How to Sculpt a Likeness From a Photograph
- 1). Obtain reference photos from every possible angle: straight on, 45 degrees, profile and back of the head. In order to capture a good likeness, you'll want to have several, enlarged photos of your subject.
- 2). Organize your clay to your personal preference. Use the diluent to make the clay softer if you wish. Get as much clay as you think you'll need to work with for your sculpture.
- 3). Select your tools. There are numerous sculpting tools out on the market. All have different purposes, such as fine points for detail, broad tools for smoothing and tools for skin texture.
- 4). Construct your armature. Most are constructed from aluminum wires, but there are various options. The armature is essentially going to be the skeleton for your sculpture. If you are sculpting a head, wire the armature into a round, head shape. Sizes of armatures will vary based on how big you would like your sculpture to be. Wrap this in aluminum foil to allow the clay to stick to it.
- 5). Sculpt your sculpture. Start broad and basic. Begin constructing your clay into the basic shape of the head. Add and subtract clay to your liking and check your reference photos to make sure you are getting accurate shapes and proportions.
- 6). Measure the proportions. As you continue to add detail to your basic sculpture, use the reference photos to measure proportions of the face and head. You can do this by finding equal distances between facial elements. For example, your subject may have the same distance between eyebrows as he does between his nose and lips. Finding these proportions and measurements will help you to capture a greater likeness of your subject.
- 7). Continue sculpting and adding detail until you are satisfied. After you finish, you have several options to protect your sculpture. Many people bake their sculptures so they will be hardened and become permanent; some get their sculptures bronzed. Look into the options and decide which is best for your sculpture.