My Method:

Two different clays are on the roster, and I switch back and forth depending on what type of outcome I am looking for. Sometimes I use a visual reference or series of rough drawings to formulate sense into the sculpture, but not always. I like to find a balance between detail on the sculpture itself, and then adding paint to it to bring it even more to life. If offers double the challenge and interest. As an artist and maker I am the type that needs change, and lots of variety. If I had to make the same thing over and over again I would quit. Sure, there is mastery in repetition, but it needs to be mixed in with a good amount of variety. 

Fascination with the face and people never seems to get old for me. I love how with my hands I can bring something almost to life just by building the clay up and taking it away. Sometimes the real fun is just waiting to see what appears, and then tackling challenges along the way, like rebuilding a nose or changing the expression. The baked polymer clays are great for holding sharp details and doing full-figure work. They are way more involved technically, but scratch a different itch than the air-dry clay which is much more messy and traditional. You use water with it, and have slip, and other traditional clay-building techniques, where the polymer is more refined and almost industrial.