Sculpture with John Brown

Character Armature.
The Armature is the aluminum skeleton underneath a clay sculpture. It not only supports the sculpture, but also contains valuable proportional measurements. More than just twisting wire, this method of making a telescoping armature teaches how to calculate and be exact, as well as how to plan and execute your creative ideas from their inception. Its rudimentary approach to advanced techniques ensures professional results from sculptors of all calibers. Learn how to determine scale and also where the sculpture will come apart for accessibility and molding.

The Character Maquette.
Sculpting the maquette (small model) develops not only good technique, but also provides the artist with an understanding of the workflow of a sculpture, ensuring quality and efficiency. Beginning with a clean armature, this lecture takes the student through the entire process of realizing a finished piece. Its rudimentary approach to advanced techniques ensures professional results from sculptors of all calibers. Complete with narrative theory and practical application, it offers an in depth look at the As, Bs & Cs of the preliminary, intermediary & post sculpture process.

Sculpting the Detailed Character Head.
This lecture introduces the student to sculpting the full-scale head with an emphasis on detail. Beginning with a 1/3 scale concept maquette, this title teaches how to scale up off of a design and build a full scale sculpture from scratch. Sculpting of the facial features is emphasized, with a focus on secondary & tertiary form, including step-by-step techniques used to create wrinkles, skin texture, pores, veins – all the essential components of sculpting realism. The lecture also addresses the important considerations when sculpting for digitization. Every phase of sculpting the head is demonstrated including armature construction, initial block-in, facial features, ears, horns and surface details.

Molding and Casting the Head.
‘Molding & Casting the Head’ picks up where ‘Sculpting the Detailed Character Head’ left off. Beginning with the sculpture, this four-hour lecture takes the student through preparing the sculpture to be molded, right up to pulling a plaster cast out of the mold. Through a step-by-step process, students will learn a variety of mold making techniques, how to break the sculpture up for individual molding, how to make a flexible silicone Matrix mold, and then on to producing a casting of the sculpture. All while being exposed to the special materials and tricks of this trade. Students will also learn how to avoid the practical pitfalls associated with this kind of work, walking away with a solid foundation for molding & casting their own projects.

Molding and Casting the Maquette.
‘Molding and Casting the Maquette’ picks up where ‘Sculpture 2, ‘Character Maquettes’ left off. Beginning with the sculpture, this four-hour lecture takes the student through preparing the sculpture to be molded, by first cutting the sculpture into separate pieces, right up to pulling plastic casts out of the silicone flexible molds and assembling them. Through an intricately detailed step-by-step process, students will learn how to make a flexible silicone Matrix mold, individual box molds and then how to produce plastic castings of all the sculpture parts. From there it illustrates assembly techniques, covering seaming and patching of the plastic parts, then moves on to priming and getting the student ready for painting and finishing their project, all while exposing the viewer to the special materials and tricks of this trade. Students will also learn how to avoid the practical pitfalls associated with this kind of work, walking away with a solid foundation for molding and casting their own projects.

John Brown
With over forty film and television credits, John Brown’s skills as a sculptor placed him in the top live-action special make-up FX houses in Hollywood. Credits include Alien Resurrection, Species 2, George of the Jungle, Jumanji, X-Files, Mars Attacks, Bless The Child, Monkeybone, The Cell, Spy Kids, Scary Movie 2, Planet of the Apes and a host of others. John is also a bronze figurative artist whose sculptures reside in private collections throughout the United States.