Traditional sculpting is one of the oldest forms of creative expression. Shaping, manipulating, and bringing forms to life with our hands is something our ancestors have been doing for thousands of years. Every time I open a fresh block of clay, I feel that connection to the past.

Today we're fortunate to have an incredible range of sculpting materials, each with its own unique strengths and characteristics. I work primarily with polymer clays and oil-based clays. For prototyping, it's hard to beat polymer clay. Being able to cure it at a relatively low temperature, then sand, carve, and paint it, makes it an incredibly versatile material for creating detailed prototypes and finished pieces.

Oil-based clays such as Chavant and Monster Clay offer a completely different experience. They provide a much longer working time and remain reusable, making them ideal for larger or more refined sculptures. Their firmness allows them to hold fine detail exceptionally well while giving me the freedom to continually refine the sculpt without worrying about it curing.

As a modern maker, 3D printing is an important part of my workflow, but traditional sculpting still has its place. For larger models, building forms by hand is often the fastest and most intuitive approach, combining centuries-old techniques with modern technology to get the best of both worlds.