This workshop will appeal to anyone interested in the figure as an art form: sculptors, painters, draftsmen, and graphic artists alike. The workshop will focus on two areas of figure sculpture: (1) memory shapes, and (2) working methods. (1) Working from the male model, the first two days will focus on the archetypal or memory shapes of the figure by abstracting forms into simpler geometry and convex planes and working in a hierarchy from larger to smaller shapes. A figurative artist should have a fundamental concept of the archetypal shapes and how they fit together in order to construct a figure, that is, a map of the human figure. (2) Working from the female model, the last two days will focus on working methods in sculpting a dynamic pose from life, including capturing the gesture, blocking in the figure using a straight line method, carry through lines, rhythmic patterns and harmonies, and proportion. Stephen’s teaching methods include lectures, group demos often in a step by step process, and one on one instruction and demos. The goal of the workshop is to imprint and retain the knowledge of memory shapes and working methods, not a finished sculpture. Tuition covers instruction and model fees only, students are responsible to purchase and bring their materials (clay, armature, tools).
Book on the Dogtown workshop here
Cost is $525. Tuition covers instruction and model fees only, students are responsible to purchase and bring their materials (clay, armature, tools). (See below)
Instructor: Stephen Perkins is a figure sculptor trained in the classical method. He studied figure sculpture with Walker Hancock, Leslie Posey, and Elisabeth Chandler; anatomy with Deane Keller and Jack Kramer; and painting with Henry Hensche and Nelson Shanks. He has taught at the New York Academy of Art, Academy of Art University, and Grand Central Academy, and currently teaches at his home atelier in Melbourne Florida and Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia (see more at StephenPerkinsArt.net).
Materials: Students are responsible for buying and bringing the following materials: (1) figure armature, choose a scale with which you are comfortable, 30″ is recommended. (2) Clay – water based, use a clay body you like; if you are new to clay, Stephen recommends trying WED clay developed by Disney animators, and Soldate is a popular clay body at Dogtown. (3) Modeling tools – large, medium, and small sized rake tools are good. (4) Miscellaneous – bring a spray bottle, old white cotton T shirts, and 1 or 2 dry cleaning bags or equivalent to wet and cover your piece at the end of each day. Details on how to build an armature and where to buy all materials will be e-mailed to students enrolled. For an additional fee, there will an option to buy some or all of these materials that will be provided at the start of the workshop. Sculpture stands are provided for use at the workshop.