PORTRAIT MODELLO SCULPTURE COURSE

Michelle, clay sculpture prior to plaster casting; sculpted from life by P. Brad Parker

Contact: 301 633 2858, or 443 764 5364 by cell phone call, or text message, or contact: sculptorBradP@sculptorBradP.com to arrange a visit, or to enroll in a class or open group. Message Board below seems to have issues. Calendar is general information on classes available, days and times vary.

PORTRAIT MODELLO SCULPTURE COURSE

This course is divided into three parts, each consisting of 24 sessions over 12 weeks. Classes meet twice a week:

• Day classes: 5 hours per session

• Evening classes: 4 hours per session

Each session includes work from a life model or antique plaster portrait bust, or plaster cast. At the end of every session, there will be a short class review (30–60 minutes).

Optional free workshop time 5 hours day, or 4 hours evening each week (without a live model) is available to continue work from the instructor’s demonstration sculpture, or plaster subject. This time is scheduled weekly and included in the tuition, though attendance is optional. Once set, the timeslot cannot be rescheduled.

Course Focus

• The portrait will be studied in greater depth than in the maquette course.

• First half: bone structure, alignment, masses, and proportion.

• Second half: surface anatomy, surface mass, and refinement.

• Throughout: geometric patterning, commensurate planes, and planar rhythms.

Tuition

• Day or Evening Classes: $2,136.00 per 12-week segment (24 classes)

• Options available: once-a-week schedule or private sessions

Course Objectives

• Develop perception of patterned shape

• Strengthen skills in angles and proportion

• Understand glyptek shape and turning rhythms for composition

• Learn to establish visual scale from life to sculpture

• Study commensurate planes

• Build knowledge of basic to intermediate anatomy

Sculpture Work

• Medium: plasteline clay (non-drying)

• Project: three-dimensional portrait bust

• Materials & Armature Prep

  Choose one

  • Option A — Build your own:
    Build an armature before classes begin. A free armature-building workshop is included for students enrolled in the first 12-week session.

  • Option B — Use a loaner (limited):
    Loaners are for in-studio use only and must remain in the studio. If you use a loaner, you agree to replace the aluminum alloy wire and one stainless-steel pipe fitting (Tee or 4-way Cross) at the end of your enrollment.

  You may keep a self-built armature and/or use it for making a plaster cast.

  What to supply – Option A — Build your own:

  Plywood base (bring finished to the workshop)

  • Laminate two 18″ × 18″ × 3/4″ A/C exterior fir plywood panels with wood glue.

  • • While immediately after the two boards are together, curing, pin aligned boards flush together with ~20 resin-coated brads (≈1–1/8 to 1¼” long); countersink so no heads or points are exposed on the board surface.

    • Suggested layout: 16 around the perimeter (2″ in from edges) and 4 midway to center.

  • • Round all edges/corners with sandpaper – easier using a sandpaper holder rubber block and after seal all sides with 4–5 coats of polyurethane until smooth and fully sealed, should feel like a plastic coating.

  Hardware & wire (see full supply list)

  • Stainless-steel plumbing pipe and fittings (including one Tee or 4-way Cross)

  • Stainless-steel machine bolts

  • Aluminum sculpture wire (specified gauges/lengths)

  Bring to the free workshop: finished plywood base, stainless-steel pipe/fittings, aluminum wire, and stainless-steel bolts.
  A detailed supply list is provided upon enrollment.

  Materials: Sculpture Tools

  • Loaner tools (in-class only):
    A minimal set is provided for use during class sessions and must remain in the studio for the duration of the course.

  • Basic personal tools:
    A supply list of core tools (many with an ~1-year lifespan) will be provided. Plan to replace these as they wear out.

  • Optional: make your own tools:
    During designated workshop time, you may craft personal tools. This requires purchasing Lignum Vitae (or approved hardwood) and access to a table saw, band saw, and metal files (rat-tail and half-round).

  • Chavant NSP (Non-Sulfur, soft or medium hardness red brown) or Chavant Le Beau Touche HM (High Melt) red brown clay.
• Studio provides: wheeled sculpture stands, limited loaner armatures (with replacement parts required). Limited loaner sculpture tools on loan only in class

Instructional Approach

Students from both sculpture and drawing backgrounds will benefit. Instruction emphasizes:

• Anatomy and rhythm of form

• Large masses as the foundation for smaller details

• Shadows as tools to reveal, not obscure, shape

• Understanding interrelationships of forms for natural, lifelike structure

Students will gain skills to avoid oversimplified or disjointed work, allowing personal style to develop by choice rather than mistake.

Study Resources

Students will have access to a unique collection of anatomical models and plaster casts, including:

• Hand-painted German anatomical dissections (head/neck series, torso, and hand studies)

• Antique European plaster casts

• Full-body dissection casts from New York

• Male and female skeletons

• Scale anatomical figure plasters

Classes combine theory and practice informed by the traditions of Greek Classical, Hellenistic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neo-Classical, and Neo-Hellenistic art.

Class size limited to 10 students.

__________________________________________________________________________

Parking is free, there is plenty of space available for the model and students to park on the Square, as well as additional parking behind the townhouse in a private parking area.
___________________________________________________________________________

More advanced classes available.

Private Sculpture Studio, Drawing & Sculpture Classes, By Appointment – Open Drawing & Sculpture Group Sessions, Commissioned Portrait Bust Sculpture, Fountain Sculpture, Figure Sculpture, & Relief Sculpture Compositions. Private Gallery of exhibited sculpture, by appointment only.

[contact-form][contact-field label=’Name’ type=’name’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Email’ type=’email’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Website’ type=’url’/][contact-field label=’Comment’ type=’textarea’ required=’1’/][contact-field label=’Telephone Number’ type=’text’/][contact-field label=’Name of the Art Class Course%26#x002c; or Open Group you are interested in attending%26#x002c; or requesting information on. ‘ type=’text’/][contact-field label=’City%26#x002c; State%26#x002c; Country’ type=’text’/][contact-field label=’The day of the week%26#x002c; the hours available%26#x002c; time frame you would be interested in an ongoing Class Course Session%26#x002c; or Open Group Session to participate in. There is the possibility of an additional Class%26#x002c; or Open Group Sessions depending on the response of enrollment%26#x002c; or participation interest. The main Art Classes page heading has what are active Class Course Sessions%26#x002c; and Open Groups. ‘ type=’text’/][contact-field label=’Potential Student%26#x002c; Artist participant in an Open Group%26#x002c; or you are a potential Life Model?’ type=’text’/][contact-field label=’New Field’ type=’text’/][/contact-form]