If you are wondering how to mold a person from plasticine, then you have come to the right place. This lesson shows how to sculpt a figurine of a man. By analogy, you can make a woman by adding long hair and making a dress.
To sculpt a person from plasticine, you need:
- two main bars of plasticine for clothes (it can be a black bar for trousers and yellow for a T-shirt);
- a little beige or pink plate for the head and hands;
- brown for hair and boots (or any other suitable color);
- droplets of white, blue and red to decorate the face.
How to mold a person from plasticine
- Prepare plasticine blocks for work, guided by our recommendations, or at your discretion. To sculpt the body, take yellow plasticine, knead it and roll up a ball with a diameter of about 2.5 cm. Press down on the ball from all sides, forming a rectangular bar. Squeeze one side of the bar on the sides with your fingers. This way you show wider shoulders.
- To sculpt short sleeves of a T-shirt, prepare 2 more balls, each about 1 cm in diameter. Make small cones from the balls. Then slide the upper part of the resulting sleeves with your fingers, gluing to the shoulders.
- To sculpt trousers, take a soft black ball with a diameter of about 3 cm. Pull the ball into a sausage, pressing from above with your palm and swinging back and forth. You should get a sausage about 11 cm long.
- Bend the sausage in the central part - you get trousers. Stand the trousers upright and press down on the structure.
- Attach the pants to the T-shirt.
- Prepare three beige balls with a diameter of about 1 cm for sculpting the head and two arms.
- Pull out the ball intended for the head.
- Attach a straight nose, squeeze out the holes in which the eyes will be placed.
- Insert white eyeballs with blue irises into the pits. Add eyelashes, but not too long, to the eyebrows.
- Attach your mouth. From brown sausages and cakes of arbitrary shape, form hair. It is convenient to put the head on a match in order to easily fasten it to the body in the future. Ears should also be added to the head.
- Stick a round cake imitating a collar on the top of the T-shirt, add a beige neck tubercle and insert a match with a head in the center.
- Pull the remaining two beige balls into tubes. Cut one side of the tube with a stack and press the tips with a stack to show your fingers.
- Complete the outfit with a belt and attach boots to the legs. Glue the arms to the sleeves of the T-shirt.
The plasticine man is ready. Our figure turned out to be proportional, and most importantly - flexible, which children cannot but like.
Shared the master class
In our example, we will make a simple frameless sculpture "Hare".
Prepare plasticine.
To do this, knead it well in your hands until a homogeneous lump of uniform consistency is obtained.
Instead of sculptural plasticine, you can use ordinary children's colored plasticine: just dip the tiles of ordinary plasticine in hot water, and when they soften, knead them with your hands to a homogeneous consistency.
Of course, such plasticine is somewhat inferior to the sculptural one. It is much softer when cured, which is a big disadvantage if you plan to use a clay model to cast a sculpture in plaster. If your goal is to learn how to sculpt, then self-made plasticine may turn out to be an even more convenient option.
Get your tools ready right away.
The main tools of the sculptor when working with plasticine are stacks. Stacks look like small wooden, metal or plastic sticks with ends in the form of straight, beveled or rounded spatulas, lancets, etc. They serve for effective surface treatment of the sculpture - shaping, leveling the surface and applying detailing. Stacks can be purchased in art - salons and specialized online stores, or made independently, in accordance with your own ideas about a convenient tool.
At the initial stage, an old bank card, a table knife or a teaspoon with a narrow border can serve as a stack. You can also use wood carving tools, surgical tools, an awl, needles and various manicure tools - when creating a small plasticine sculpture with such sharp objects, it is very convenient to perform detailing.
When the material and tools are ready, you can begin.
Step 1: FIGURE
First, we blind the hare figure itself. To do this, from well-kneaded plasticine, we will make three blanks: one - small for the head, the second for the breast and the third for the lower part of the figure.
The head of the hare is slightly elongated, try to immediately give it the desired shape. Then connect all three parts together using a simple “coating”, smoothing the joints with your fingers or a stack.
The result is a general shape - a figure, which we will further supplement with details corresponding to the anatomical features of the hare.
