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Q&A for How to Sculpt
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QuestionCan anyone learn to sculpt?Natasha Dikareva is a San Francisco, California based sculptor, and installation artist. With over 25 years of ceramics, sculpting, and installation experience, Natasha also teaches a ceramic sculpture workshop titled "Adventures in Clay" covering concept development, hand-building techniques, texture, and glazing techniques. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, Abrams Claghorn Gallery, Bloomington Center for the Arts, Maria Kravetz Gallery, and the American Museum of Ceramic Art. She has taught at the University of Minnesota and the American Indian OIC School. She has been awarded the Excellence Award at the 1st World Teapot Competition, Best in Show at the 4th Clay & Glass Biennial Competition, and a Grand Prize at the American Museum of Ceramic Art. Natasha holds an MFA from the University of Minnesota and a BFA from Kiev Fine Arts College.Absolutely. So long as you're willing to practice and put the work in, there's no reason you can't learn how to craft beautiful structures.
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QuestionHow do I keep arms and legs from falling off my sculptures?Natasha Dikareva is a San Francisco, California based sculptor, and installation artist. With over 25 years of ceramics, sculpting, and installation experience, Natasha also teaches a ceramic sculpture workshop titled "Adventures in Clay" covering concept development, hand-building techniques, texture, and glazing techniques. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, Abrams Claghorn Gallery, Bloomington Center for the Arts, Maria Kravetz Gallery, and the American Museum of Ceramic Art. She has taught at the University of Minnesota and the American Indian OIC School. She has been awarded the Excellence Award at the 1st World Teapot Competition, Best in Show at the 4th Clay & Glass Biennial Competition, and a Grand Prize at the American Museum of Ceramic Art. Natasha holds an MFA from the University of Minnesota and a BFA from Kiev Fine Arts College.This actually isn't a super common problem for me, but I could see how it would happen. If I had to take a guess, I'd assume you aren't working from the bottom up. If you switch your sculpting process to work from the bottom to the top, you're much less likely to run into problems like these.
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QuestionWhat's a good glaze for beginners?Natasha Dikareva is a San Francisco, California based sculptor, and installation artist. With over 25 years of ceramics, sculpting, and installation experience, Natasha also teaches a ceramic sculpture workshop titled "Adventures in Clay" covering concept development, hand-building techniques, texture, and glazing techniques. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, Abrams Claghorn Gallery, Bloomington Center for the Arts, Maria Kravetz Gallery, and the American Museum of Ceramic Art. She has taught at the University of Minnesota and the American Indian OIC School. She has been awarded the Excellence Award at the 1st World Teapot Competition, Best in Show at the 4th Clay & Glass Biennial Competition, and a Grand Prize at the American Museum of Ceramic Art. Natasha holds an MFA from the University of Minnesota and a BFA from Kiev Fine Arts College.Stroke and Coat is a super great product for beginners because you can see all of the colors that they're going to turn into before you fire the sculpture.
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QuestionCan I secure glass in clay?Community AnswerYes. I put glass marbles into a horse head (Sculptey clay) for eyes: it looked really good, and there was no problem baking.
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QuestionIs it too late for an adult to learn this artform completely from scratch?Community AnswerNo, it's never too late to learn. If you put your mind to it, you can do it. There are other resources for help if you feel you need a little extra help.
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QuestionHow can I cure polymer clay?Community AnswerYou can bake it in the oven. The temperature and baking time depends on the brand of clay you're using; check the package instructions and bake accordingly. The temperature is usually around 100°, and the time is 30 minutes.
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QuestionHow can I begin a sculpture?Community AnswerStart out with the basic shape of the model before adding any minor details.
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QuestionIs there a way to melt a mirror to a surface?Community AnswerNot really, but you could just use a highly chromed paint.
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QuestionHow do you sculpt in marble?Community AnswerMarbles are one of the hardest element to sculpt your masterpieces. Take a class on stone sculpting, or ask professionals for some tips. Practice on softer stone, and work your way up the hardness ladder till you can work marble.
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QuestionWhat cheap clay do you suggest?Community AnswerI suggest you get Crayola air dry clay. I bought mine for $4-$5 from my local Walmart.
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QuestionHow do I make a sculpture that can move like an action figure?Community AnswerIf you use wire for the armature, the joints will be able to bend. You just need to leave enough space for the parts to move around each other.
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QuestionHow do I harden the clay once the sculpture is done?Community AnswerYou could bake it or let it dry overnight, depending on what kind of clay it is.
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QuestionWhat materials can I use for my armature?Community AnswerUse wire, wood, or plastic can be used as armatures but the best is wire because it can be universal. For example, if you want your sculpture to be pose-able, you can make an armature with wire. And if you want it to be solid and stationary, wire can do that too! So, it's all on personal preference.
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