Abstract: We present a new particle-based surface representation with which a user can interactively sculpt free-form surfaces. The particles maintain mesh connectivity and operate under rules that lead them to form triangulations with properties that make them suitable for use in subdivision. A user interactively guides the particles, which we call skin, to grow over a given collection of polyhedral elements (or skeletons), yielding a smooth surface (through subdivision) that approximates the underlying skeletal shapes. Skin resembles blobby modeling in the constructive approach to modeling it supports, but allows a richer vocabulary of skeleton shapes, supports sharp creases where desired, and provides a convenient mechanism for adding multiresolution surface detail.