Step 2: PAWS
To sculpt the front paws, we roll two small “sausages” out of plasticine. Then, kneading, we alternately attach them to the figure, smoothing the junctions with our fingers.
In the process of joining, we give the paws the desired shape, achieving maximum resemblance to the paws of a real animal.
The hind legs of the hare are larger than the front ones, so for sculpting them we make “sausages” of a slightly larger size. We attach to the figure, adjusting the shape of the hind legs, just as in the case of the front ones. On the sides we add plasticine, and, smoothing it with our fingers, we give the paws a bent position.
Step 3: EARS
We will fashion oblong ears from two pieces of plasticine, after which, having determined their position at our discretion - whether they will stand or lie, we will firmly attach the ears to the hare's head.
Step 4: TAIL
Last we blind the tail. To do this, roll a small ball out of plasticine and attach it to the main figure, in the same way as the rest of the parts earlier. Smooth the junction with your fingers.
On this figure of a hare, we are ready. Now we need to apply texture and features to it.
Step 5: DETAILS
With the help of a sharp tool, we mark the area of \u200b\u200bthe breast and the folds at the withers.
Let's remove the excess plasticine from the back and other places, achieving the optimal shape. Using the same tool, cut small grooves on the paws - fingers.
Now let's work on the muzzle.
To do this, we will make recesses for the eyes and nose, and, pressing them, we will place small balls of plasticine in them. As usual, smooth out the joints with your fingers and remove excess plasticine.
Then, using a thin stack, we cut through the eyes and work out the shape of the nose.
The same tool can be used to make a smile.
With the help of additionally applied plasticine, we make cheeks and chin: we give them the desired shape with our fingers, smooth and remove all unnecessary.
We will give the shape of the tail by applying several grooves to it and slightly narrowing it towards the end.
The last stage is the application of wool. To do this, using a stack, apply strokes of different lengths to the surface of the figure. The hair on the back is longer - there the strokes will be longer.
Apply hair along the growth line - passing along the back, smoothly moving to the paws and slightly changing direction. Places that we selected before - breast and cheeks, leave without wool. So the hare will turn out to be more “alive”, and due to the difference in textures, the sculpture will look even more interesting.
That's all, our hare is ready.
Mila Zakatova, artist-sculptor, member of the International Art Fund, member of the Professional Union of Artists, laureate of the sculpture award of the International Competition for Young Artists, held a master class on creating sculpture.
An excellent material for creating figures and busts is plasticine for sculpting sculptures. It is suitable for professionals and beginners. It is easy to handle, while the crafts are realistic due to the natural, natural color scheme. Due to the elasticity and pliability of the material, you can easily create figures from it, for this you just need to slightly knead the bar.
What is sculptural clay
Professionals who create sculptures for themselves or for commercial purposes use different materials to work. Special clay is considered the most popular, but craftsmen also use plasticine for sculptures. This material is also used in art schools, there are even special circles, for example, modeling from sculptural plasticine for beginners.
How is it different from the usual
Sculptural plasticine differs from the usual one in that it is very plastic. This material is presented in a variety of colors that are close to natural shades. The school version of this substance has to be rubbed in the hands for some time in order to achieve softness and be able to fashion some kind of figure. The professional one quickly warms up from the warmth of the hands, without additional effort. Due to the pliability of the material, even small objects with many microelements can be molded from it.
How to work with sculptural clay
The plasticine modeling technique for sculptural work is similar to that used in kindergartens and schools. There are slight differences in the additional tools used. The molding process consists of the following steps:
- Create a sketch of the future product.
- Measure the right amount of material and cut from a large piece.
- To better soften a piece of plate, you can put it in hot water or another heat source. Then knead with your hands, making it soft and pliable.
- Start creating the shape of the future plasticine sculpture.
- Take additional tools to create a more realistic model, highlight the details. For this, for example, stacks of various sizes and shapes, wire, petroleum jelly, heated water can be used.
