Portrait Sculpture with Michael Keropian

There's a difference between drawing a face and building one. Portrait sculpture asks you to think in proportion, structure, and light from every angle at once — and there's no better way to understand the human head than to construct one with your own hands.

About the Artist

At Fallsview Arts, our Portrait Sculpture classes are taught by Michael Keropian, a professional sculptor with over 50 years of experience and a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society. Michael trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, spent a decade at the Tallix Sculpture Foundry, and has completed public commissions ranging from nine heroic-scale tiger sculptures at Comerica Park to his newly unveiled bronze sculpture of Chief Ninham, installed in both Kent, NY and Fishkill, NY. He currently serves as Sculpture Chairperson for the Hudson Valley Art Association. Read Michael's full artist profile

What You’ll Learn

Each class walks through the real process a professional sculptor uses to build a likeness: constructing a proper armature, taking accurate measurements, establishing proportions, and understanding the anatomy of the head and face. Michael also shares insight into working from photographs versus a live model, and the history of portraiture as an art form. Whether you're sculpting a self-portrait, a loved one, or an imagined figure, you'll leave with both a finished (or in-progress) bust and a real technical foundation.

Class Format & Schedule

Portrait Sculpture runs as small-group sessions at Fallsview Arts, open to all skill levels — no prior sculpture experience needed. 

Who This is For

This class suits complete beginners curious about 3D art, painters and drawers looking to deepen their understanding of form, and anyone who's always wanted to try sculpture but wasn't sure where to start.