In this lesson, Judy Fox completes the pinch pot build by bringing the form to full height, managing wall thickness, and timing the work to coincide with firming. You will learn how to stop at the right moment, protect the structure under plastic, then return when the clay can support adding the top of the head without distortion. Judy demonstrates how to close the cranial form with a clean overlap join, then turns the bust over to check symmetry and thickness from below. The lesson ends with a sealed bust that is ready to shift into rendering.

This lesson belongs to Ceramic Portrait Sculpting Part 2: Pinch Pot Bust. In this 8-week course, sculptor Judy Fox guides you through building and finishing a hand-built ceramic portrait bust using photo reference, proportional measurement, and a controlled, step-by-step construction process. You will learn how to capture reliable reference, use calipers to maintain scale, and work in timed stages so the clay firms between lifts and remains structurally sound. As the bust develops, Judy demonstrates how to check proportion and placement through cross sections, silhouette, and key landmarks, refining the shoulders, neck, and head before closing the form with clean joins and thickness control.

The second half of the course shifts into rendering and refinement. You will learn how to correct cross-contours from higher and lower angle photos, refine features as connected volumes, clarify ear structure, and unify the surface without losing the underlying planes. By the end, you will have a completed bust and a repeatable process for building and refining future portrait sculptures.