By Artists & Illustrators | Thu 13th Feb 2020
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Working in three dimensions can be an interesting artistic challenge. Our guide on how to make clay sculptures breaks it down into simple, easy-to-follow steps.
Sculpting clay is a brilliant way to ignite your creativity. Although if you’re new to the medium and wondering how to make sculptures at home, it can be hard to know where to begin. From picking the right clay to improving technique, the following advice on clay sculptures for beginners will help get you started.
What clay is used for sculpting?
Before you start your clay sculpture you need to pick the appropriate clay. There are several types of clay used for sculpture, all varying in terms of handling and finish:
• Oil-based modelling clay can appear unrefined and can be tricky for detailed work. But it stays soft and workable, making it good for practising with.
• Polymerbased modelling clay is equally soft and can be baked in a household oven to fix a composition. It can be prone to cracking though.
• Pottery or ‘firing’ clay – a water-based clay which can be shaped and fired at temperatures in excess of 121°C to stay firm. This is the method used for creating household ceramics.
What is the best sculpting clay to use at home?
Out of the above clays, the water-based option is best for beginners sculpting at home. Although it is often shaped on a potter’s wheel, it is by far the easiest to use to create shapes and forms using hand-building techniques.
How to start sculpting?
Now you’ve got your water-based clay sorted, it’s time for the creative part. Working in three dimensions will take some getting used to. However, these five useful tips will teach you how to make clay sculptures, from the initial idea to how to improve.
1. Envision the final piece
It is good to have a clear idea of how you want the final clay sculpture to turn out. So, before you start, make sketches of various imagined viewpoints and projections. Also consider the dimensions of the main shapes and the ratios between lengths.
Another recommendation, if you’re a beginner creating a 3D sculpture for your home, is to think about what direction it will most commonly be viewed from. Then if your attempt isn’t perfect from all angles, it will at least look good in position.
You may even want to consider trying a relief sculpture. As this involves adding forms onto a flat slab of clay, the final product won’t be viewed from all sides. It also lessens worries about weight and balance.
2. Test clay for wetness
Now you know what form your sculpture will take, it’s time to pick up your clay. Before you start, however, you’ll need to check if it’s wet enough as dried clay is difficult to work with.
Luckily, this is easy to test – pull off a small piece of the clay you intend to use and roll it in your hand until it forms a cylinder, about 1cm in diameter and about 10cm long. Bend the cylinder double. If it bends smoothly, it should be useable; if it cracks, try adding more water.
3. Build forms cleverly
If you are working without a potter’s wheel, there are still several simple ways of building up forms. Coils of clay are a good way of building up the sides of a hollow shape – laying the clay down in a spiral prevents it collapsing easily. Recesses can also be created by pinching the clay, digging out with your thumb and forefinger.
4. Avoid protruding shapes
A common question from beginners is how to make clay figures. You may have seen more advanced sculptors create these, with extended legs. The chances are that these artists will have used armatures – long, metal skeleton structures that support the weight of the clay.
Brass rods, aluminium wire and other stronger materials can be used for this too, but it is often easier to practise clay sculpting at home with more contained shapes. Once you’ve got the hang of this, then it’s time to consider adding armatures into your repertoire.
5. Look out for a local studio
While some art skills can be learnt through observation and practice, the more advanced aspects of clay sculpture can be tricky and need expert guidance. Look out for courses or local studios and sign up to find out more.
This gives you the chance to try firing your finished works for permanence and will ultimate improve your clay sculpting skills.
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