Introduction to Sculpture

This course is designed for beginners and those with some creative experience. We will cover a range of hands-on sculptural methods, including working with clay, card, plaster, and found materials.  

You will be introduced to key ideas and techniques, focusing on developments in sculpture over the past 100 years. Through experimentation and research, you will develop your own sculptural projects, gaining both technical skills and a deeper understanding of contemporary sculpture.

You will be taught in specialist art and design studios and through practical demonstrations, one-to-one tuition, group discussions and critiques.  

Learners are responsible for purchasing their own materials. You may be required to bring some materials to your first, and subsequent classes. Learn more about the materials required for this course here.

Please do not purchase any materials until the course is confirmed to run. You will require access to a device with an internet connection. 

Learning in this course is hands-on, and your skills will develop through practice, discovery, and engagement with materials and techniques.  

If you have fully engaged with all the learning activities and have attended regularly, by the end of the course you should be able to: 

• Experiment with materials and visual concepts, exploring ideas through practical making and contextual research;
• Demonstrate confidence and technical ability in a variety of sculptural techniques to express personal ideas;
• Demonstrate hands-on problem-solving and material exploration skills developed through sculptural practice, fostering creativity, spatial awareness, and the ability to translate ideas into three-dimensional form, valuable in design, architecture, and creative industries. 

This course is for those with little or no experience of sculpture.

Learners with an enthusiasm for creative exploration or have a natural appreciation for colour, texture and form may find this course particularly rewarding. A willingness to experiment and express ideas visually is encouraged.

We welcome all and are committed to fostering a positive culture and sense of community among learners and staff. We expect learners to treat others with dignity and respect. Learners must be aged 16+.  

If you have a disability, learning difficulty, health condition, or personal circumstances which may affect your learning, please let us know so that we can make appropriate adjustments in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.  

Wherever possible, we mainstream adjustments in line with the University’s Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy.

Learners will have limited access to the University’s student support services who will signpost appropriate local sources of support. 

The course is suitable for those with no prior experience.

This course welcomes those with a vivid imagination and enthusiasm for creative exploration. This hands-on course requires no formal background in art or design.    

You will need to have reading, listening and communication skills, including the ability to understand detailed ideas and information presented verbally and in writing. You must be comfortable learning in English if it is not your first language. You will need basic digital skills, such as using a computer and navigating a website, to access the learning materials.

Booking is available until 23:59 the day before the course is due to start, unless the course is full or cancelled.