Polymer Clay Portrait Sculpture

Elizabeth Bonura shows how to sculpt polymer clay into a portrait sculpture.

All About

Product Ideas

As a child, Elizabeth Bonura was captivated by a life-size sculpture of her father as a baby and wanted to make something similar. Unable to find classes in figurative sculpture at school, she pursued other artistic endeavors. That was until she found a book about polymer clay. She loved that it required no painting and no kiln and that it was so easy to work with. She taught herself the art of figurative sculpture and began making pieces for family and friends. Today, in addition to being a full time mom, she also spends her time creating personalized and very life-like polymer clay figures that often commemorate a special event in a person's life.

Materials and Tools:

16-gauge galvanized utility wire
wire cutters
aluminum foil
paper tape
polymer clay (flesh and other colors)
translucent liquid clay
oven
paintbrushes
acrylic paint: black, white and brown
heat-set oil paint: burnt umber, red and black
clay shaper tool
knitting needle
baby powder
vegetable oil
rubbing alcohol
razor blade
nail buffer
photograph of subject to be sculpted
corsage pins
duct tape
drill
wood base
pasta machine - optional
heat gun - optional

Steps:

1. Use photographs as a model/pattern for the sculpture.

2. Shape a 5" x 7" sheet of foil into an egg that is slightly smaller than the size of the head that will be sculpted. Cover the foil with paper tape.

Figure C

3. Cover the head's armature with a thin layer of clay.

4. Press eye sockets into the head.

5. Insert a skewer into the bottom of the head to serve as a handle.

Figure E

6. Paint corsage pins for the eyes:

a dot of black
a smaller dot of eye color
finally an even smaller dot of black onto that.

7. Insert painted pins into the eye sockets.

8. Sculpt additional parts for the face. Press additional clay onto the face and sculpt into a rough form for the eyelids, nose, lips, cheeks and ears.

Figure F

9. After all pieces are attached; bake face at 250 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.

10. After baking, refine the features to make the sculpture more realistic. Add more clay to certain areas or carve out clay accordingly to form enhanced facial features. After refining the face bake again at 250 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

11. After baking, polish the face with a nail buffer and paint the face.

Figure H

12. Cut two 28 inch pieces of utility wire. Bend each piece of wire in half and twist all the way from the bend to the end, so you are left with two 14 inch pieces of wire.

13. On each piece of wire, measure and mark 8-1/2 cm, 2-1/2" and 1-1/2 cm and bend the wire at each mark.

14. Duct tape the two halves together to create a "spine."

15. Cut eight inches of wire, bend in half and twist.

16. Duct tape the wire along the "spine" to create the neck where the head will be placed. Now the armature "skeleton" of the sculpture is created.

17. Cut the ends of the armature so they are even.

Figure I

18. Cut foil into 1-inch strips and wrap the armature to define the "muscles." Tip: Cut several strips to build up the muscles.

19. Wrap foil with paper tape to help the clay stick to the armature. Position the armature to match the pose in the picture.

Figure K

20. Sculpt and bake shoes. Attach shoes and head to the armature.

21. Cover the entire armature with clay.

22. Sculpt the arms, attach to the arms and bake the entire sculpture.

Figure L

23. Now that the sculpture is stiff and solid, cut out the pattern for clothes out of a thin sheet of clay. Use colorful clay to make the jeans and a button down shirt.

24. Remove the shoes and form the clay pants on one leg at a time. Slide the shoes on and bake again, 15 minutes at 250 degrees.

25. Add the shirt pieces (front and back panels, then the sleeves).

26. Make the baby sculpture that will set in his arms. Sculpt the head and face of the baby.

27. Next, make the body of the baby; shape a small piece of 5" x 7" foil into a torso. Then wrap with paper tape. Wrap the top portion of the body with flesh color clay and the bottom portion with blue colored clay.

28. For the legs, make two coils of blue colored clay and attach to the torso. Make little baby shoes and attach to the legs. Also make arms and hands and attach to the body.

29. Cut out a shirt pattern from a thin sheet of black clay and attach to the top front and back of the body.

Figure M

30. After the baby is "dressed", position the baby in the arms of the adult.

31. Then bake the entire sculpture for 30 minutes at 250 degrees.

32. Accent the sculpture with heat-set oil paint. Paint the jeans a darker blue, add a bit of color to the face and add colorful details to the clothing.

33. Bake the entire sculpture at 250 degrees for 10 minutes.

34. Drill holes into the base and attach the sculpture.

Website: www.weddingsculptures.com