DigiPen students have creative ambition that extends beyond their coursework. In our Group Chat series, we’ll dive into the many unique and impactful clubs our student body organizes with dedicated Q&As.
Figure sculpting is more than just a fine art that requires deep precision and a focused mind — it’s also an opportunity for artists to relax and build friendships. These two ideas may seem at odds at first, but DigiPen’s Figure Sculpting Club shows that this fine art can be multifunctional. At weekly club gatherings, students are given a piece of clay to form and shape as they see fit. A nude model is also present, allowing club members to closely sculpt the human form while collaborating with other students and chatting throughout the entire process.
To get a closer look at what it’s like to be part of the Figure Sculpting Club, we sat down with Bryan Tai and Abigail Ebert, both BFA in Digital Art and Animation seniors, to get their take on DigiPen’s growing organization.
What is the Figure Sculpting Club all about? What is its mission?
Bryan: Figure Sculpting Club is about practicing the traditional medium of digital sculpting. A lot of us are digital sculptures but lack the experience of getting dirty and really feeling the medium in its true 3D form. Traditional sculpting helps artists build their foundational understanding of form, anatomy, and how to relate pieces in a physical space. I think the goal for the club is to create a place where our peers can both learn and just have a good time while creating art in a medium that is not currently offered.
What does a typical Figure Sculpting Club meetup look like? Any regular events or outings?
Bryan: We meet every Tuesdays this semester from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Hamada where we just sculpt and chat for up to three hours. It’s a very laid-back environment where a lot of the people that have joined have no experience in traditional sculpting and just want to learn. It is very similar to our figure drawing classes, but we work with the same model for weeks at a time where you can choose to do a study on a certain part or full figure sculpts.
How has the Figure Sculpting Club shaped your student experience?
Bryan: I think it’s been a very great stress reliever for me. It’s a really fun time having a super chilled out environment to just create something with the other people in the club.
Abigail: For me, the Figure Sculpture Club has also been a good way to relax and take a break from normal DigiPen work. We can’t use devices in sessions unless it’s a break, so it’s just relaxed, undistracted time to practice without the stress of having to turn something in. I’ve also enjoyed meeting new people through the club that, otherwise, I might not have gotten the opportunity to meet because they were in a different cohort.
What’s your favorite part about being in the Figure Sculpting Club?
Bryan: This club is definitely my highlight of the week. School can be exhausting but having three hours where I can create art without any deadlines or grades is my favorite part. I think a lot of students get holed into a cycle of always thinking about getting their next assignment in and having three hours where you cannot work on that is important. It’s like a mental health walk for me but instead I’m pushing around clay and making art. Other than that, it’s the conversations that we have. It’s not super serious and we can talk about current shows, how our day has gone, or any topic we find interesting.
Abigail: I also find it very relaxing to be in the club. Even though it’s later in the day, there have been multiple sessions where I came in feeling stressed and exhausted about my other classes and completely snapping out of that feeling once I’ve been sculpting with my friends and listening to their stories. I also find it fun that, from time to time, the model will chime into the conversations, which you don’t get as often in the much more silent and fast-paced figure drawing sessions.
When did the Figure Sculpting Club start, and what was the inspiration behind the idea?
Bryan: So, I was not the one who started this club, but I took it over from a previous senior. I am currently running this club with another person. I attended the club last year and really enjoyed my time, so when it came time to keep the club going, Abigail and I took charge of that. We are currently a small club, and without a sculpting class on campus, people may think the club is gone, so I’m slowly working around my class load to get some posters around and get more publicity to hopefully attract more underclassmen to join.
Has the Figure Sculpting Club helped inform students about their coursework or inspire them with their game and animation projects?
Bryan: I strongly believe that if you are a digital sculptor, traditional sculpting will pay off tons. Getting to really feel the medium with your hands is super important, and the live model will really help artists inform what and how they are creating. I really hope that this can be a place where students or professors could join and practice sculpture.
Abigail: I can agree with Bryan on that. When you’re sculpting digitally, you’re getting a projection of 3D space on a flat screen. It’s not the same as being able to move parts in a physical space. Developing the spatial connection of what limbs look like from different angles is very beneficial and translatable when switching to a 3D space. I’ve had many professors at DigiPen tell me how important it is to learn to sculpt and draw traditionally if you also want to sculpt and draw digitally. Both in my cohort and in classes I’ve been a teacher’s assistant for, there have been students interested in trying out sculpting during their time at DigiPen. I’m so happy that Bryan has been able to help me keep this club alive to help develop the skills that a class would provide.
Have there been any memorable sessions or any sculptures that left an impression?
Bryan: I think that just being in the room and sculpting is memorable for me. Last semester I really got to know some of the outgoing seniors and learn from them. Each session I think is as memorable as the next. It’s a super chilled out vibe and is a great place to get out of your specific discipline and learn with no deadlines or scores.
Abigail: Every session has its own fun topics, so it’s hard to pick a specific one that stands out from the bunch. It was always fun being able to work side by side with professors and seeing the years of practice in action. It’s very different seeing them work in an environment where they aren’t teaching and still doing what they love while making what they want. I’ve learned a fair amount of techniques just working alongside them.
What would you say to someone who is interested in the Figure Sculpting Club but nervous about starting as a beginner or working with nude models?
Bryan: Everyone in the room is super willing to give good critiques and help you learn. A lot of our current members have no experience in traditional sculpting, so we are always super receptive to new people and love to help them out and build. If you have taken the figure drawing classes, I would think of this as a session with no timer. Since we work on poses lasting generally two to four weeks, you have plenty of time to work on it both in the club or any time. Sculpture is an art best learned by popping in, dedicating time to learn, and making something great. We are not there to grade you, but we are here to help you discover and get better at another art.
Abigail: To add to what Bryan said, there is also no pressure to keep the work that you make. And because the poses are so long, you don’t have to spend that whole time on one piece. You can choose to practice a bust one day and a torso another. Or you can sculpt your favorite character in the model’s pose. You can be creative with it!