- So that a large craft does not fall apart and does not change shape, experts use a technique: they insert a metal wire frame into the product. Copper cannot be used, because the elements that are in the composition of plasticine react with it. This will not bring harm to a person, but the quality of the craft will deteriorate.
- Before using the tools, they must be moistened with water so that the plasticine does not stick. Hands also need to be moistened periodically.
- Soft varieties are often used for large crafts, while hard varieties are often used for miniatures.
What can be made from sculptural plasticine
Almost everything can be sculpted from sculptural plasticine: from different types of animals, a human face to any miniature with small details. For example, you can make a face mask for a carnival, while giving free rein to your imagination and creating something bright and unusual. For these purposes, when creating products, different colors are combined. Often such material is used to make still lifes from vegetables or fruits. Small figurines of animals or household items are well obtained.
Species
There are two main types of matter: soft and hard. The first option will not require additional effort during work, and the solid one will have to be heated up longer, but the figures from it will retain their shape better. Plasticine is produced for sculpting various products with a bar, the weight of which is 300, 500 or 1000 g. To buy a product cheaply, you can order it for a promotion in an online store. There are many places in Moscow and St. Petersburg where the sale is carried out remotely, there are often discounts or sales, delivery by mail or courier is offered.
The range of hobbies
Inexpensive and high-quality material is offered by the Gamma Hobbies company. From it you can make any crafts. The soft grade of the material allows you to start modeling objects without any extra effort:
- model name: Gamma Hobbies, soft;
- price: 110 rubles;
- pluses: does not stick to hands and tools, does not stain hands, has no smell, is resistant to temperature changes; the sculpture holds its shape well;
- cons: it is easy to damage the resulting figure, because the mass does not solidify to the end.
Finished products from a hard grade of material are strong, almost not damaged subsequently. On such a substance it is easy to draw small details, to work with the help of stacks. It is recommended for inexperienced sculptors who are just starting to create their first creations:
- model name: Hobby range, solid;
- price: 105 rubles;
- characteristics: in the package - 500 g; production - Russia; type - solid; color - gray;
- pluses: does not stick to hands and tools; does not stain hands; has no smell; resistant to temperature changes; the sculpture holds its shape well;
- cons: you need to warm up in advance so that it is convenient to create products; work takes a longer time compared to the soft variety of the same manufacturer.
Ray
Plasticine for sculptural modeling "Ray" is offered in two versions: hard and soft. Both types are available in several colors, each shade is close to natural tones. Working with such material is not easy due to excessive softness, it is easy to accidentally press and damage the resulting shape:
- model name: Beam de luxe, soft;
- price: 115 rubles;
- pluses: unlimited shelf life; does not stick to hands, clothes and tools; does not freeze for a long time, thanks to which it is possible to make changes to the created sculpture after a long time;
- cons: it is easy to damage the figurine after the process is completed; it is necessary to wait some time for the product to cool slightly and harden, although it will not dry completely.
The solid version of the material makes the sculpting process possible at any time: there is no fear that the craft will be damaged. You can work with it for a long time, because the shelf life is unlimited. This material is one of the highest quality, although the price is low:
- model name: Beam de luxe, solid;
- price: 73 rubles;
- characteristics: in the package - 300 g; production - Russia; type - solid; color - gray;
- pluses: suitable for creating paintings, applications; resistant to temperature changes; has no smell; non-toxic; no expiration date; does not stick to hands, clothes and tools;
- cons: the hard variety must be additionally heated either by hand or with the help of improvised means in order to be able to fully work with it.
An excellent material for sculpting and modeling models of future sculpture is Greenwich Line. The soft variety does not stick to hands, its properties are similar to clay, but it does not harden to the end, so you can later make something else from the finished product. Check out the material specifications:
- model name: Greenwich Line, soft;
- price: 82 rubles;
- characteristics: in the package - 500 g; production - Russia; type - soft; color - olive;
- pluses: designed for sculpting and modeling; does not stick to hands; has no smell; elastic and plastic when warm; retains its shape well;
- cons: not suitable for creating sculptures and busts.
