Discover the Best Sculpture Classes Near Me
Sculpture is three-dimensional art. Sculptures can be created from a variety of different materials including stone, clay, plastic, and metal. The use of sculpture as a form of expression dates back to prehistoric times, when small animal and human figures were carved out of stone, bone, and ivory. One of the things that makes sculpture unique as a form of art is that it is experienced in a physical space, where viewers can look at it from different perspectives. In addition, the way a viewer experiences a sculpture can change depending on where he or she is in relation to the piece. Recently, some sculptors have experimented with this viewing experience, by creating sculptures that include other types of media such as light and sound, in order to create a multi-sensory experience that the viewer participates in.
Why You Should Learn Sculpture
People learn sculpture for a variety of different reasons. One of the most common is that sculpture can be a very fulfilling form of self-expression. Some people find that sculpture can allow even greater creativity than two-dimensional art forms like painting or drawing, because it gives artists the opportunity to work with a wide range of different materials, and create work that can be viewed from different angles, touched, and even interacted with. Sculptors are thus able to express many different ideas and emotions through their work.
Learning sculpture can also give people practical skills and knowledge that they can use in other settings. For example, as they work, sculptors often develop their creativity, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving skills. Sculpting also involves persistence and patience, since it can be a process of trial-and-error. Finally, sculptors need to learn how to visualize three-dimensional forms. All of these different skills can be valuable in other creative fields including other types of visual and fine art, but also more practical fields such as design and engineering.
5 Ways to Learn Sculpture
Sculpture can be learned in a number of different ways. Beginners often start with free resources, such as YouTube tutorials. There are hundreds of different free learning options online, and these can be a great way to get an overview of this topic, or learn a few basic skills. However, students who are serious about sculpture typically end up enrolling in a paid class.
Paid classes are usually more comprehensive, and also provide access to an experienced instructor. Most paid classes come in three formats: in-person, live online, and on-demand. In-person classes are popular for sculpting because they often include access to an art studio, and sculpting materials and tools. Live online or on-demand classes can be a good option for students who already have their own supplies. Both can be taken from any location with an internet connection, which means students have access to a greater variety of classes. Live online classes meet virtually, with real-time interaction between the instructor and the student, while on-demand classes are typically pre-recorded.
Another way to learn sculpting is by getting involved with other sculptors, and learning from them. For instance, some people go to craft fairs, galleries, and museums, where they can talk to other sculptors and look at their work. In this way, they can learn about techniques and materials that they may have never worked with before. An apprenticeship is also a popular option. With an apprenticeship, students work with an established sculptor, which allows them hands-on experience, and also the opportunity to learn from an expert.
In-Person Sculpture Classes
An in-person class is a popular way to learn sculpting, and students will find a number of different in-person sculpting class options. New York City is famous for its art scene, and has many different types of sculpting classes. For example, Wagner College Lifelong Learning offers Open Studio–Figure Sculpture, with four class sessions on Saturday mornings, at a cost of $150. In this class, students sculpt in clay, working from a long-term pose. They can also draw or paint from that pose if they prefer. The model fee, clay, and firing costs are included in the price of the class. Wagner College was founded in 1883 and is located on Staten Island, which is less than an hour's drive from Manhattan. Its Lifelong Learning program aims to provide enrichment, diversity, and self-empowerment for students of all ages.
In UrbanGlass’s Casting the Void, students learn hollow core casting. This involves casting sculptural objects with a unique negative space inside. The class also covers writing kiln programs, coldworking, and polishing glass. Glass casting experience is preferred, but not required. Casting the Void runs on Sunday afternoons, with a total of seven sessions. Tuition is $1,240. UrbanGlass–located in nearby Brooklyn–was founded in 1977, and serves as a studio for more than a hundred different artists. It is the largest public-access glass blowing facility in the New York metropolitan area, and offers a variety of different glass-related classes.
