What is Eckman Method®?

The Eckman Method® is the trademarked name for Allen and Patty Eckman’s educational services, including: conducting classes in workshops; DVD and other course materials in the field of creating cast paper sculptured art, and distributing course materials in connection with any of the aforementioned services.

The beauty comes to life in the detail.
The detail comes to life through the paper.

In 1987, Allen Eckman stumbled onto cast paper as a fine art medium and instantly recognized the beauty and possibilities for creating high detail, strong, acid-free, pure, fine art sculpture. It took the Eckmans many years to unlock the secrets to the medium. Discoveries included paper formulation, specialized equipment and tool innovations; in addition to their unique paper processing methods.

All of this was necessary to create the dimension, strength, hardness, textures and detail that are clearly visible in Eckman pieces. A lot of space and unique, processing equipment is required, including: pulping stations, presses, dehydrators, tools, and more. It takes years of technical knowledge just to make the highly specialized paper.

You cannot achieve what the Eckmans have simply by pulping cotton linters in your kitchen blender, or trying to make other store bought papers work as well as theirs. The fun and ease of the Eckman Method® is in sculpting and creating beautiful works of fine art with Eckman paper, tools and techniques. So, it is back to school for learning how to sculpt the way the pros do it. By taking the “Project Lessons™” and putting into practice what you have learned, you can reach your maximum God given talent level!

What does the Eckman Method® teach about this medium and the overall creative process connected with it? 

The process taught through the Eckman Method® includes working with museum quality handmade Eckman paper and bonding agents, using “Starter Casts™” and freehand sculpting from Eckman paper pulp. Doing so allows you to alter and transform the casts into finished works of art. This is accomplished by applying Eckman techniques such as forms, templates, paper casts and freehand sculpting with various handmade paper products and tools manufactured by Eckman Fine Art™.

What is Eckman Fine Art’s ultimate goal and mission statement?

The goal is to distribute and sell products worldwide for the benefit of everyone from the student artist to the most advanced aficionado through the Eckman Method® teaching program. Our mission is to promote, teach and continually advance this beautiful medium and the creative process associated with it.

 

We offer three different for artists at different skill levels and overall experience to learn.

 

1. Patty’s Flowers®

“The Patty’s Flowers® Program”, starts at a beginner’s level through the introduction of specialized products. The program guides the beginning level student on to intermediate, advanced, expert and master levels.  This is a great program for artists who have never sculpted before, or those who have never had an opportunity to truly develop their talent. It is also good for intermediate and advanced artists who want a good progressive understanding of the Eckman Method®. The student begins with Patty’s Flowers® Project Lessons™ which offer tools, materials and a step-by-step DVD.  The “Deluxe Kits” include all the tools, paper, bonding agent, casts, templates, forms and DVD instruction for the artist to complete the project and end up with a beautiful work of art they can be proud of.  The “Basic Kit” is for a beginning artist who has purchased a different “Deluxe Kit Project Lesson™” which has the tools for another Project Lesson™.

For example, below you will see that the “Deluxe Rose Kit” has the tools to do the Project Lesson™ “Daisies and Butterflies Basic Kit”.  All “Basic Kits” include DVD instruction; however, the “Redo Kits” do not. “Redo Kits” are simply for artists to redo the project, having already purchased the tools ad DVD instruction. The program progresses through the creation process of not only sculpting flowers, but birds, animals, people and backgrounds; all while teaching the artist how to sculpt in EFA hard and soft paper, Starter Casts™, bonding agents and boards. The artist can advance as far as they wish in a progressive fashion.

 

2. Eckman Method®

“The Eckman Method® Program”, is for more advanced artists such as sculptures, wood carvers, and painters etc. who want the challenge of jumping in at an advance level to learn cast paper sculpture.
The EFA Starter Casts™, soft and hard paper, boards and bonding agents are the secret to the Eckmans master quality works.  Advanced artists can start with kit type Project Lessons™ with tools and DVD instruction, or use the DVD called “Creating Prairie Edge Hunt.” It’s a two-hour DVD that shows how Allen and Patty created a monumental buffalo hunt sculpture (1/6 life-size) in step-by-step fashion. The DVD reveals the process, techniques, tools, materials and more Allen and Patty used in this hard-hitting video. It covers every part of the creation process, from concept, to completion.

