Art and Anatomy, Part III: Sculpting Outdoors in One Session

Abstract

Sculpting outdoors in one session from a live model can be a rewarding experience, but the situation for the artist is quite different from traditional studio work. The initial challenge is direct sunlight which makes oil-based plastilene clay sticky and difficult to work with unless the air is very cold. I typically set up a portable tripod sculpture stand in the shade, put my clay in a metal bucket, and warm it in the sun. When the desired softness is achieved, I use aluminum foil as a cover. Some plastilene clay will liquefy in direct sunlight. Occasionally, I model outdoors on cold, overcast days and warm my clay before starting the block-in. As the clay cools, crisp, hard edges and a carved-like surface is created as opposed to the soft, juicy surface of warm clay. My favorite times of day to work outdoors are morning and late afternoon when available light reveals strong shadows and form. Every sculptor has a favorite clay when modeling outdoors; mine is Chavant’s “Le Beau Touche” or Jolly King (which was used in this demonstration).