Hard varieties are often used to create appliqués and paintings. Such material holds its shape well after hardening. It is resistant to temperature changes, so during the modeling process you can not be afraid of drafts and a sharp cold snap. Other characteristics of the material:
- model name: Greenwich Line, solid;
- price: 91 rubles;
- pluses: suitable for paintings and applications; without smell; non-toxic; does not leave stains; does not stick to hands;
- cons: don't make mock-ups out of it, because it doesn't have the flexibility of a soft variety from the same manufacturer.
Gamma
Plasticine "Lyceum" manufacturer "Gamma" is an elite material, which is expressed in the cost of goods. Due to the presence of mineral pigments in the composition, the material is environmentally friendly and pleasant to work with:
- model name: Gamma "Lyceum", soft;
- price: 169 rubles;
- characteristics: in the package - 500 g; production - Russia; type - soft; color - flesh;
- pluses: similar in density to oil; contains mineral pigments and fillers; keeps its shape well;
- cons: high price.
The hard grade of plasticine "Studio" of the same company is also a top-class material. The product does not have an expiration date, there is no unpleasant odor, and crafts made from sculptural plasticine retain their shape well:
- model name: Studio Gamma, hard;
- price: 344 rubles;
- characteristics: in the package - 1 kg; production - Russia; type - solid; color - olive;
- pluses: does not dry; retains plastic properties; keeps its shape well, therefore it is suitable for sculptural miniatures; resistant to temperature changes; does not leave stains; does not stick; has an unlimited shelf life;
- cons: high price.
globe
To make a sculpture or a model of a future product, it is better to use a soft grade of plasticine from the Globus company. It is inexpensive, easy to use, easy to change:
- model name: Globe, soft;
- price: 69 rubles;
- characteristics: in the package - 500 g; production - Russia; type - soft; color - gray;
- pluses: high plastic properties; contains wax; softens easily; suitable for creating sculptures and models; keeps the shape resistant to temperature changes; does not leave stains; non-toxic; does not stick to hands; low price;
- cons: not found.
Hard grades of Globus plasticine are often used to make models for future large sculptures, or even small final works themselves. The material is inexpensive, high-quality, has optimal elasticity and plasticity:
- model name: Globe, solid;
- price: 74 rubles;
- characteristics: in the package - 500 g; production - Russia; type - solid; color - terracotta;
- pluses: plasticine for modeling is plastic; elastic; does not freeze quickly, so all the details can be corrected at any time;
- cons: not found.
How to choose sculptural clay
If you have worked with clay before, then unlike it, plasticine for sculpting sculptures retains its plastic properties and does not dry out. When choosing the manufacturer and series of this material, pay attention to the following points:
- The product should be of medium plasticity so that it can be easily warmed up in the hands.
- It is better to take an odorless substance, although it may smell weak and not caustic. Often there is a smell of rosin, which is easy to get used to.
- The color must be uniform. Gray and other natural shades are often found. A variant of color model material is possible.
- Domestic brands are cheaper than imported ones, although they are the same in their qualities. For foreign material, the color gamut is wider due to the addition of dyes.
- Hard grades are suitable for jewelry and medal work, with their help it is easy to make clear lines and maintain the accuracy of details.
- Soft varieties are suitable for creating small figurines, figurines, monuments.
If you have already bought a product and want to make sure how good it is, you can check it at home. Check for yourself if you have all the nuances from the list below:
- there are no harmful synthetic additives in the composition on the label;
- components of only plant origin;
- the material does not crumble and does not dry out;
- the substance quickly warms up in the hands and becomes elastic;
- after working with the material on the surface there are no greasy spots and films;
- pieces of matter are easily combined into one lump;
- Remaining material can be easily washed off hands with warm water and soap.
Video
Of course, to be a real sculptor, you need to have an artistic taste and study for a long time, but everyone can do the simplest plasticine crafts if they wish. Adults should help children in this work. Very often, young creators are faced with the task of creating a human head from plasticine. It seems that facial features are the most difficult to reproduce. But this work is not so difficult. This modeling lesson provides detailed instructions for creating a human head from plasticine.