3. Your Molds and the Eckman Method® 

The “Your Molds and the Eckman Method® Program”, is for advanced artists working with silicone or latex molds. This is true for mediums such as wax for bronze, paper, clay, resins, etc. (for sculptures). This program teaches an artist how to recreate their pieces in museum-quality cast paper, offering more detail than they can do in their present medium.

In step-by-step fashion, Allen recreates the magic he brought to life in bronze piece below “Taking the Bull with the Bow” as a cast paper sculpture.  The DVD shows every step to illustrate to other artists how they can use their molds to accomplish the same results. This can be done by casting their molds with EFA pulp and finishing EFA paper and the “Your molds and the Eckman Method® Program”. The paper is very much like metal, fusing paper together with a hard and acid-free result that is completely archival.

Progressing on to Intermediate, Advanced, Expert and Master levels.

At all levels, the learning process is designed to leave the artist with not only a higher level of knowledge and skill, but also a beautiful and professional looking finished museum quality (acid-free) cast paper sculpture. At the intermediate level, you can continue to advance with Patty’s Flowers. Or, choose other Eckman Method® creative learning project kits in which Allen offers up more masculine or generic nature themes featuring objects such as weapons, tools, hats, clothing, artifacts, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Patty’s Flowers will advance into a high-level Hawaiian theme including human figures, animals and birds, as well as flowers. Allen will advance you through the higher levels with animals, objects and figures as only he knows how. By the time you have graduated through these higher levels, you will be creating your own pieces with themes of special interest to you. Advanced classes will also show how to photograph, mount, frame and actually market your work.

Ultimately, you can learn how to create in full-color if you wish, as well as how to turn paper pieces into bronze.

 

Our research shows that many artists who want to learn through the Eckman Method® program, are already at an advanced level with their own art, but want to learn cast paper sculpture the way the Eckmans do it. The medium is easy to learn, but difficult to master. Allen and Patty are still making new discoveries in the medium themselves, so don’t think you can reach such a level without many hours of practice and lessons. It takes an investment of both time and money to learn anything, but it is very rewarding to see your creations completed one-by-one as you learn by doing. In the process you will have many, many hours of rewarding enjoyment. You will not be able to do advanced lesson projects if you haven’t completed the beginning level lesson projects to learn the basics.

 

Patty’s Flowers is a registered trademark of Eckman Fine Art (EFA) and has been filed as such at the USPTO. Eckman Fine Art and Allen and Patty Eckman are the developers of the exclusive Eckman Method® for teaching the creation of cast paper sculptured art and distributing course materials in connection therewith, and have a trademark to that effect on file at the USPTO for Eckman Method® for registration. Project Lessons™ and Starter Casts™ are also trademarks of Eckman Fine Art Inc. Users of the process taught through the Eckman Method® are licensed by Eckman Fine Art after purchasing Eckman Fine Art products (paper and instruction). Any professional classes, workshops and instructions for the Eckman Method® without the written permission of Patty and Allen Eckman and Eckman Fine Art Inc. are strictly prohibited. It is important to note that the paper cast sculpting taught by the Eckman Method only works with the handmade paper manufactured by Eckman Fine Art Inc.

Getting started with the Eckman Method®

Learning fine art cast paper sculpture is as easy as 1… 2… 3…

1. Fill out the questionnaire

2. Send it to us

3. Place your 0rder

Patty and Allen Eckman (DBA Eckman Fine Art Inc.™) began developing their process of cast paper sculpture in 1987. Over the years, the process evolved into the Eckman Method®, which is internationally recognized as unique to the Eckmans.  You can help us to help you by filling out the questionnaire (click on questionnaire top right of this page above the deckle edge in the search block). Look over the different pages of the Eckman Fine Art website and let us know where your interests and abilities lie. Then jump in and order some Eckman Fine Art Materials ™ and have fun while you learn! E-mail if you have questions or need guidance and we will help you, but if you need technical assistance, please leave your phone number. For technical assistance call 605 343-4252 and please have your credit card ready.  You will be charged $3 per minute with a $15 minimum.