How to Make a Maquette Using Clay

A maquette is a crude version of a much larger sculpture used by the artist to refine their design.

A maquette is a scale model of a work of art, usually a sculpture. The maquette is used by the artist to work out problems with the sculpture in a small and inexpensive form so that the details of the sculpture are fully considered and realized before the full-sized sculpture is started. Maquettes vary from very rough to highly detailed depending on the concerns of the artist at the time the maquette is made. Often many variations of maquettes are created relating to a single sculpture.

Things You'll Need

• Graph paper, 1/4 inch
• Pencil
• Clay
• Roller
• Clay sculpting tools
• Caliper
• Plastic bags
• Cheesecloth
• Water
• Rags

Instructions

1. Determine the finished size of your large sculpture. Some sculptures are shaped out of marble or other hard stone and the size is determined by the block of stone. Convert your finished size measurement to 1/4-inch scale. Draw the shape of the sculpture on 1/4-inch graph paper.

2. Show all four sides of the sculpture using different views on the graph paper. You may end up with six or more drawings if you have a top and bottom drawing as well as side elevations. The more detailed your drawing, the closer your maquette will look to your finished sculpture.

3. Craft the base of the sculpture first. Keep your clay soft and pliable and no more than 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Use rollers and other clay shaping tools to shape and trim the clay. Build the sculpture based on your drawings but keep the clay sculpture hollow if you intend to fire it. If you want to use it for a mold then you can make it solid clay.

4. Use calipers to transfer measurements from the drawings to the clay. This will allow you to check the dimensions of all parts of the sculpture as you create it. If the maquette needs to sit overnight, moisten cheesecloth and drape the cloth over the figure. Cover the moistened cloth with a sturdy plastic bag that will hold the moisture inside.

5. Refine the model details to the degree that you need in order to create the study model that you require. This will vary from one model to another depending on what issues you are concerned with at the time the model is being made.

Tips & Warnings

• Cast or fire your sculpture after you have finished working the model. Casting will allow you to make many copies. Firing will create a hardened model.

References

• Academic Cerocoso: How to Build a Maquette
• You Tube: Making a Maquette- Clay Figure Sculpture