How to Sculpt a Portrait From Modeling Clay
Sculpting a convincing likeness is like many other acquired skills---the more you do it, the better you become. Practicedevelops the ability to perceive various dimensions and nuances of the face. Learn how to get started.
Creating the Sculpture
1
Prepare your materials. Use smooth clay for fine details or clay mixed with grog. Grog is fired clay, finely ground into granules, that prevents shrinkage and provides stability during kiln firing. Grog-added clay works best for portraits requiring less detail. Use an armature to support the clay (see the tips section for advice on building a simple armature).

2
Gather your tools. Some common tools used in sculpting are the riffler rasp, which helps shape and form details; a wood modeling tool, which is useful for adding, subtracting and forming shapes in the clay; the serrated wire loop and the wood block are used to slice away portions of clay and even out textures; a caliper is a measurement tool used to gauge proportions; cutting wire and ribbon tools trim away portions of clay; and a wire brush removes dried clay from the other tools.

3
Set up your work station. Sculptor Peter Rubino recommends using a C-clamp to affix the armature between you and the live model, if you are using one. A model lets you capture the nuances of the face from all angles, rather than working from a flat photograph. Your results will be more lifelike. Place the clay on the armature.

4
Begin shaping the clay using the cutting wire and wood block. Try to keep the shape symmetrical, and form into a shape that approximates a head. Develop the basic shape first, and add details later. Rubino recommends keeping the subject and clay at eye level while working.

5
Keep clay moist while working by spritzing it with water when needed. Do not overmoisten, but lightly spray the surface, especially if you need to leave the work for more than half an hour. Place a plastic bag over the clay to keep it from drying out too much while you are away.

6
Begin sculpting one feature at a time, keeping an eye on the symmetry. Measure your model and clay with calipers as needed, comparing the results. If your portrait is only half of the actual life size, for example, allow for the appropriate reduction in measurement when using the calipers. Refer to the resources at the end of this article for specific guidelines on shaping facial features.

7
Form the basic shapes for the hair, but do not add hair detail until after the head has been hollowed out and the pieces reassembled.