Sculpting a Canada Lynx portrait ✨

I want to document how I make my sculptures using my blog. I would love to share the process of how I made the lynx with you!

Before I start any project, I like to spend some time collecting as many references as possible. This helps my understanding of the subject and it gets me even more excited to start sculpting. I also enjoy watching videos of the animal in motion as it helps me understand their anatomy more. Plus, it can inspire me to find an ideal pose or expression!

I use the app 'VIZREF' on my iPad to store all my references.

In this case, I'm making a bust so I'm only sculpting the face and neck. I love making portraits because the larger size allows me to concentrate more on the animal's eyes and expressions. However, capturing the expressiveness of cats can be quite challenging. 😆

I start the sculpture by creating a shape similar to a skull. I don't bother focusing on the details in the beginning. I view the face in simple forms and shapes, constantly checking to make sure the proportions are right. Once the eyes are added and the cheeks are slightly filled in, it starts to take shape!

Ready to paint!

The piece will be baked multiple times during the sculpting stage. It makes it easier for me to handle the sculpture and work on other areas without erasing the previous details I worked on. It's a way to save my progress! Once everything is to my liking, I can sculpt the fur. Definitely one of the most tedious part of any artwork! The sculpting process took about 15 hours for this piece. Once it's fully baked, I can move on to painting!

You can learn about all the materials I use on my website! See 'how it's made' section.

When I paint, I work in layers. I begin with a base colour, then incorporate darker shades, gradually progressing to lighter tones. There's a lot of back and forth until I'm pleased with the appearance of the fur and markings. Once that's complete, I focus on painting the eyes. I can spend an excessive amount of time on the eyes alone. 😅 It's amazing how many different shades of paint I can use for them! I use paint pens and tiny brushes, alternating between the eye colour and the black of the pupil until they appear symmetrical. For the final step, I apply a matte varnish over the entire piece and a glossy varnish on the eyes. This really brings them to life!

The colours of a lynx ✨ I love seeing the paint palette after a project!

It's only after everything is varnished and dry that I added the whiskers (using paintbrush bristles.) The entire painting process lasted around 5 hours, bringing the total time I worked on this to about 20 hours. This doesn't include the time I spent photographing it and additional time will also be needed for packaging. Handmade artwork requires a great deal of patience, love, and care. ♥︎

I hope someone will provide this guy with a loving home. He's available for purchase in my shop! Check out the listing for more details and photos.: Etsy Shop

You can also see how I painted him on my Youtube channel!

Thank you for taking the time to read this! I hope you enjoyed a peek into the sculpting process. Have a fantastic day or evening! ☺︎

“Creativity is contagious, pass it on.” – Albert Einstein