Introduction to Animal Sculpting

A short fun and easy course, exploring Animal forms (land mammals) , their character, expressions and anatomy

Each week you will follow step-by-step demonstrations of creative processes and time for you to give each of them a go yourself. We will combine ceramic construction techniques together with manipulation and sculpting.

Consideration of drawings and images to help with proportion and calculating scale dimensions. Practice building individual facial features; the eye, nose, mouth, etc.

Understand the importance of surface and underlying landscapes including muscle, bone structure, hair and other textural definitions. By focusing on a particular form, perhaps a bear or cat, the tutor will step-by-step guide you through the following with a fun and relaxed approach:

• Creating a hollow three-dimensional figure using slab building, manipulating, adding and subtracting clay.
• Understand the importance of movement, finish, balance and thickness of form.
• Discuss the use of props, plinths and hollowing during construction.
• Explore the importance of clay type, evenness, supports and maintaining a constant environment to prevent cracking and structural weakness. Also, the idea of functionality and mixing medias.

At the end of the course, you will have a selection of pieces; a small, seated figure, facial features, and a small completed form (25cm max), that will be fired for you and ready for collection about 3 weeks after the course ends. These will be a decorative and a useful ‘body’ of work for reference, together with notes (bring a notebook!) and observations you make during the course to move forward onto more ambitious projects in the future.

This course is open to adults (16+). The cost includes instruction and the items you make to take home. Refreshments and drinks are also included.

This course is led by Helen Ashton