Costume Figure Sculpture
Sampler | Registration opens 11/3/2026 10:00 AM MDT
Costumed Figure Sculpture Sampler
Discover the excitement of sculpting the human figure from life in this immersive one-day sampler workshop. Working from a live costumed model, students will create a complete 12-inch figure sculpture in oil-based clay, exploring how gesture, proportion, clothing, and character come together to bring a figure to life.
Through instructor demonstrations and individualized guidance, students will learn how to establish a strong armature, capture the model’s gesture and proportions, build the figure efficiently, and interpret the folds, weight, and movement of the costume without losing the underlying anatomy.
Designed to be energetic and approachable, this sampler provides an introduction to the process of figurative sculpture while still giving students the opportunity to create a finished piece. No previous sculpture experience is required, making it a great introduction for beginners as well as an enjoyable intensive for artists looking to explore working from a costumed model.
Students will leave with their own 12-inch oil-clay figure sculpture and a better understanding of how observation, anatomy, gesture, and costume can be combined to create a compelling figurative work
Patrick Stephenson
Patrick Stephenson started his figure sculpture journey in 1997 when he enrolled in this first figure sculpture class at the Arts Students League of Denver. This class ignited a passion for the arts, he began to pour through anatomy and sculpture books absorbing as much as possible to improve his craft, including enrolling in a medical dissection course at the University of Colorado in Denver. Early on Patrick sought out the instruction of professional artists such as Blair Buswell, Don Gale, and Bill Starke to learn clay working techniques and soon began creating figure sculptures of his own. Patrick was the youngest exhibitor at the Sculpture in the Park exhibition in Loveland, CO in 1998.
After graduating high school from the Denver School for the Arts he began to work on his first monumental bronze work “IL Compositore”. This work was inspired by the old masterworks of Michelangelo and Bernini and features a meticulously detailed composer at his piano. This work took four years to complete due to its complexity and size.
Upon completing this piece, Patrick attended the Lyme Academy College in of Fine Arts where he earned his bachelor's degree in figure sculpture. At LACFA he diligently studied, drawing, sculpture, and painting as well as frequented the esteemed museums in New York City where he would draw for hours from the famous works of art. For two summers Patrick lived in NYC working for the Company Spaeth Design in Manhattan learning sculpture techniques in foam carving and production. During his time at LAFCA Patrick also interned for artist Gilbert Boro wo