Sculpture with Stephen Perkins ONLINE OR IN PERSON

June/July: Hands and Feet Concentration

Mondays, 2-5PM EST

ONLINE OR IN PERSON AVAILABLE! (ongoing curriculum)

Anatomy and Structure of the Foot

Feet and hands evolved from the same pattern but to serve different purposes. We all know the complexity and utility of hands but feet sometimes get less credit. If one thinks about it though, we are one of the very few animals who stand on two feet. Cats, racoons, bears and others can do so briefly but only that, briefly. That our feet can balance us while standing is incredible really. At the same time, they bear more weight than any other part of our body and have a unique spring like mechanism that cushions each step we take, saving us from all matter of injuries.

Using oil based clay we will follow the écorché method in creating building a foot from the inside out, first modeling the bones, then adding the muscles, tendon and fat pads and finally coming to the surface. This amounts to a reverse dissection by building up rather than tearing down. The lessons are the same in terms of gaining a deep understanding of the forms that we see on the surface.

Following this exercise we will switch to creating a foot in the manner that one would normally work in either clay modeling, drawing or painting. By this I mean working from large to small forms, general to specific. In each stage, the forms will be analyzed as to their characteristics. All feet are essentially identical in their forms so if you learn one, you know them all. At the same time, each foot is unique and the thing that allows for the individual nature of each are the proportions. To that end, we will examine infants, children’s, adult women and men’s feet.

Finally, we will examine and create feet in a range of their various movements.

Materials:

A wood board or flat surface will suffice to make the foot as it will be standing.

Oil based plasteline clay. I recommend DaVinci “SOFT” grade, available from Sculpture House or Complete Sculptor (Sculpt.com)

clay modeling tools

Materials:
For clay modeling: a sturdy life size head armature,
Plasteline clay is recommended as it creates less dust in the studio, soft plasteline is better. “DaVinci” soft grade is a good choice available from Chevant clay co. Modeling tools

For charcoal: multiple drawings will be done. One primarily from the side and one from the front. They will be at or slightly below life size. Anything except compressed charcoal is acceptable. Paper should be sturdy, capable of multiple alterations.

Date: June 5, 12, 19, 26  (ongoing curriculum)
Course Price:  $200 + $10 Registration fee