve the basic forms. Some facial features break this rule, but most faces follow these guidelines.

Ok, I feel it needs to be said that sometimes when you're sculpting the likeness will come in and out a little, at least for me. Also, while you're building up the structures of the face, it's gonna look down right stupid at times. Point is, don't get discouraged! Keep working and its just a matter of time. I also believe in quality over quantity. If you set your sights on a character, keep at it until its as perfect as you can get it, versus doing sculpt after sculpt that isn't quite finished.

Also, It's best to gather perspective by leaving the sculpt and coming back. You'll look at the sculpture completely different and see problems you didn't before.

It's also good to check your work in a mirror. It helps to refine symmetry. OK!! On to more pictures!



You'll see here that I start with the basic shape of the nose, forehead, brow, cheekbones and chin. I roll up appropriately sized pieces and place them in position on the head. I build up little by little and also subtract when necessary. I also use the ball tool to create a depression where the corner of the eyes will be.



EDIT!!!: I forgot some important info! When sculpting a likeness, for me anyways, it's good to spend some time with your subject. If at all possible, watch video of the character. Sometimes the subtleties of a persons face cant be recorded accurately by photo alone. Usually when I sculpt someone from a specific film, ill watch that film over and over until the sculpt is finished. For Alan grant I've watched Jurassic park about 10 times. Though its my favorite movie so I didn't mind. Lol.

Look at the characters pronounced features and work from there. Sometimes it's a set of specific features in conjunction that really define a character and are what can hammer a likeness home.

Keep adding slowly and subtracting and eventually a more human likeness will appear.



Started to add hair. Same process, just take small peices and build it up until you get the basic shape of the hair. Also, you can see in the first pic I smoothed the eyes over and then added more clay and later I smoothed them out again and moved them a little higher.



I then added the top and bottom lid trying to match the size and slant of the characters eyes. A lot of how I work is kind of intuitive I guess you would say. Honestly, to do this tutorial I had to really try and think about my thought process. The beauty of sculpting for me is just getting lost in the project. I sort of go blank and eventually, hopefully, the piece comes together.

I should also mention a couple more items I'm using which is lighter fluid and a brush. After I feel I'm getting a general likeness, it helps me to smooth out the roughness of the sculpt to try and clarify the image and make the forms of the face more distinct. You can use rubbing alcohol for this, but I like lighter fluid because it breaks down the surface a little more making smoothing faster.

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More adding and subtracting, adding and subtracting over and over! I should note now that, for me at least, the closer it comes to te characters likeness the slower the changes become.



Now, it was asked what tool I use the most, and thinking about it now I think I use my needle tool the most. It's what I use to create lines in hair, separation between lips, the folds of the eye and the lines between the eyeball and the lid, also good for the pores of the face. It can also be used to smooth certain areas. My needle tool came with a thick needle on one end, and I added a very thin straight pin/ needle to the other side for fine lines.

When I sculpt ears I start with an ear shaped wedge of clay, I back it with another small piece so it will sit away from the head. Ears usually tilt back a little, some ears more than others. After I've situated the clay I blend it into the head and draw on the forms of the ear with a needle tool. I then gouge out the large cavity in the center and start shaping. I think a well done ear can really help a sculpt. It's good to really examine the anatomy. It changes some from person to person, but is basically the same.



Here's an after/before pic after some tweaks. I often find that the last step in the sculpture is mostly a matter of removing material little by little. Here I thinned the face, narrowed the bridge of the nose etc.

Great idea!

Very cool! I'd love to see how you work!

Great tutorial Caine! I want to see how you take the head off the stick! That's always been the hardest part for me.

IDMCustoms said:

Great tutorial Caine! I want to see how you take the head off the stick! That's always been the hardest part for me.

Click to expand...

Well, ill tell ya...It doesn't come of the stick. Lol. I just clip it off with some wire cutters and file the bottom of the neck. Lol

Hehe. I do the same thing too Caine.

One of my other buddies on the Statue Forum showed me a neat trick (although I never tried it myself) and that's to wrap the stick with aluminum foil paper and build up the base a little. That way after you bake the clay you can just slide it right off the stick. I'll try that one of these days. I've just been so used to just cutting and snipping the head and parts off the wire or stick it's hard to get away from it.

Delete your posts so Caine can finish his tutorial

I assume Caine saved the posts like he did in order to finish the tutorial.

Thanks for posting this Caine, I'm looking forward to seeing it develop

thanks for this!

Great to see this , it's much appreciated.
Strangely enough I was wondering about your techniques.

No problem. I hope it will be of some help. Updated the 2nd post.

I can see the likeness already.....Great job Caine!

I added some more pics to the first page. Hopefully the likeness is becoming more evident!

It's looking great !.

Caine said:

H
Below is a picture of the basic tools I use including: a scalpel shaped blade, needle tool, varying sizes of ball tools, a ribbon tool and a wooden tool with a point. Ill also be using jb weld epoxy putty and a wooden dowel.

Click to expand...

Out of these tools which do you find you use the most , is it the small ball point ones ?. I really need to pick some smaller tools up , I think that's what stops me from adding smaller features and details I'd like to achieve when working with scales such as this.

I'm not sure which I use the most. I definitely use the ball tools a lot. When it comes to blending small pieces of clay they really come in handy.

Yeah , I think the tools I'm using are generally for larger scale work. Thanks mate.

This will really come in handy. Thank you so much Caine. One thing I hope you'll go over is what you do to attach the connect the sculpt to a body.

This will be THE sculpting guide for 1/6. Fantastic job Caine, I'll be using this in the future.