In this lesson, Judy Fox builds the hand-built bust upward toward the shoulder line using measurements, cross sections, and silhouette checks. You will learn how to work in controlled lifts, then pause to let the clay firm so the next stage holds without distortion. Judy demonstrates how to correct the outer contour before adding height, and how to place the shoulder girdle with clear landmarks such as the armpit transition, clavicle direction, scapula placement, and shoulder tilt. She also covers adhesion, interior reinforcement, thickness control, and wrapping for stability.

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.