This course will teach you how to sculpt in clay a portrait from photos. You will be provided with front and profile life-size photos of a model to work from, alternatively you can bring your own photos to work from. If you would like to do this please ensure your photos are life-size, and you have several from different angles, including profile and front on. You will learn how to measure accurately from your photos with use of the dividers, the plumb line and a laser level. Andrew will also talk you through methods of sculpting historical figures and subjects from photo where sculpting from life is not possible.

Portrait sculpture is an immensely absorbing and enjoyable discovery with every new sitter. This 2-day course aims to build upon your previous experience (Intermediate/Advanced) to further how to observe and translate your observation through drawing and modelling into a clay portrait sculpture from a life model. Refresh, renew or find alternative ways of looking through group and individual discussion with your tutor, Suzie Zamit, a member of The Society of Portrait Sculptors. Whether setting out a head from a structural point of view with a clear path of constructive method and/or searching for a more expressive manner of approach you will benefit from exploring with a professional sculptor to help build upon your own sculptural expression. Focus is on understanding measurement, anatomy, architecture, form, high-points and contours, texture and clay application as well as character and expression of the model in the sculpture.

Portrait sculpture is an immensely absorbing and enjoyable discovery with every new sitter. This course aims to build upon your previous experience [Intermediate/Advanced] to further how to observe and translate your observation into a clay portrait sculpture from a life model. Refresh, renew or find alternative ways of looking through group and individual discussion with your experienced tutor, Valentina Zlatarova, trained at the Florence Academy of Art, Italy.  Whether setting out a head from a structural point of view with a clear path of constructive method and/or searching for a more expressive manner of approach, you will benefit from exploring with a professional sculptor to help build upon your own sculptural expression.

Portrait sculpture is an immensely absorbing and enjoyable discovery with every new sitter. This course aims to build upon your previous experience [Intermediate/Advanced] to further how to observe and translate your observation into a clay portrait sculpture from a life model. Refresh, renew or find alternative ways of looking through group and individual discussion with your tutor, David Klein, member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors (MRBS) and the Society of Portrait Sculptors (SPS). Whether setting out a portrait head from a structural point of view with a clear path of constructive method and/or searching for a more expressive manner of approach, you will benefit from exploring with a professional sculptor to help build upon your own sculptural experience. David Klein hopes to impart a few of the tools he has learnt and explore on this course that wonderful tension between finely rendered form and unworked chaos. Portraiture is a search. This search for form, truth and personality requires tools. From the force of the neck into the weight of the head, which in so many ways defines and marks exceptional sculpture. This course will explore the structure, turning points of form, emphasis and simplification.

This course is a rare opportunity to work on a full life size figure within a small class size. Working with your tutors Laura Postle and Valentina Zlatarova, students will develop and hone the skills required to produce large scale figure work. Sculpting in both a guided environment from direct observation of a life model, as well as learning how to work self directed without a model, you will spend a five weeks fully immersed in the sculpting process. Starting with building an armature using a provided steel back iron, an approach to figure work that will be strong yet flexible, with room for interpretation, will be taught. As well as developing technical skills of measurements, plumbing, anatomy and clay application, students will hone their creative skills, develop an understanding of sculptural texture and forms, and learn how to capture the model’s unique expression to create a piece of art. To apply for this course, please send an email with a few images of your figurative sculpture work to laura@artacademy.org.uk or contact the Art Academy team at shortcourses@artacademy.org.uk