How to Make a Realistic Head Out of Clay

You can use clay to sculpt realistic heads and portraits.

Sculpting realistic human heads out of clay dug from the earth is a time-honored artistic tradition. The art form reached a high point during the classic period of the pre-Columbian age. The ancient Peruvian Moche culture achieved a startling level of realism in their clay portrait heads more than 2,000 years ago. Sculpting realistic clay heads is still practiced by artists in the early 21st century, using the same basic techniques and materials.

Things You'll Need

• Camera
• Pencil
• Drawing paper
• Screw gun
• Screws
• Floor flange
• Threaded steel pipe
• Wooden base
• Lazy Susan
• Newspaper
• Tape
• Earthen clay
• Wire wedge
• Rolling pin
• Wooden paddle
• Potter's rib
• Knife
• Spoon
• Clay slip
• Wire ceramic tools
• Wooden modeling tools
• Kiln

Instructions

1. Study the anatomy and proportions of the human head before modeling one out of clay. Take reference photographs from all angles of your subject. Capture different expressions and choose one to depict in your clay sculpture. Make pencil drawings on paper to establish the details and placement of facial features.

2. Construct an internal armature to support the clay head as you work. Use a screw gun and screws to attach a round, threaded floor flange to a square of wood heavy enough to support the head. Screw a length of threaded steel pipe into the flange. Place the armature on a lazy Susan. Wad up a ball of newspaper into the basic egg-shape of a human head. Tape up the wad to hold it securely together.

3. Wire wedge earthen clay and knead it thoroughly to remove air bubbles. Roll out thick slabs of the clay with a rolling pin. Slap them onto the armature and join them together with your hands. Refine the shape of the head by patting the clay with a wooden paddle tool. Add more clay for the shape of the chin. Flatten the face area with the paddle.

4. Smooth the head with a curved wooden potter's rib. Cut the head shape in half with a knife and scoop out the inner clay with a spoon until the head is about 1/2 inch thick. Score the edges and apply watery clay called slip. Fuse the head back together. Attach a piece of clay for the nose and push in the eye sockets with your fingers.

5. Roll balls of clay for the eyes and attach them to the sockets. Roll and attach coils for the eyelids and lips. Mold the ears and attach them with slip. Use wire ceramic tools and wooden modeling tools to carve and form details such as hair and eyebrows. Air dry the head for several weeks and lift it off the pipe before firing it in a kiln.

Tips & Warnings

• Cover the head with with damp paper towels and a plastic bag between work sessions.

• Refer to your photos as you work.

• Frequently turn the head on the lazy Susan to view it from all angles.

• Don't use a metal armature. It will damage the clay head during firing.

References

• Lewis Goldstein Art and Design: Sculpting Tutorial: Sculpting a Bust of an African Woman
• Sculptclay.com: How to Sculpt the Portrait in Clay (Sample Clips)
• School Specialty: Portrait Heads in Clay