Starting Mystery Sculpt #3

I just started new Mystery Sculpt #3. This is 1/2 life sized ceramic paperclay. I will be adding Whitestone clay over the paperclay when it is closer to finished.

Due to Spring Break - I won't be posting for a while, so it will take a bit of time before I update this portrait sculpture.

Any guesses who this mystery person is?

The photo below shows the armature that I constructed for this sculpt. I took 1/2" plumbing fittings to create the contours and used t-fittings to form the shoulders. Water based clay is very heavy and prone to slumping and will need a sturdy armature until it is sufficiently hardened enough to support it's own weight.

Once I secured the armature to the wood base using the flange, I wrapped it with some newspaper and covered the newspaper with strapping tape to hold it in place.

The wadded newspaper at the top is for the head. Without a broad enough surface to support the clay - the armature can act like a spear and the clay can slump down the armature.