Sculpting Lessons:How to Sculpt a Bas-Relief in Clay

Today I would like to demonstrate the way I sculpt a bas-relief, along with some unique aspects of sculpting in relief.

The two main methods of sculpting are the subtractive or reductive method, which involves taking away from your material, as in stone or wood carving, and the additive method, which is to build up by adding material, as in the modeling of wax or clay. The second method is what I will discuss today.

One thing that makes relief sculpting unique is that it is a combination of both sculpting in the round and drawing. Similar to drawing you are not only taking into consideration the subject but the background also. Placing of the subject in relation to the background of the relief is what I think about first.

Once I decide on size and placement, I start sketching into the wet clay to create a basic silhouette of the subject, I correct it as I go by comparing my subject and how it relates to the background. As with drawing and painting, to compare the positive and negative shapes is a big help in correcting my work.

From this point on it becomes much more like sculpting in the round because I can now focus on building up mass. I start with largest shapes first, emphasizing the outward swelling of the shapes that are the closest while keeping the distant shapes flatter.

When I am satisfied with my large masses I next focus on the modeling of the more subtle forms inside the larger ones. The advancing shapes require most of the work, while the receding ones should stay flatter in order to help give the illusion of depth. This is another unique aspect of relief sculpting in that you create depth through three-dimensional form as well as the illusion of three-dimensional form by using overlapping planes and foreshortening.

Starting with the big shapes lets me build my sculpture up in sequence, that way I'm not distracted by  details.The small details such as eyes, ears, fingers, etc, are just the smallest shapes and if I work from large to small they will virtually take care of themselves. At this point my relief can be refined as much or as little as I want until I am satisfied with the result.

                                          Here is a 3 minute time lapse which might be useful as a visual aid.

Thanks for reading! I hope this was helpful and that you will read my other art posts. 

Jammie