First Sculpture

This was the first figure I ever sculpted.

I was always fascinated by sculpture and I love using my hands to create things. I like to wood work, I like to build, I love erector sets and legos, any activity where I can use my hands and create.

I got the notion in my head to try sculpting around 2002. I started studying techniques, clay types, tools, etc., and eventually had the perfect opportunity to try it while I was in a paramedic course in Florida. I had to attend a 10-week paramedic “bridge” course in Florida while still in the Army. I had been a medic for years prior to going to the course, so the course material wasn’t too challenging and I found myself with a lot of time on my hands in the evenings after class.

I would attend class all day, then come back to the hotel where I was staying, study for an hour or so, then start sculpting. Sometimes sculpting until far too long into the evening. I didn’t know what I was doing, so everything took a very long time. I worked and reworked the figure all by site with various reference photos until I liked what I saw, then worked it again. All in all it took me about two weeks to complete this figure.

It is made from air-dry paper clay and painted with acrylic metallic paint. I’m quite proud of my first attempt at sculpting and it holds a place on my bookshelf to this day.