Portrait Sculpting in Clay with Johanna Schwaiger
Instructor: Johanna Schwaiger
Class Time: Saturdays, 10:00am-2:00pm
Duration: July 15 - September 2, 2017
Location: Art Mentors Studio
In-Person Access: $399
Difficulty: All Levels
Johanna Schwaiger is a sculptor and art instructor, who has studied many forms of sculpting techniques throughout her career in Austria and Italy. In her instruction, she focuses not only on technique but teaching students how to evoke their own personal sensitivities in developing the forms.
The concept of a beautiful portrait sculpture varies through art history from idealized versions of models, to narrative interpretations, and clean realistic observations of the human form. This class will focus on gaining a solid knowledge of the anatomy of the head, and will eventually focus on developing the characteristic likeness of a model. You will first create an accurate study of the human skull, and then move on to building a portrait in water-based clay. In order to find the unique and often subtle expressions of a person and translate the information in to a three-dimensional form, it is important to learn a variety of observational methods.
Emphasis will be placed on learning how to use measuring methods, analyzing depth of form, creating a reliable structure, and studying the expression of the model. Demonstrations and individual critiques will guide students through the stages of searchin for a composition, building a solid bone structure, modeling facial features, and finishing techniques of the surface texture, such as skin, hair, and textiles. Once your portrait in clay is complete, you will have the option to hollow out the head to prepare the sculpture for firing in a ceramic oven.
PLEASE NOTE: We will be providing all materials required for this class at the approximate price of $60 (please allow a $20 buffer). You may purchase these materials at our studio on the first day of class. The only materials you will be required to purchase yourself will be sculpting tools, which should not be purchased until after the first class.
This class is IN-PERSON ONLY at our studio in Huntington Beach, CA. There will be no video recordings of this class to purchase online. You can attend all 8 weeks of this class for $399.

Johanna Schwaiger started to learn sculpting in Austria at the age of 15, when she enrolled the HTL technical school for professional crafts and arts of the sculpture department in Hallein. She learned wood carving stone carving and clay modelling. After graduating, Johanna studied Art History for four years at the Paris Lodron University of Salzburg with an emphasis on baroque sculpture. During her studies as an Art Historian Johanna took onto several commissions for figurative sculpture for private use and memorials for public spaces, such as town squares, graveyards, portraits and a café house in Chicago. At the age of 26, Johanna decided to deepen her understanding of the human form and went to Florence Italy for three years to study classical sculpture at the Florence Academy of Art. During that time, she studied anatomy at the Russian academy in Florence Italy. After she finished her studies, Johanna was invited to the Fine Art Center in New York Sag Harbor, where she taught portrait and figurative sculpting for one year. After that year at 2013 she returned to Austria where she started to show her work at the Galerie Schloss Wiespach in Salzburg and became part of a group of sculptors that show frequently figurative sculptures at the Sculpture Center “Kunstinsel”. Later that year Johanna was invited to be one of the forty worldwide selected sculptors who created the biggest Mahatma Gandhi Memorial in Mumbai India. Each of them sculpted two lie size figures that represented the Dandi Marchers of 1938. Since 2014 Johanna is working as an instructor at the sculpture school HTBLA in Salzburg where she teaches figurative sculpture and nude drawing.She also takes onto commissions and holds a permanent studio space at the Galerie Schlos WIespach.
Sales are non-refundable, but in some cases we can switch a student’s enrollment in a class that has not yet started to another class of equal or lesser value. Art Mentors reserves the right to cancel, limit enrollment, substitute instructors or models, reschedule or modify a class with notice to enrolled students. If a class is canceled, enrolled students will be given a refund. If an instructor is unable to finish a class term, a refund will be given to students at a pro-rated amount.
We will be providing all materials required for this class at the approximate price of $133 (please allow a $20 buffer). You may purchase these materials at our studio on the first day of class. The only materials you will be required to purchase yourself will be sculpting tools, which should not be purchased until after the first class.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Q. How Advanced Do I Need To Be To Take This Class?
A.This class is recommended for all levels!
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Q.Is This Class Online Or In Person?
A.This class will be IN PERSON ONLY at our studio in Huntington Beach, CA.
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Q.Will I be able to get a refund if I change my mind?
A.Sales are non-refundable, but in some cases we can switch a student’s enrollment in a class that has not yet started to another class of equal or lesser value. Art Mentors reserves the right to cancel, limit enrollment, substitute instructors or models, reschedule or modify a class with notice to enrolled students. If a class is canceled, enrolled students will be given a refund. If an instructor is unable to finish a class term, a refund will be given to students at a pro-rated amount.
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Q.Will there be a video recording made of this class?
A.This class will NOT be recorded on video for students to watch online. You can only participate in this class if you enroll as an in-person student for $399.
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