|
 Simple
tools include an X-acto knife and a rubber tipped shaping tool to make
modeling small faces easier. Toothpicks, Q-tips and knitting needles
can also be used for smoothing and shaping areas where its hard to get
your fingertips.
The shaping tool is double tipped, with a point on one end and a
chisel on the other. With tips made of silicone rubber, these tools
come in several sizes and shapes and are very useful. You can also use
silicone rubber molding materials to make your own shaped tools if you
like!
A ceramic tile makes a good work surface. It can be popped right
into the oven when your piece is ready to bake. These tiles are plain
white tiles found at hardware stores. Small, portable and
inexpensive--my favorite kind of supplies and tools! |
 |
This 2 1/2 inch face starts with a ball of clay about the size of a
walnut.
Use any solid color, even a mud or "schmutz" mix of all
the remnants from other projects--but DO make sure its blended to a
solid with no stripes or swirls.
Those make it much more difficult to really see what you are doing.
Your brain and eyes get fooled by any pattern in the clay itself--so
go for a solid color. |
 |
Roll the clay into a smooth solid ball.
Place the ball of clay onto the tile work surface and press
slightly to flatten the back
This ball will form the top of the head, and the bottom jaw will be
added. |
 |
Use a finger or thumb to make eye socket depressions.
Place them slightly above the center line in the ball, and leave
room for the forehead above and the lower jaw below. Leave a bit of
room in between for the nose.
Faces are mostly bilaterally symmetric--the same on two sides.
While we all have some variances, symmetry is a good target to aim
towards as a sculptor. |
 |
To make it easier to be equal, portion the amounts of clay for the
various parts before forming, shaping or placing them on the face.
Shown at left--above the head are two sets of balls for eyelids and
eyes.
To the far left of the head is a large ball for the nose and a
smaller one below for the lips.
To the left and right of the face are small balls for ears (these
are optional--best for adding to finished pieces but not for mold
originals) and below that are slightly larger balls for the cheeks.
Below the head is the clay for the lower jaw. |
 |
The clay amounts shown here give you a guideline, but you can
use more or less to create larger or smaller features. A dainty face
would use much less for the nose and also less for the lower jaw.
The nose has been shaped into a teardrop and added to the middle of
the face.
The eyelids have been flattened into moon shaped half circles.
The lower jaw is also crescent shaped, but not flat; however it is
thick in the center and has less depth on either side. |
 |
The nose mass has been smoothed down on each side to join it
to the main bulk of the face.
It is also smoothed up and to the sides of the brow to create a
forehead with two defined eye sockets to either side. If the nose is
larger than you like, now is a good time to remove excess.
The jaw is placed below the main head portion and forms the bottom
part of the head. Attach it at either side but do not meld the upper
and lower mouth area in front. |
 |
The rubber tip tool is used to form two nostrils with a space
in between for the septum.
Push the point of the tip into the clay and pull gently towards the
outside of the face, repeat on the other side.
Hold the length of the nose carefully between a finger and thumb
leaving the ball of the nose and nostrils exposed to help hold it in
place while doing final shaping of the nose. |
 |
Place the eye balls into the sockets on either side of the
nose. Press into place enough that they don't roll off, but do not
flatten.
Place the cheek masses to either side of the nose but not touching
the nose, making sure that they are below the eyeballs and near where
the jaws merge.
Notice that the face is roughly in thirds as far as mass goes, with
the eyes, nose, mouth and cheeks filling the center third or more. A
common error in sculpting heads is to not leave enough mass for the
upper skull and lower jaw, resulting in a face that is mostly eyes,
nose and lips. |
 |
Place the moon shaped eyelid pieces Over the top of the
eyeball. Press gently into place ONLY at the top curve of the
crescent, do not flatten the ball of the eye or the bottom of the
eyelid.
The ear pieces are shown here for size reference, but I find it is
best to add ears to each final cast piece rather than try to make them
part of the original and mold. Its a part that often tears or deforms
when removing the pull from the mold or refinining it.
The lip mass is flattened slightly into an oval shape and then cut
across the length with the X-acto knife to form two lips. |
 |
Use the rubber tip tool to smooth the seams of the tops of the
eyelids and the tops and sides of the cheeks.
As shown at left, the cheek masses are left overhanging the face to
create "apple cheeks"
Use the side of the tip for smoothing, and the tip for delineating
the curve of the nostril.
The face could be left as it is now if desired.
A cartoon-like look is attained by using simple masses not burdened
with a lot of detail. |
 |
However, the lack of bulk in the mouth area makes the face seem
sunken and toothless-- which is fine for some older character faces.
The eyes also lack a lower lid, which gives it more of a caricature
look that is less realistic.
Again, this may be appropriate for the character you are creating,
or you may wish to continue with more detail and refining.
Before making the any final decisions and baking the face, look at
the face from both sides as well as straight-on. |
 |
Check to make sure there is a bridge to the nose and that it does
not join the forehead in a line that continues straight back into the
head.
Do any adjustments needed to make sure the eyes are not too close
or too far apart.
You can also use a mirror to look at the piece. When working with
concentration for any length of time, your eyes stop seeing everything
in fresh detail--using a mirror gives your brain a new perspective and
any flaws that were overlooked will be quickly apparent. |
 |
Place the lips into the mouth depression. Make certain to leave a
little bit of space under the nose.
Use the rubber tipped shaper to smooth the top of the top lip into
the mouth, and the bottom of the bottom lip.
The optional ears are shown here to indicate shape and placement.
However, I did not add them to the face after all. |
 |
Very small snakes of clay are curved and placed under the eyeballs.
They touch the bottom of the eyeball and the two ends of the top
eyelid. They do not cover the lower portion of the eyeball, but they
don't leave any open space there underneath either.
The lips are smoothed into the face using the rubber tipped shaper
again.
The lips start out larger than you may think necessary in order to
have enough bulk to smooth some into the surrounding cheek and chin
areas. Otherwise you can end up with very thin lips. |
|
|
The point of the shaper tool is used to create the small cupped
impressed area directly underneath the nose, called the "naral".
This indentation does not split the upper lip itself.
Use the shaper tool to smooth the bottom portion of the bottom
eyelid into place. The shaper works best for smoothing when using the
side of the point to draw along a seam, or rolled instead of drawn.
Practice smoothing on two other pieces of clay until you find what
works best for you and your kind of clay.
Check the sides of the piece again, making sure that the mouth and
jaw are not too far in or out, and that the chin and jaw line join the
nose and brow to create a pleasing profile. |
|
|
Use the point of the shaping tool to gently pull the mouth line
from the center to each side to create an expression as desired.
Remember though that a neutral expression on the original piece can
be used to make pulls that can then be altered to the expression as
you wish. this gives you many more options later on.
The point of the tool can be used in the corners of the mouth and
also to create dimples. Also use it to slightly pull down the inner
corner of each eye, making a tear duct. |
