There are several different types of Thai sculpting. There are three main categories that fall into the larger category of sculpting. These are clay sculpting, plaster sculpting, and Rak Samuk sculpting. Before I describe these, though I will go through the steps of creating a sculpture. You begin by forming the general form of the desired sculpture the later steps may vary, but generally, you go into smaller detail, then cook the sculpture until it is solid, and finish by painting the intricate details on.

Clay Sculpting

First, I will describe clay sculpting. There are two main techniques of sculpting that use clay as a medium. These are raw clay sculpture and fired clay sculpture. Both of these techniques begin with the sculptor creating a model of what they are trying to make. The specific details are added on in later stages, sometimes by using paint. Some examples of raw clay sculptures are masks created for the classical Thai theatre, head figures of cows or deer, and palace dolls. Fired sculptures use basically the same steps as clay sculptures, except for the fact that they are fired, as eth name implies, using either charcoal, or rice husk as fuel, to make it hard. Sculptors that use this technique almost always use it to create Buddha images, or various designs of architectural artwork. Some other commonly created clay sculptures are dolls for shrines.

Plaster Sculpting

     The next type of sculpting, plaster sculpting is made from lime, or burnt husks that are pounded into powder. This becomes suitable for

sculpting after it is placed in water for a certain period of time and kneaded. The white plaster that comes from this can be mixed with glue binder to improve its quality. Many of the places that can see plaster sculptures are related to Buddha. You can find plaster sculptures in the bases of Buddha images, wall sculptures depicting Buddha’s life, and Buddha images in temples. You can also see plaster sculptures in the figures of kings and revered monks.

Rak Samuk

     The last type of sculpting is called Rak Samuk sculpting. This is a material created from the mixture of several items. These items are Samuk, black lacquer, wood oil, and lime neutralized by turmeric. This mixture can be used to create the desired sculpture, and when dry it becomes solid. To decorate the creations, the gliding process is used. Some things that are created with the Rak Samuk technique are masks, crowns, the faces of Buddha images, marionettes, cabinets, altars, and benches.