The Art of Sculpting - 3 Volume Set (DVD)
Then take a video course from one of the best figure sculptors around!
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When you buy all three DVDs, you’ll SAVE more than 17% off the list price! That’s a savings of $34.90, and shipping is FREE when you order online (US orders only) |
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Volume One: The first DVD in Philippe’s three-part series provides an introduction to sculpting the human figure. He begins with showing the tools he uses — actually these are very basic and you probably already have most of them. Next, he launches right into a step-by-step sculpting of a little girl’s head. While this project may not be the one you’d like to try at first, you’ll be surprised at the what you’ll learn from just sculpting a figure. Philippe explains everything in such detail, and his knowledge of human anatomy is boundless. It’s just amazing how he can push clay around on a form and bring it to life. Philippe knows from years of teaching where you’ll have problems so he let’s you know right up front how to avoid common mistakes and be successful.
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| Philippe begins the video with a brief overview and a description of the tools needed, which can be either purchased or improvised. In demonstrating the process for sculpting a child’s head, he begins with placing paper on a dowel that’s used as an armature. He then proceeds to wrap clay around the paper creating a light bulb shape, and then adds clay to this form to create the back of the head then the forehead. |
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Once the forehead is constructed, he moves on to the jaw bone then up to the eye sockets, nasal bone and brow bone and temples. The level of detail is second to none, for example, in describing the construction of the nose, he demonstrates the four parts needed to create a realistic feature. This level of detail is repeated for each feature — lips, chin, eyes, ears, hair and so on. |
| There are two things about the video that are really impressive. First, a figure is sculpted from the bone structure outward (Philippe’s extensive knowledge of anatomy is impressive, and he’s even been called on to provide forensic reconstructions). And second, his demonstrations are very detailed — with each addition to the figure, he describes the shape and form of the clay being added then the movements needed to add a new feature and refine it. Where an illustration is needed, an inset is projected on the screen with a diagram that clarifies a particular point he is trying to make. |
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Another feature of the video is that Philippe draws on his many years of teaching classes and workshops to understand the common mistakes made by students. He proceeds to demonstrate these mistakes and how to avoid them in addition to showing how to fine tune a sculpture throughout the process. |
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Add The Art of Sculpting with Philippe Faraut - Volume 1: Children When you buy all three DVDs for $174.50, you’ll SAVE more than 17% off the list price! That’s a savings of $34.90, and shipping is FREE when you order online (US orders only) |
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Volume Two: Changing the position of the head also changes expression in a figure, as does just ever so slight changes to the eyes and brow that take a figure from sorrow to stern to contemplative to ecstatic. Going beyond expression, Philippe also explores ethnicity changing a figure from caucasian to Asian capturing not only facial differences but also basic underlying bone structure. Philippe’s demonstrations with rapid exercises in water-based clay are useful for developing sculpting skills, including how to recognize volumes specific to different ages, genders, and ethnic groups making this DVD a definite asset in your collection and one that you’ll watch over and over again to pick up the finer points to sculpting. This 110 minute sculpting DVD also includes a comprehensive demonstration on hollowing and firing techniques. Add The Art of Sculpting with Philippe Faraut Volume 2: Expressions and Facial Construction When you buy all three DVDs for $174.50, you’ll SAVE more than 17% off the list price! That’s a savings of $34.90, and shipping is FREE when you order online (US orders only) |
| Depending on the expression or gesture, specific features need to be altered. This volume is basically in two parts. In the first part, he repeats some of the basic information about tools and clay but mentions the importance of an anatomy reference, like those used in medical schools, to study bone and muscle structure. But references from the internet would also be acceptable. |
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Philippe begins the session by constructing the basic shape of an adult head on a sculpture stand. Once a basic form is done, he creates the eye sockets, the planes of the nose, cheek structure, and chin to get the general shape. The mouth begins as straight then Philippe reveals how to manipulate it into a smile. As the mouth turns into a smile, he then demonstrates how the rest of the face is adjusted to complete this simple gesture in the cheeks and the eyes. |
| In addition to emotion, Philippe also demonstrates the aging process that’s reflected in the face. By working with the cheeks, eye brows, focus of the eyes, and general curves, he shows how you can add or subtract years in a sculpture. Another feature adding to expression is the gesture of the figure or the relationship between the head and the shoulders. The head tilted forward or thrown back speaks volumes to the viewer. |  |
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While the simple adjustment of clay here and there alters the entire look of a sculpture, it takes practice to achieve these with the ease that Philippe demonstrates. To this end, he provides an exercise in the second half of the DVD that allows you to practice several techniques so you can make changes with your own hands. The exercise requires you to work fast, taking maybe five minutes to form a basic head and quickly changing the figure from a baby to a woman to a man - not worrying about the details - just concentrating on looking at the work taking shape. |