1. Pick the right color to create the face. It can be white, beige or pale pink plasticine. Knead it in your hands, and then roll it into a ball.
2. Extend one side to define the oval of the face. Below will be the chin, above - the forehead.
3. Using the stack, mark the central part, the locations of the eyes, nose and mouth.
4. Make holes in the places where the eyeballs are located. Smooth out the bridge of the nose.
5. From the same beige plasticine, make tubercles instead of eyebrows. Fill in the eye sockets with white plasticine.
6. Stick a little more beige plasticine as a nose, smooth it and plasticine around, pierce the nostrils with a toothpick.
7. Also spend a drop of plasticine on the formation of plump human lips.
8. Now it's time to pick up plasticine to create a hairstyle. Available in white, black, brown or yellow. Depending on this, you get a gray-haired person, brunette, brown-haired or blond. Attach the selected piece to the back of the head and crown, draw hairs with the tool.
9. Lastly, attach two ears to complete the man's head.
The final look of the craft. Photo 1.
The final look of the craft. Photo 2.
Naturally, this is not the only option for such a craft. If necessary, you can change skin color, eye shade, hair length, nose shape and other differences.
The 1/9 scale is ideal for busts. Firstly, it is standard, secondly, a larger scale would require a different approach to the eyes, hair, eyelashes - they would have to be imitated with puppet elements. Smaller scales 1/20 and 1/16 are already for figures.
Prototype selection.
It is important to choose an interesting prototype for the bust. Photos can be recommended. Portraits have always been popular with front-line photographers. The photograph must be of sufficient quality so that individual elements and details of the face can be seen. You can, of course, not look for photographs, but sculpt your character, relying on imagination, but there is a high probability of getting an “inanimate” sculpture with anatomical flaws as a result. Moreover, the imagination and observation skills of most people are not as developed as those of professional artists and sculptors (alas!) and the image in the imagination can be frankly faded and not clear. So I strongly recommend high-quality photographs, especially since a lot of them have been taken during the wars of the last hundred plus years, and it is relatively easy to find a photo of an interesting soldier or officer among them. In extreme cases, you can use a photo of a modern person and “dress” him during modeling in the desired military uniform.
Still, it is not worth achieving a complete portrait resemblance to photography - this is a rather difficult task that requires a separate article and great skill.
I will also say how you can simplify your work and not choose too complicated a prototype. Firstly, sadly, I advise you to start by choosing characters with a minimum of all sorts of awards, badges and insignia - all these are quite complex elements that require a different, more thorough approach. Their manufacture, sometimes, takes most of the time of work on the bust, so we will confine ourselves here to the most interesting part - sculpting the head and clothes. Caps have always been a complex element because of the visor, the severity of the forms and the cockade. Winter clothes, unlike summer clothes, also make work much easier. If your character's ears are covered with a tank or flight helmet, or the flaps of the headgear are lowered, this also greatly facilitates the work. A calm facial expression also facilitates the work - all emotions and grimaces introduce additional difficulties.
I note that when choosing a character, you should pay attention to the very type of your hero. People with unpleasant faces or with some obvious defects, and, accordingly, a sculpture made from their photo, make a somewhat depressing impression.
Our hero will be this smiling Russian guy, filmed on February 15, 1945 on the streets of Budapest (). The photograph is of sufficient quality and is taken from O. M. Baronov’s book “The Balaton Defensive Operation”. The task is of medium difficulty: the face is pleasant, smiling, the ears are open, but the clothes and headgear are simple.
Materials and tools. Preparatory part.
To sculpt a bust, you need the following minimum set of materials and tools (). All of them are cheap and available, so sculpting busts and figurines is quite a democratic activity (unlike many types of poster modeling), where everything depends only on your skill.
Thermoset plastic. I will advise the domestic plastic brands Ladoga or Artifact. It is cheap (about 100 rubles worth of packaging, which is enough for several busts), has fairly good characteristics, is available - it is sold in all stores for artists and even in some stationery stores. You can take any color, but white is preferable - in my opinion, it is slightly better in its properties. Plastic can be slightly tinted with thick gouache. I can’t advise other numerous plastic brands, since I haven’t worked with them and they, especially foreign ones, often have (according to colleagues) rather unexpected characteristics. Among them, perhaps, only Scalpy and Super Scalpy have a recognized authority.
