How do you learn to sculpt?
"How do you learn to sculpt?" is a broad question, a bit like asking "how long is a piece of string?". Sculpture involves such a wide variety of media that you can choose to work with and there are so many different techniques to explore that there's a lot to consider before you start putting hands to clay, wood, stone or metal! Your initial choices may come down to personal preference, but don't be surprised if these evolve with time.
It would be true to say that there are no hard and fast rules with creative endeavour and inevitably sculptors, like all artists, experiment with, and then develop their own working methods and techniques over time. You will eventually do the same.
To begin you will have to decide what kind of pieces you want to produce and what material you would prefer to work with, even if it's in order to just get you started. Also, it would benefit you to start to develop an understanding of perspective and form and to learn to think spatially.
Starting Out
In any branch of the arts there is no substitute for having a good grasp of the basics and so budding sculptors will fare best by developing some level of proficiency in drawing before they move on to working in three dimensions. If you find that you need help with this, you could turn to taking a course in drawing or to attend general art classes so that you can hone your technique and understanding before moving on.
Once comfortable about taking the next step, it will then be time to think about what media you would like to work with and it's likely that your choice here might be dictated both by the facilities you have at your disposal and your budget.
For example, if you want to work with clay then you will need access to a workshop and a kiln in which to fire it. If you were to provide these yourself then it would involve a considerable outlay. If you think that bronze sculpture is more for you, then the cold casting technique could be a great place to start, as it's relatively straightforward and doesn't require a hefty investment in equipment. Creating your work via the lost wax technique will require fare more involvement, meaning finding a foundry to produce your finished pieces. You can take a look at our guides on cold casting and lost wax for more information on these processes.
Whatever media you settle on, you will need somewhere to work and a selection of tools, be them chisels, rasps and hammers to work with stone or craft knives for modelling clay. Safety is also an important consideration when setting up this workspace. If you would like to carve wood or sculpt in stone then you will also need gloves, goggles and a mask. Welding metal necessitates even more safety equipment. Investigate your options to see what best suits the space you have available and what can be accommodated within your budget.
Unfortunately, it is unlikely that you will be blessed with the talent of Michelangelo initially. Indeed, even if you are that talented, in reality it will still take some time to develop your understanding of the art and to learn the necessary techniques.
Needless to say, whichever media you would eventually like to work with it would be best to start out by learning to create forms in an inexpensive material or one which can be reused. This will certainly be kinder to your pocket and give you a chance to build experience. 'Sculpey' produce a great range of modelling clays, some of which never dry and so can be worked on for as long as required in order to perfect a piece. Plasticine could also be a good option for you whilst you are experimenting with composition and form. No matter how talented you are you will certainly have to experiment because you need to develop the ability to compose and sculpt a piece which is aesthetically pleasing and also one which will stand up and not break, which leads onto the next point.
It takes time to learn how to create works that are sufficiently balanced and therefore can free-stand when finished. With certain media or subjects you should be wary of slender elements and extremities that could break too easily whilst you are sculpting, during firing or in carriage. Some works may have to be fashioned from several different pieces in which case you will need a good understanding of how to compose such a sculpture, how to put the pieces together and how to finish the sculpture so that the joins are not visible. Not that we want to put you off, as of course you can cross those bridges when you come to them; there's a lot to learn.
In addition to learning to sculpt itself there is also good studio practice to learn, which will help out tremendously. This includes learning about things that could go wrong during the studio stage of a project and consists of things that you may not have considered previously. One good way to start is to understand as best you can the material with which you intend to work, for example you might be pretty discouraged if you spent hours creating a wonderful piece in clay only to find it suddenly beginning to slump on your stand part way through.
Moving On
So you have decided what material you would like to work with and you've found or created a suitable workspace for your hobby, but what's next? Well, it's time to put knife to clay or chisel to stone of course! At this point you might well be realising just how little you know, and that's understandable. At any stage in your progression, help and advice is invaluable so do consider seeking it; that might mean enrolling on a course or looking online. If a course sounds ideal, then check what courses are available in your local area or perhaps look further afield at residential courses which can double as a holiday. 'StudySculpture' offers a variety of appealing workshops and are based in Wales near Hay-On-Wye. This is a great area for your partner or family to explore whilst you take the chance to learn more about your craft!
You can also take advantage of the excellent guidance online. There are several sites like www.learnsculpture.org which are devoted to sculpting and these offer useful tutorials and informative videos to help you improve. You will also find instructional videos on YouTube.
Sculpting is a fabulous hobby that can provide many hours of enjoyment and which offers a wonderful way to channel your creative energy. It is not, however, a safe bet when it comes to earning a living. Few sculptors are ever fortunate enough to support themselves through their work and so it is crucial that you love sculpting and want to learn the art for its own sake and not as a commercial venture.