| Through his demonstration of this exercise, you’ll see how you can change not only the age and gender but also the ethnicity as he morphs a sculpture through African, Asian and Native American features. The key to these exercises is to not get attached and have fun with the changing expressions and features. |  |
| The final demonstration deals with hollowing out a form to prepare it for firing. This is a bit intimidating because you have to slice the entire sculpture in half to get access to the inner recesses. His demonstration is so clear that this aspect of the process doesn’t appear daunting in the least. After firing, Philippe provides examples of different finshes that he uses that create various patinas. |
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In Philippe Faraut’s third DVD, you’ll really get into some heavy-duty techniques as he takes you into some of the more complex techniques for sculpting characteristics of facial expression. Here you’ll be able to explore ethnic comparisons, Caucasian features, ethnic features, ears, expressions, shoulder, gender differences, aging, heavy-set men, hair, and clothing. As you try out each technique, you’ll expand your skill set making you able to accomplish even more in the next piece. When you see how Philippe takes you through each step, you begin to realize that you can do the same thing if you really follow his technique. And that’s pretty easy to do with a DVD since you can hit the pause button and practice something over and over until you get it down. Throughout his career, Philippe Faraut has extensively studied just about every aspect of the human figure including the nuances of expression, ethnicity, anatomy, age and gender. He has also taught scores of workshops giving attendees a chance to learn his techniques first hand. With these videos, you’ll get the benefit of all Philippe’s extensive training and the ability to study at your own pace from one of the world’s finest sculptors. This 3rd DVD is a 111-minute production created for the advanced artist. Add The Art of Sculpting with Philippe Faraut - Volume 3: Men to your DVD collection for only $69.95 When you buy all three DVDs for $174.50, you’ll SAVE more than 17% off the list price! That’s a savings of $34.90, and shipping is FREE when you order online (US orders only) |
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The DVD begins with a brief discussion of clay and tools used including proportional calipers used to take measurements of a model. Beginning with a basic structure like those described in earlier videos, Philippe rapidly puts together a basic structure for the head. He emphasizes the importance of bone structure, and since the focus of the DVD is on men, he stresses proportions dealing with the jaw, brow, neck, cheek bones etc. |
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Once the bone structure is established, Philippe moves on to demonstrate the sculpting of the nose and mouth stressing that the volume be correct. He describes, for example, the six planes needed to define the basic nose then adding an additional three planes to complete the roughing out. For the mouth, he demonstrates a method where the whole mouth is completed from a single block rather than by the technique used in previous videos where the mouth was constructed from separate parts. In each step along the way, he delineates the differences between the male and female structure and details. At the end of this section, he changes the sculpture from a Caucasian into an Asian then an African while demonstrating on the same bust.
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| Beyond ethnicity, gender and aging, Philippe delves into refining the eyes with attention to the upper and lower lids, bags, gaze and even how to affect color in three dimensions. Understanding the anatomy of the ear is the only effective way to learn to sculpt this challenging feature, but here again Philippe’s extensive knowledge of anatomy allows him to deftly sculpt in great detail. |
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Once the basic structure and the features are completed, it’s possible to move on to expression. A figure that’s smiling requires the corners of the mouth to be upturned, but since the mouth is connected to other muscles, the brow, eyes and cheeks are also affected. And the similar effects are found in expressions of anger, grief or fatigue, all of which Philippe demonstrates. |
| In the final segment of the DVD, Philippe demonstrates the aging process beginning with a bust of a young man then making him progressively age. From years of studying people, Philippe captures the slightest subtleties of facial features as they reveal the years. In a final demonstration he describes how to add features like hair, facial hair and even a hat. |
| Philippe Faraut |
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Over the past twenty-five years, he has worked in wood, stone, bronze, wax, porcelain, and clay. Having traveled extensively his main interest has always been the differences in the human form throughout the countries he has visited. From his extensive research of the human face he developed a technique of modeling the portrait that he shares with his sculpting students during his numerous sculpting classes and seminars taught throughout the U.S. and through his DVDs. For more than fifteen years Philippe has traveled throughout the United States and Canada, teaching sculptors and aspiring sculptors how to render portraits in clay at private studios and institutions such as the Longview Museum of Fine Art in Texas. Together with his wife Charisse, the couple have made Philippe’s techniques available to students in the form of a three-part video series, in addition to step-by-step instructional sculpting books. |
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When you buy all three DVDs for $174.50, you’ll SAVE more than 17% off the list price! That’s a savings of $34.90, and shipping is FREE when you order online (US orders only) |
