How do you make a guy bust?

Answer 1

Busts are sculptures showing only the top part of the human body, the head and some partial of the shoulders and the chest.

Sculpting a bust does not differ from any other sculpting, the basic methods are the same, depending only on the material you are using.

Making a bust out of clay is the easiest, as you can add material too, instead of only removing material.

Whatever your material is, the entire work starts with planning and measuring carefully. Making a sculpture requires a keen eye for the three-dimensional proportions, which only comes from dozens of hours practising.

One cannot teach you to make a bust by written text only, but I can delineate few steps for you (assuming stone or wood the material):

Step 1: choose your model, tools and material

Step 2: draw your model on paper and or take photographs of her. Remember to take pictures of her from every angle.

Step 3. Scetch your sculpture on paper, transfer measures from the model

adjust the measures to fit your scale.

Dtep 4:Outline the rough quidelines on your material, transfer measures on your material, plan cutting angles and make preparations for cutting

note: when cutting round shapes it is best to first cut guiding cuts to access the curve, the result would look like a comb; small direct cuts from the exterior to touch the curve. After you have done this, you can cut small pieces off, one at a time, without having to worry the entire sculpture might break.

Step 5: flow. This is the part what most artists call the flow. It means loosing oneself entirely on the task, the hands and tools doing their work, eyes observing the process and hands doing adjustments. Depending on your material and the amount of details, this part may take from 6 hours to a month.. or more

Step 6: when the bust is almost ready, take the sketch and photos in front of you and start working on the details. Carefully copying the likeness of her on the sculpture.

Step 7: when you are happy with the likeness, then comes finishing. With stone it is polishing, with wood it is lacquer or tan or paint. Sometimes wax or oil. Wooden sculpture should have something as a protective layer. The most used is flax oil.