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Portrait Sculpture

Section Available:
Tuesdays, September 30-December 9, 2025,  5 pm–8 pm with JT Hein, tuition $595

Levels/Ages: All levels welcome; ages 15+

Are you a new student? Use the button below to create an account in our student portal. Once you submit your account information, you will receive an email with a link and credentials to log in and complete your registration. Returning students log in to the student portal to register.

NEW STUDENT
RETURNING STUDENT

In this ten-week course, you will be introduced to the fundamental processes and techniques of portrait sculpture. Working from a live model, you will focus on gesture, proportion, anatomy, and achieving a strong likeness, with the goal of completing a finished portrait in clay.

Throughout the class, you will observe instructor-led demonstrations and participate in both individual and group critiques, drawing upon principles rooted in ancient Greek and 19th-century sculpture. You will also explore the importance of daily studio practice, including the care and use of materials, and consider a phenomenological approach to observing and interpreting the portrait through clay.

It is strongly recommended that you attend the Figure Drawing classes offered by Lyme Academy, as they provide a valuable foundation for the study of portrait sculpture.

Supplies

  • Portrait Armature, includes: base, piping and wire  *
  • Le Beau Touché Plastilina – Green  *
  • Pencil and Sketchbook  *
  • Sharpie Marker  *
  • Calipers *
  • Plumb Bob (homemade works great) 
  • Measuring Tape 
  • Wire Cutters *
  • Small compact mirror  
  • (2) C Clamps (5 or 6 inches) 
  • Long Ribbon Rake – Sculpture House Tool #401A or  #402A, or a tool similar  *
  • Small Ribbon Rake – Sculpture House Tool #221 or #211,  or a tool similar  *
  • Flat Hard Wood Tool * – Sculpture House Tool #290, or a  tool similar (homemade works great)  
  • Wood Modeling Tool * – Sculpture House Tool #286, or a  tool similar (homemade works great)  

*All starred items are sold at de Gerenday’s, the Academy’s art store, de Gerenday’s Fine Art Materials and Curiosities, which is located on the Lyme Academy campus. 

Terms and Conditions

Please review our Terms, Conditions, and Policies prior to enrollment.