The Compleat Sculptor offers a stone sculpting class called Stone Carving Class: A Skill Based Approach. This class is on Tuesday evenings, and new students can start at any time. Each week, students learn to use different stone carving tools, and they practice their skills with an assigned project. Eventually, they start designing original sculptures. The cost of this class is $295, which includes the use of basic tools. Tuition also covers open studio time. Students need to buy a limestone block, to be used for essential projects. The Compleat Sculptor is located near New York City’s Flatiron Building, just half a mile from Union Square. It offers a long list of different sculpture classes, and also sells sculpting supplies.
Stone Carving with Ailene Fields is another Compleat Sculptor offering. Ailene Fields is an acclaimed sculptor, and in this class, she demonstrates stone carving basics, including roughing out, developing a form, and final finishing and polishing. Participants can use marble or a softer stone. More advanced students have the opportunity to learn to carve with an air compressor. This course costs $295. Basic tools are provided, but students need to purchase their own stone. Safety glasses are also provided, and dust masks, earplugs, and gloves are available for purchase.
Los Angeles also has a vibrant art scene, and a range of in-person sculpting classes can be found there. Ceramics: Clay Sculpting is offered through Los Angeles City College. There are five Saturday morning class sessions, and tuition is $195. In this course, students learn how to work with clay, and they use hand building and clay decorating techniques to create a number of ceramic pieces. A basic pottery tool kit is needed, including a sponge, metal scraper, wire clay cutter, ribbon tool, aluminum needle, loop tool, potter's rib, and modeling tool. Los Angeles City College is in East Hollywood, which is about five miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. It offers a wide range of different classes, and has been ranked as one of the best community colleges in Southern California.
Fantasy Sculpture is a four-session workshop offered through the Valley Art Workshop. This class is focused on intuitive sculpting, and takes students from figure drawing to conceptual sculpture. Tuition is $450. Students need to have a package of Chavant clay, wire, epoxy, a wood base, and basic sculpture tools. Founded in 2009, Valley Art Workshop Is a performance venue, and also offers a variety of different art classes. It is in the San Fernando Valley, which is about half an hour from the coast, and less than an hour from downtown Los Angeles.
The Art Studio offers a Weekly Sculpting class that runs for four hours on Saturdays. One class costs $85, however, the school recommends that students sign up for a block of four classes, at a cost of $320. Classes are project-based, and instruction is tailored to the skill level of the individual student. Students work with either water-based or oil-based clay. Wire, wood board, clay, and sculpting tools are provided. Students need a sketchbook, and pens and pencils. The Art Studio is located near Westminster Mall, and is about 30 miles from downtown Los Angeles. It was founded in 1994, by local artists.
In addition to New York and Los Angeles, in-person sculpting classes can be found in many other cities. Boston residents can sign up for a Summer Weekly Stone Carving Class at Scott’s Stone Carving Classes, which is in Bedford, about half an hour out of Boston. In this class, students of all skill levels can learn new alabaster-carving skills. Safety glasses, gloves, and a mask are required. Tuition is $625, and there are nine class sessions. This school was founded in 2010 by Scott Cahaly, who has been teaching stone sculpture for more than twenty years.
Scott’s Stone Carving Classes also offers Stone Carving Saturdays, which takes place on Saturdays, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm, and costs $175. In this one-day workshop, participants learn hand-carving techniques, stone carving lore, safety, and tool sourcing, and they will work on their own sculptures. All materials are provided, and students leave with a sculpture. Students do need to bring safety glasses, gloves, and a mask. There is also an option to bring your own stone.
In Atlanta, Corrina Sephora Studios offers a Weekend Welding Workshop, where participants can use welding and forging techniques to create a metal sculpture. There are three sessions in this course, and the total cost is $697. No experience is necessary, however, experienced metal workers will have the opportunity to create more advanced pieces. Students should wear closed-toed shoes or boots. Safety glasses and work gloves are provided.
Students based in Chicago can attend a Stone Carving Workshop with self-taught sculptor Jyl Bonaguro. Bonaguro takes a modern approach to carving, leaving some sections of stone untouched so that they resemble natural fragments excavated by archaeologists. In her workshop, students learn how to design, carve, and polish an alabaster sculpture. No experience is necessary, and materials are provided. Tuition is $85.
