ADD SCULPEY TO THE HAND ARMATURE

Adding sculpey to the hand armature using this method makes modeling hands easy and fun. Keep in mind this is just one way of modeling hands. As you continue to make figure sculptures you will develop your own style and techniques.

To begin modeling the hand the armature must be prepared. Proportions must be considered. Generally the and is as large as the face. It is pretty nice to know that the thumb comes out between the wrist and the first knuckle of the index finger, that the middle finger is the straightest, and that the rest of the finger subtly curve toward the middle finger.

With these little proportion hints in mind use pliers to group, bend, and straighten the fingers and thumb, then trim the fingers so that the middle is the longest, the ring finger next longest, the index finger and then the little finger.

Next add the bulkiest areas of the hand. These muscles are in the palm of the hand. Look at the shape of the muscle of the thumb. It is shaped kind of like a tear drop with the pointed end towards the thumb.This is an Abductor Pollicis which is divided into three parts. Then add the heel of the hand along side of the little finger called the Abductor Digiti Minimi. Then the muscles at the base of the fingers which seems to be cartilage.

Turn now to the back of the hand. Roll out a slab and cut it into a kind of parallelogram. It will be smaller toward the wrist and larger towards the fingers.

At this point check to make sure that the index finger runs a straight line from the arm and that the little finger does the same thing. When the sculpey that represents the back of the hand is placed on the armature, make sure that the thumb comes out in the middle of this form. In other words CHECK THE PROPORTIONS.

Also it is good to remember that the hands are generally delicate so go light on the sculpey.

A whole other set of rules applies with sculpting exaggerations of the human figure. In that case, the sky is the limit. Maybe as the artist you want the hands to be huge or really long fingers it all depends upon the character you are trying to get across to the viewer.

Once the base of the hand is complete begin to add sculpey to the fingers. VERY TINY, THIN PIECES OF SCULPEY. A good thing to keep in mind is that fingers generally taper toward the end and get wider at the base. Apply a somewhat triangular shaped piece of sculpey to the fingers and wrap it gently around the wire armature. smooth and then do the same thing with the other fingers. Give yourself plenty of time.


HAND MUSCLES