How to Model a Head.

Place on the centre of your stand a wooden or tin box (a cigar-box will do) to form the base; cover this with clay in the form of Fig. 165, and stick a support in the middle, as shown in diagram. The support may be a piece of kindling-wood eight inches long and about one inch thick.

Build up the clay around this stick, as in Fig. 166, and with your hands mould the clay, piecing it out here, and cutting off there, until it bears some resemblance to a head, as in Fig. 167.

Still using your hands, get the general proportions of the head, and then commence the features. Begin with the profile, using tools when necessary, and try for character without detail; then turn the head a little and work from that point of view; always look at your model from the same point of view as you do your work. Turn the head in the opposite direction and model the other side, keeping the face evenly balanced. Continue turning your work little by little, until each outline it presents is as near as you can get like the corresponding outline of your model, and then work up the detail.

In modelling any object the same process, of viewing the model from all points, must be gone through with.

Do not strive to obtain a likeness at first, but be careful to have all of your outlines correct, and the likeness will come of itself.

How to Model in Wax.

Modelling-wax prepared at home is much better than any that can be purchased. The following recipe is a very good one:

Modelling-wax.