Figure Sculpture Practice vs. Rendered Work: Which One Actually Makes You Better?
Quick sculpting exercises vs. finished, rendered sculptures — what each one teaches you, and why
26 August 2026 Sculpting Tips
Skip to the content If you’re weighing up whether to join one of my in-person workshops or take the online figure sculpting course, you’re not alone — it’s one of the most common questions I get. Both teach the same core skills: structure, gesture, proportion, and anatomy in clay. The real difference comes down to time, depth, and how hands-on you want the experience to be. Here’s how to think about it.
Are intensive and compressed — anywhere from 2 to 5 days, run in Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand, or Sydney in Australia, a couple of times a year. You’re in the studio the whole time, working alongside other students, with me right there guiding you as you go.
Runs over 10 weeks, from wherever you are. There’s no travel, no fixed schedule beyond a weekly catch-up — you work at your own pace, fitting it around your life.
You’ll need to set up your own space and materials, but you’re not on your own for that either — we walk you through exactly what’s needed on the setup page.
Are more about the experience you have over a limited period of time — intense, focused, and immersive. The opportunity to work from a live model is priceless, getting immediate feedback with live demonstrations right in front of you is a rare thing, and the energy of sculpting alongside other students makes it genuinely special.
This surprises people: the online course actually goes deeper, not shallower, than the in-person workshops. With ten weeks instead of a few days, there’s simply more time to cover more — backed by plenty of material to illustrate it all: video tutorials, illustrations, and room to expand into other areas like design and art history. That theoretical-plus-graphical approach makes a real difference in understanding structure, gesture, proportion, and anatomy properly — and lets you revisit and refine as you go, rather than racing against the clock.
Feedback happens live, in real time, as you’re working — I’m walking the room, correcting as you go. You also get to watch me work from scratch, right in front of you, which shows you the actual decisions I’m making as I build a sculpture: what matters, what doesn’t, and how to fix problems as they come up.
My online courses only open a few times a year, because I’m personally helping you through it every step of the way — this isn’t a course where you’re left to figure things out on your own. Feedback comes through email and Zoom, with video corrections on your work as you progress. It’s more considered than in-the-moment feedback, and because the course runs over weeks, your work gets reviewed periodically rather than just once. You’ll also have access to a private group to stay connected with fellow students throughout — you can see their work, learn from it, and feel part of something as you go.
In-person workshops vary by length and location — from around NZ$800 for a 2-day Head Studies workshop in Wellington up to NZ$3,400 for the 5-day Figure workshop in Sydney. The online course is NZ$1200 (with early bird pricing often available), and includes a full year of access to the course content.
In-person workshops require being in — or travelling to — Wellington or Sydney on specific dates. The online course has no location requirement at all; you can join from anywhere, on your own schedule.
Ready to get started?
Quick sculpting exercises vs. finished, rendered sculptures — what each one teaches you, and why
In 2023, I was invited to join the team at Weta Workshop to help build
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