Clay sculpture: portrait head

What is the course about?

The course is about developing skills in seeing and understanding three dimensional form by studying the life figure and portrait.

What will we cover?

Focussing on the portrait, the course will concentrate on one model and give you the chance to spend the term advancing your skills and getting to grips with portraiture.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Make a suitable armature for a portrait head
- Understand the use of some of the muscles in the face
- Use clay effectively to enhance the mood and character of a portrait head
- Prepare the head for firing.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

All ability levels are welcome.

You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions to support demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. You will be invited to take part in group discussion. You should be able to use numbers and be able to do simple measurements and calculations.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Life modelling will be taught mainly on an individual basis, with group discussion on major topics concerned with life modelling. The emphasis will be on practice with guidance.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Materials and Equipment

All materials required for the course are provided.

Please bring a sketchbook, pencils, and a pen for sketching and note-taking. A camera or smartphone is also useful for documenting your work throughout the course.

What to Wear

For safety reasons, please wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes—no sandals or open-toed footwear. We also recommend wearing old clothes or overalls, as some materials may stain or damage fabric.

Health and Safety

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be provided and must be worn where required. This includes items such as facemasks when working with materials that may produce dust or fine particles.

Firing and Collection of Work

At the end of the course, your clay sculpture will be fired to transform it into ceramic. As the work must be completely dry before firing, this process can take several weeks.

Near the end of the course, your tutor will let you know the dates and times for collecting your finished sculpture from the studio. Please note that fired sculptures can be quite heavy, and City Lit is unable to post or deliver completed work.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

The City Lit sculpture department offers a wide range of exciting courses that will allow you to progress from beginner to advanced and learn a range of techniques. After this course, you may wish to join a similar course to develop your skills further or try something completely different. We offer courses in prop making, metal, clay, carving in stone and wood, mould making and casting, and much more! Alternatively, you may wish to progress onto the year-long City Lit Sculpture course VU841, which helps you build your individual sculpture practice.

Please ask your tutor for advice, browse the City Lit website for inspiration, or contact our visual arts team by emailing visualarts@citylit.ac.uk or calling 0203 880 2415 Monday - Friday, 11 am - 4 pm. 

The in-person information desk (at our Keeley Street campus) is open Monday - Friday from 12 pm - 1:55 pm & 3 pm - 5 pm. In-person enrolment is supported Monday - Friday from 10:30 am -12 pm & 3 pm -5 pm. General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday between 12:00 - 13:55 & 15:00 - 17:00. In-person enrolment is supported Monday - Friday between 10:30 - 12:00 & 15:00 - 17:00