Thick copper, aluminum or safety wire for the skeleton frame.
Various stacks and masters. I use (in order of popularity): crochet hooks of various sizes - from smallest to largest, sewing needles (it is better to buy a set right away), special stacks for modeling (sold in artist supply stores). They say it's good to have some dental instruments, but I don't have them.
A pack of regular razors.
A pair of brushes, No. 1 and 4. A small one with long bristles and a larger one with short bristles. Brushes are best kolinsky, maybe not the most expensive. You will also need a glass or glass of water.
Electric oven with temperature controller. The recommended baking temperature is 130 degrees Celsius. However, many ovens have a rather coarse regulator, so the temperature should be determined experimentally by baking a small piece of mashed plastic.
For lighting, you can use a regular table lamp, although sometimes during finishing it is useful to look at the work under a bright point light source - all surface defects will be better visible.
Before sculpting, I print out a human figure of ideal proportions on the printer in the right scale. You can print not the whole figure, but somewhere up to the solar plexus. It is also worth stocking up on a few books on drawing and anatomy for artists and good photographs (possibly modern) of people similar to your character, with facial expressions and where head elements are clearly visible (this is especially true about ears and eyes).
It is important to have a cardboard box with a piece of plasticine on it on the desktop. It is convenient to stick a skeleton into plasticine, and the work that has not yet been baked will not be damaged. In addition, it is so convenient to photograph the model.
So let's get started!
I make a “skeleton” from thick copper, aluminum or safety wire (). Next comes the main stage - sculpting the head.
Plastic must be thoroughly kneaded before sculpting. Another seemingly unimportant point: if the temperature in the room is somewhat lower (for example, in winter), then this will significantly complicate modeling - the plastic will become much harder and tighter in modeling.
A couple more strategic modeling tips: first, everything should be symmetrical. Of course, real people almost always have deviations from symmetry in their structure, but this should not be imitated - errors in modeling and eye measurement will add this "realism" anyway. Symmetry must be controlled constantly and at every stage, it should become a rule to such an extent that we will no longer repeat about it. Another tip would be to work on the elements of the face on the left and right at the same time. That is, we do not work on one eye, and then the second, but do everything at the same time both on the right and on the left. For example, they marked the eye socket on the right and left, marked the eyelids on the right and left, marked the eyeball on the right and left, and so on. This will make the face and its elements mirror the same, it is much more difficult to make one element first, and then the second in the same way.
At the beginning, the main volume of the head is formed in primitives (): a ball (the head itself) and a prism (face and jaws). Depending on the shape of the head, the primitives may be different: a prism, just a ball, a cube, their combinations. At this stage, it is important to correctly choose and make the shape of the head and keep the size, using proportions. The shape of the head determines a lot in the image of the character. It is important to make the temporal cavities and the narrowing of the skull from behind from below.
We make the neck and, roughly and in a smaller volume, the shoulders and chest. On the neck, it is important to indicate the muscles and folds. Turning the head adds further complexity to these elements. In front and in profile, we check the width of the neck, do not forget about the Adam's apple, if it is visible. At the same stage, we designate a sharp junction of the back of the head and neck and highlight the lower jaw.
The face is marked according to proportions () - there will be eyes in the middle of the face, the lower cut of the nose will be halfway from the eyes to the chin, and by measuring a third from the bottom of the nose to, again, the chin, we will get the intended position of the mouth. Depending on the individual structural features of the face of a particular person, these proportions may vary slightly.
Next, I squeeze out the eye sockets, form the nose (from the material below the eyes), cheekbones, draw out the mouth and its expression. At this stage, the type of face and general characteristic features are formed, even on a very rough draft () you can already see the future face and its expression.