Virtual Sculpture Classes
Some people learn sculpting by taking a virtual sculpting class. With this format, it is possible to attend from any location with an internet connection. Many students like virtual classes because no commute is required, and they can learn from the comfort of their own homes. Virtual classes are live, just like in-person ones, and students can interact with instructors in real time. They are often less expensive than in-person classes.
However, a downside to learning sculpting virtually is that it can be more difficult to observe techniques through a computer screen. In addition, with a virtual class, students generally need to supply their own materials, while these are often provided with in-person sculpting classes. As a result, virtual sculpting classes may be less popular, and more difficult to find, however, students who want to use this format are likely to find some options.
Grand Central Atelier is based in Queens, New York, and offers a number of online art classes. Portrait Sculpture is a six-week class where learstudents n how to sculpt realistically from a live model. The instructor covers measurements, maintaining clay at home, recycling materials, and sculpting specific features. Personalized critique is also included. Tuition is $495.
The Evanston Art Center in Evanston, Illinois, offers a variety of art classes online, including Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose, Making Sculpture. In this class, students create sculptures out of nontraditional materials. One of the goals of the course is to expand creative boundaries by looking beyond traditional sculpture materials. The class takes place via Zoom, and costs $375. Fishing line and kitchen shears are needed for the first session.
Students who want to learn virtually may also be interested in other types of virtual art classes. For instance, Introduction to Weaving is a virtual class offered by the Chicago Botanic Garden. Over the course of eight sessions, students learn a variety of different weaving techniques such as rya, twining, twill, and basket weave. On the first day of class, the instructor helps students construct their own looms. Tuition for this class is $374.
Sewing is another popular type of virtual class. The New York Sewing Center runs a four-session class called Sewing 101, at a cost of $450. The curriculum includes understanding sewing terminology, reading a commercial pattern, choosing the right fabric, setting in a zipper and waistband, and using different stitches and seam finishes. Students create a drawstring pouch and a skirt or drawstring pants.
Private Group Sculpture Classes
CourseHorse makes it easy to plan a fun and educational group event, with a variety of sculpture classes for private groups. For example, Virtual Clay Hand Building is $75 per person, and can accommodate a large group, of up to 500 people. This class is appropriate for beginners who have never worked with clay before. Participants learn basic pottery techniques, then create a planter or candle holder. All materials are supplied prior to the start of class, including air-dry clay that does not need to be dried in a kiln.
Polymer Clay Jewelry is another sculpting class for groups. This one can also be taken by up to 500 people, and is $85 per person. In this class, participants make customized jewelry out of clay. An instructor covers a variety of techniques, and then students create their own designs, making them as simple, or as complicated, as they want. All materials are supplied before the beginning of the class.
No registration is required in order to book an event through CourseHorse. There are also no booking fees. CourseHorse makes the booking process simple, and sends a class confirmation within twenty-four hours of booking. Further, with the site’s flexible change policy, changes to the total group size can be made up to 72 hours prior to the event, as long as the minimum group size has been met. Minimum sizes vary by class. To receive more information about scheduling a private event, contact CourseHorse.
What Will I Need to Learn Sculpture?
The materials needed to learn sculpture will vary depending on the type of sculpture being learned. In general, though, students need both sculpting materials and tools. For instance, students who plan to work with clay need clay, in addition to clay sculpting tools such as a wire cutter, shaping tools, a needle, and a potter’s rib. In contrast, stone sculptors use a different set of tools and materials such as limestone, chisels, mallets, and hammers. With any paid in-person sculpting class, materials and tools are often provided.
Is it Difficult to Learn Sculpture?
Sculpture can be challenging to learn, since beginning sculptors need to learn techniques and skills that are often unfamiliar, however, with time and practice, most people can learn this form of art. Through a combination of instruction, practice, and perseverance, sculptors can develop the many new skills that are required in this craft. Many people say that one of the biggest challenges in sculpting is learning to visualize three-dimensional forms in space, however, like most other sculpting skills, this comes with time and practice. Sculptors also need to learn to use the tools and materials specific to the type of sculpture they want to specialize in, and for this, they can often benefit from professional instruction.
