Sculpting (skill)



Sculpting is a skill introduced in the expansion pack The Sims 3: Ambitions. This skill benefits from the Savvy Sculptor trait. Sims with the Handiness skill improve this skill more rapidly.

Sculptors can sculpt with a variety of media, but when they start out, they can only use clay. Once they learn to sculpt with ice, they can use Sims as models. Using the Pedestrian Sculpting Station, Sculptors can sculpt useful objects like chairs, or decorative objects like the 'silly dancing gator'. They can create breathtaking masterpieces which can then be sold for profit. Sculptors unlock new media as they progress: "Sims learn different media as they advance in the sculpting skill, and each one requires a bit of a learning curve. The topiary is a high-level sculpting medium, but that won't keep your sims from accidentally decapitating their leafy lawn ornaments from time to time." Ice sculptures will melt over time, unless the character has completed the Ice Personality challenge, which involves creating a total of 25 ice sculptures. Players can also register as a self-employed sculptor.

Sculptors can unlock new materials by increasing their skills. When sculptors create something they can make one or more at a time.

Known sculpting media
A Sim is given the option of choosing one of six different media, five of which are only unlocked as the Sim improves their sculpting.


 * Clay, which is sculpted using a hammer and chisel
 * Metal, which is sculpted using a blowtorch
 * Wood, which is sculpted using a hammer and chisel
 * Ice, which is sculpted using a chainsaw
 * Stone, which is sculpted using a hammer and chisel
 * Topiary, which is sculpted using a chainsaw

Some of the listed materials come with additional risks and opportunities that vary in importance:


 * Metal is one of the riskiest to deal with, as a Sim operates a blowtorch that can ignite the Sim and lead to death if no other Sims are available to help. The same risk is present during inventing, and occurs regardless of the Sims' sculpting skill level.
 * An ice sculpture can collapse midway through sculpting, destroying it. In addition, it is also possible to end up sculpting the Goblin Ice Sculpture instead of a posing Sim; the sculpture will be worth less than expected, and the blunder may negatively affect the Sims' relationship with the Sim who posed for the sculpture. Sometimes Sims will lick the block of ice before sculpting, sometimes their tongue will get stuck, and on rare occasions freeing the tongue shatters the block into a completed sculpture.
 * Stone blocks may contain raw gems or metals which can be found midway through sculpting. The discovery of the item comes at the cost of losing the stone sculpture which is being worked on.
 * 1) There may be a bug with this feature. During play, I made six attempts to create stone sculptures and each one failed because a raw gem or a metal ore was found. Saving the game, quitting and loading again seems to have corrected this.


 * For topiary, Sims may accidentally cut off an important part of the sculpture (i.e. the head) near completion, reducing the value of the sculpture. This can be avoided with the Savvy Sculptor trait. As Sims with this trait will never decapitate their sculptures.

Trivia

 * There are already decorative plant objects in the The Sims 3 which claim to be topiary.