Creating Lifelike Figures in Polymer Clay: Tools and Techniques for Sculpting Realistic Figures [Paperback]

Katherine Dewey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 2008

Polymer-clay crafters everywhere can learn how to sculpt realistic 6"-8" figures using the author's simple techniques. A well-known polymer clay teacher and sculptor, she shares a wealth of information that's accessible even to beginning sculptors. She covers the essentials, the fundamentals of figurative modelling and how to make the tools that will ensure success. She shows readers how to recreate faces and expressions, torsos, legs, hands and feet, all using simple techniques. Then there are finishing touches like clothing, costumes, paint and fibre plus the author demonstrates incredibly realistic butterfly or fairy wings. Topics herein include: selecting clay, making modelling tools, proportioning figures, posing, ethnic and gender subtleties, facial expressions, costumes in clay and finishing touches.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Potter Craft (April 29, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0823015033
• ISBN-13: 978-0823015030
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.4 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (68 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,465 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Arts & Photography > Sculpture

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like a textbook!, August 3, 2008

By 

Katherine Canuel (Mesa, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Creating Lifelike Figures in Polymer Clay: Tools and Techniques for Sculpting Realistic Figures (Paperback)

I feel like I got a college textbook and not a craft book. I say that with absolutely positive feelings! I mean, if this were some college course, the book would have been $75.00 and I'd feel like I'd finally gotten a book I was going to keep.

I couldn't even describe how detailed this book is. I feel like I can actually do this figure thing. I mean, every step is laid out for you. Every SINGLE step. There is nothing left to the imagination, no question left unanswered. I mean, there are instructions within instructions within variations of instructions... How to sculpt different ethnic groups, the male figure, the female figure, the musculature, the hands--how to make your own eyeballs, for heaven's sake! Katherine Dewey shows that you can make every single tool you'll use, which I still haven't done yet, but need to do since I think most of her handmade tools are better than the ones I could buy.

I don't think I could really adequately express my excitement over having this book. I have so desired for so long to be able to sculpt figures that were beautiful and believable, and I feel like I can finally do it!

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Sculpting Guide- Highly Recommended, June 20, 2009

By 

luv2read - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Creating Lifelike Figures in Polymer Clay: Tools and Techniques for Sculpting Realistic Figures (Paperback)

Creating Lifelike Figures in Polymer Clay is one of the best how-to sculpting books I've ever read.

Chapter 1 covers the various polymer clays available, how to work with the clay, safety considerations, and includes formulas to blend colors for various ethnic skin tones.

Chapter 2 describes working with basic shapes and Ms Dewey's technique of modelling units, which is to roll out a log shape of clay at a certain thickness and cut off units of equal lengths. A great technique for a beginner to ensure equal amounts of clay are used. Who wants two disproportionate arms or legs simply because you eyeballed how much clay to use?

Chapter 3 covers making your own tools with the clay. If you are a novice who has never used polymer clay, this chapter gets you familiar with the feel, texture, and baking methods needed as you sculpt your figures.

Chapters 4-7 cover the modelling of the figure from face, torso, arms, and legs. In the face chapter, Ms Dewey shows you how to model a basic face but doesn't just move on from there; she expounds on it. She shows you how to sculpt the differences of gender. She shows how to sculpt ethnic faces. She shows you how to add expression to your figure with the shift of the clay here or there. She shows you how to add age to your character.

Similarly with the torso chapter, she shows you how to sculpt the male torso and the female variation. She also gives you techniques for sculpting the "heroic" or well-muscled male torso as well as adding realistic "fat" pads for the overweight figure.

Her arms and legs chapter are very detailed and you do get the development of the "heroic" arms and legs if you want to pursue that type of figure.

Chapter 8 details how to sculpt in smaller scales. Most of the book prior concerns 1/6 scale. In chapter 8, she gives formulas for the "base units" that enable you to sculpt in 1/8, 1/10, and 1/12 scale. She also demonstrates techniques for sculpting in these smaller scales.

Chapter 9 shows you how to make costumes in clay, which is truly amazing and almost worth the price of the book alone. Her figures look like they were dressed in fabric instead of clay. So if you can't or don't want to sew for a figure you sculpt, you can dress them in "fabric" as textured, with draping and folds as real as the real thing.

Chapter 10 demonstrates "finishing touches" which is the painting and wigging of your figure.

The instructions are exceptionally detailed and EXTREMELY well photographed. The photos and descriptions are why this book gets a 5-star rating. It's as if the author really cared that you do well with your sculpting and wanted to give you enough photos and description to do it.

The only "negative" I would give this book is that it needs to be spiral bound. I own the original self-published book- and yes, this is a reprint of Ms Dewey's original which has a different cover - but I bought this copy to take apart and put into a binder so I could lay it flat to reference while I sculpt.

Overall excellent and highly recommended!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than expected, May 25, 2008

By 

Barbara J. Kemp (Alice Springs, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Creating Lifelike Figures in Polymer Clay: Tools and Techniques for Sculpting Realistic Figures (Paperback)

I wanted a book that best described on making poly dolls that were very lifelike. This book explains this very easily with excellent step by step directions and photography. I recommend this to anybody who is learning or wants to learn polymer clay doll making.