The article is devoted to the description of methodological framework in the field of animal sculpture developed by the Honored Artist of Russia, S. L. Krivtsov. It elaborates on the primary stages of animal sculpture creation, as well as the major goals and objectives of the analogous course of study taught within the programs of higher, pre-vocational and additional art education at the Academy of Watercolor and Fine Arts of Sergey Andriaka. Correspondingly, the principles of optimal theme choices are substantiated combined with the outlined task sequence. In particular, the article provides a detailed account of an original exercise personally devised by S. L. Krivtsov: it envisions a joint execution of a multi-figured animal sculpture composition (a round or relief sculpture) to be performed by a group of students at the program of additional or pre-vocational art education. The author discusses the specificities of teaching artistic reproduction and portrayal of animals at the institutions of higher education. Namely, he sheds light on the optimal choice of animals to be studied and maps out tasks that prepare students for their future practical activities as professional artists. The initial stages of creating an artistic animal image are set out, inter alia, studying of materials and sculpture design sketching. The article reveals the paramount objectives behind the course: development of voluminous spatial thinking, mastering of the work algorithm when creating sculptural images (round sculpture, relief, two-figure compositions), absorption of the basic principles pertinent to the construction of artistic images in sculpture, familiarization with the animal anatomy and their general bodily structure carved by natural evolution. Finally, the optimal choice of art materials utilized throughout the course on animal sculpture, in accordance with the authorial methodology of S. L. Krivtsov, is validated.