6 chapter 1 ■ Sculpting, from Traditional to Digital
Try to be sensitive to the
transitions between your forms
and the variation you create. If the
transitions between all your shapes
are the same hard-edged shadows,
the figure will be visually bland.
An important concept to
bear in mind while you sculpt is
to reduce everything to its base
form and work on big shapes first.
Just as a painter will tackle the big
shadows and big lights first, then
work down to details, the same is
true in sculpting. This is one of the
most important aspects of this sec-
tion to remember—by working on
big shapes and then refining, not
only do you ensure that you resolve the major shapes first, but it helps your mind organize
the complex forms of the figure into easy-to-manage sections. The final result may appear
complex and intricate, but you approached it in small portions one at a time (Figure 1.10).Figure 1.10 These images show the progression of the lion head sculpture from the most basic,
broad strokes down to the finer lines.All forms can be broken down to their base shapes and planes. Complex shapes like
the face mass in Figure 1.11 can be reduced to aggregate planes for easier study and execu-
tion. This is called planar analysis. While sculpting you will find it helpful to always be
thinking of what the basic forms are in your character and how they relate to one another.Figure 1.9 By deepening the furrow next to the deltoid, the character of the
shadow changes, changing the feeling of the transition.