Materials for Portrait Sculpture
The earliest known portrait sculptures are made of stone. This is not to say that other materials were not used. Wood, bone, and clay are accessible throughout much of the world, however are poorly preserved over time, compared to stone. There are many reasons to believe that portraits in these materials existed early on, but have not survived.Today, artists are free to go well beyond the stereotypical suite of traditional sculpture materials plaster, wood, bronze, and stone. Butter, chocolate, peanut butter, electrons, plastics, and virtually any other plastic medium has been used to create effigies of Man.
Here I will compile a list of resources about various materials used to sculpt portraits. Please feel free to make suggestions.
Stone
Geology of the Carrera QuarriesWhat is Marble?
A source for Alabaster
How to carve Alabaster
An alabaster portrait of Aristotle
Clay for casting and firing
Fired Terracotta bust by Rodin.Plaster, cement and alkali setting materials
textCasting metals
text
Wax
Wax is used because of its workability and it's skin-like transparency. It is used as an end product in Wax museums, and as an intermediate in bronze casting.Plastics, Resins, and Epoxies
Frederick Hart, innovator in Acrylic resin.In my business, Sculpture Laboratory, I use resins and epoxies for scientific sculpture.
Foodstuffs
Cosimo Cavallaro (of Chocolate Jesus fame)Jim Victor, food sculptor. Much butter and chocolate.
The Academy of Ice Carving
Scott Cummins, a.k.a. The Pumpkin Gutter.