Beginners clay sculpting ideas

Working in three dimensions can be an interesting artistic challenge. Read on for a beginner’s guide to creating simple sculptures with 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 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.

The other main type is pottery or ‘firing’ clay – a water-based substance that can be shaped and fired at temperatures in excess of 250°F to stay fi rm. This is the method used for creating household ceramics. Water-based clay is often shaped on a potter’s wheel but by far the easiest way to create your desired shapes is by using hand-building techniques.

Working in three dimensions will take some getting used to. If you are creating a 3D sculpture for your home, consider which direction it will be most commonly viewed from and try to ensure that if your first attempt isn’t perfect from all angles, it will at least look good in position. The other alternative is to try a relief sculpture by building up forms on a flat slab of clay that won’t be viewed from all sides.

Here are five useful tips to help you begin working with water-based clay:

1. Envision the final piece
Before you start, it is always a good idea to have a clear idea of how you want the final sculpture to turn out. Make sketches of various imagined viewpoints and projections. Consider the dimensions of the main shapes and the ratios between lengths.

2. Test for wetness
Dried clay will be difficult to work with but it is easy to test if it is wet enough before you start. 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 forefi nger.

4. Avoid protruding shapes
You may have seen more advanced sculptors create figures with extended legs but the chances are they 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, but it is often easier to practise with more contained shapes.

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 in our classifi ed section and sign up to fi nd out more, and to try your hand at fi ring your fi nished works for permanence.

The Author

Artists & Illustrators is Britain’s most popular magazine for practising artists, whilst also being equally relevant to professionals, aspiring amateurs or to those who paint purely for pleasure. Full of step-by-step practical advice, readers’ own work, exclusive features on famous names and expert product tests, this is the top publication for every artist seeking inspiration, whether they favour painting, drawing or printmaking.