We continue to sculpt, all elements are molded simultaneously ( , . ). We clearly designate the nose, mouth, the shape of the superciliary arches. Here all sorts of advice will be superfluous, here (and further) the free flight of your creativity. It is only worth noting that the corners of the mouth, nasolabial folds (these elements determine a lot in the mood of the character) and the junction of the nostrils with the face require more careful attention.
Teeth, or rather the recesses between them, in an open mouth, it is convenient to make a thin wire bent in a loop. If necessary, you can slightly indicate the wrinkling of the lips and the porosity of the nose.
The eyes should be given special attention, they attract attention and shape the mood of our character. There is nothing complicated here either. In shallow eye sockets (you can add more plastic there), cut through the surface of the eye itself, designate the eyelids. The eye should be sufficiently spherical and deeply recessed into the orbit, in the corners of the eyes (especially those closer to the nose) there should be significant indentations. Flat, shallow eyes are a fairly common mistake novice sculptors make. We must not forget about possible wrinkles around the eyes. In general, wrinkles are quite difficult to properly position. We bring the surface of the eyeball to a shine with a wet brush.
Collars for me (I don’t even know why) are always a difficult element. Here I will share the technology for making smooth plastic pancakes, even very thin ones. We take a glass, lightly grease it with a wet brush, put the mashed plastic and roll it out with a metal rod. So the plastic simply rolls out (and, more importantly, easily separates from the glass) even to a translucent film! Cut out the desired part with a razor blade. It is so convenient to make straps, galloons, shoulder straps and other elements, such as our collar ().
We steal plastic rollers around the neck, and our collar is on them. We sculpt.
We designate the edge of the side of the overcoat on the chest, the obligatory fold at the back and the seams on the clothes (). The seams (it is important to know exactly their location on the clothes) are made simply with a needle, you can additionally walk along the seam of thick fabric with a larger and rounded stack. A slightly open seam can be imitated with a needle.
Shoulder straps are made according to the above technology, you just need to mark the edging with a needle. The entire surface of the clothing is finally finished and leveled with wet brushes. You can imitate the structure of the fabric (for example, the Soviet "diagonal" of tunics) with light shading with a blunt needle.
I perform the lower cut of the bust with a wet (for better glide) razor. The work is finished!
The cut profile is important (when viewed from the front), it brings additional intonation to your bust. A straight horizontal cut will add (due to the volume of the shoulders) heaviness, solidity, strength. The trapezoid gives a lighter and more rapid image. You can make side cuts in the form of arcs. For the sake of experiment, I made an asymmetrical cut to emphasize the rotation and tilt of the head.
Alternatively, you can try the following solutions for the lower cut of the bust, used by "large" professional sculptors: wrap a cloak in rich folds (oh, this is an undoubted pathos and heroism of the image!), A smooth transition of a carefully finished surface into a deliberately roughly molded one (masculinity!) Or a bust rooted in a pedestal or stone. You can make a tanker looking out of the commander's cupola, or a submariner from the hatch of his boat, or a "faustnik" boy from a hatch in the pavement of Berlin. In general, a lot of creative solutions.
Little can be said about the little things. Simple buttons can be cut from a drawn sprue, and stamp buttons can be carefully molded and copied from resin. You can also copy orders and emblems and insignia. But all this is quite complicated.
I photograph my work on a balcony or in a room in sunlight, but it is also possible in the diffused light of incandescent lamps. A tripod is required, I use a sheet of white paper as a background. When photographing a sculpture, it is advisable to take photos immediately in black and white, the color does not carry any useful information. We set the ISO lower, close the aperture more strongly, the macro mode is required, if necessary, then we introduce exposure compensation. More realistic photos are obtained by setting the zoom to the middle position, and not to the maximum wide-angle, however, there may be problems with focusing. The most advantageous angles are not straight in front, but somewhat at an angle and slightly from below.
That's all! Creative success to you. I hope to see your work in this interesting genre.
Recommended Internet resources: http://modelsculpt.ru/ - a site of sculptors with a gallery of excellent works and a forum with friendly and professional participants, http://www.chen-la.com/ - a site with a lot of interesting information on sculpture, articles and a good forum, and, of course, the Diorama.ru forum.
