This intensive 10-week course is designed to guide you through the creation of a 1:4 scale figure in oil-based clay, based on a carefully selected pose for the workshop. The program blends a step-by-step approach with theoretical lessons and video demonstrations to ensure a comprehensive learning experience. Students will work from home, following guidance and receiving ongoing feedback and corrections from Javier throughout the course.
You’ll have access to an extensive range of reference materials, including multi-angle photographs, videos, 3D models, and printable scans (if you have access to a printer this could be handy). These resources will remain available to you even after the workshop, providing continued learning opportunities.
The course emphasizes foundational concepts such as body structure, proportions, simplification, geometry, and gesture while extending into anatomy. It’s ideal for anyone looking to strengthen their knowledge—whether you’re a beginner seeking to build confidence and learn effective methods or an experienced sculptor aiming to refine your skills and gain fresh perspectives.
With nearly 30 years of experience in the art and film industries, Javier brings a wealth of expertise to the course. Beginners will appreciate his clear, supportive teaching style, while advanced students will benefit from the intellectual and practical challenges that encourage artistic growth and exploration. The course is structured to take participants through the entire sculpting process—from concept to completion—helping them reach new heights in their craft.
Javier will create his own pieces alongside the students, demonstrating techniques and sharing insights into artistic decisions, philosophies, and creative possibilities. The course also includes discussions on materials, textures, and the work of other artists, providing inspiration and broadening your creative horizons.
Throughout the course, students will submit regular progress photos of their work. These submissions will be reviewed, corrected using Photoshop, and shared in a private Facebook group. This collaborative space fosters a supportive and engaging learning environment, where students can track each other’s progress, ask questions, and participate in discussions that inspire and motivate.
What is included in the course.
References
All the references with pictures, videos, 3D scans + STL files in case you want to print your own material.
PDF
PDF with the theory and references will be available to download.
Guidance
Javier will guide you personally on the progress of your work by email communication and during the meeting via zoom. Videos of your corrections will be sent to you for an easy comprehension.
Community
Students can share their work in a facebook private group so we can all get benefited of the comments and corrections of other students. If you are not on facebook it’s ok, it is not mandatory and it should not affect your learning process.
What is not included in the course.
Material you need
Plasticine
We will be using oil-based clay. You can buy the clay we produce in the studio. This is the same high-quality clay as NSP, but since we make it at home and do not need to import it, it is cheaper. Or, If you are using NSP (Chavant), two blocks of NSP medium grade (1 kg each approx ) will be enough. If you are using Monsterclay, one block of medium grade will be ok, and if you are using any other brand, please get in touch with the studio.
If you want to practice aside by doing other sketches or whatever helps your learning experience, you should have some extra just in case. ( Optional ).
Tools
You can use your sculpting tools; remember, ceramic tools are not ideal for sculpting. Cavers and stainless steel spatulas might be helpful. ( Optional). If you don’t have them yet, look at https://www.tiranti.co.uk/ or https://shop.sculpt.com/. These are some of my favourite shops. The first one is in London and the second one in New York. If you need to make an order, you will be looking at two weeks delivery wait minimum, depending on your location.
Armature
You can build your armature following instructions in the website. Or you can buy our already made stands and armatures.
Note
This course will provide only a summary of the main points for you to learn the head structure. Please check out the head studies online course on our website, if you are interested in learning more about it.
Corrections
The lessons are structured to be followed on a weekly basis. Each week, you’ll submit photos of your work for Javier to review. Feedback will be provided through email, along with a personalized video where Javier explains the necessary adjustments.
Zoom Catch-Up
We’ll have a Zoom catch-up session every second weekend, offering an opportunity for students to ask questions or seek clarification from Javier. If you’re unable to attend the live session, don’t worry—the recording will be uploaded to a folder on the course website for you to access at your convenience.
Time Commitment
The course is designed to require a minimum commitment of 5 to 7 hours per week. For example, this could be divided into three 2-hour sessions or one hour per day. Of course, the more time you can dedicate, the greater your progress will be.
Skill Level
No prior sculpting experience is necessary, though it can be an advantage. If you have a background in drawing, digital sculpting, or basic knowledge of human anatomy, you may find the course easier to follow. Javier will tailor his teaching to suit each student’s skill level, ensuring that everyone achieves meaningful progress.
Sculpture studio © 2025. Javier Murcia.
Developed by Tulpnic.
In-person workshops are scheduled in different places at different times of the year. Most workshops run twice a year in different locations in New Zealand, Auckland being the most demanded of the locations. Australia and Europe are other locations planned to run workshops.
We are setting up a different challenge with a live model changing pose each time. Plenty of material, tutorials and online courses can help you on this journey and keep you connected with the community. To ensure you get this information, sign up for the newsletter.
If you are missing one day out of 2 or 3, we recommend you to wait until there is another chance as you might be missing quite a bit of information and time to do your work. If this is a 5 days workshop it might be ok.
Not really. Simplified figure is the only workshop we have designed to teach the basics of building the human figure so you have enough knowledge to make the most of a model. So, if you are thinking of joining the five days figure workshop with model, this might be good for you, although it is not mandatory.
Not really. The more experience you have the better. Javier Is an experienced sculptor and can adapt to your level whether you are just beginning or you are experienced, whether you are just looking at learning more anatomy or pursuing a more artistic challenge.
The workshops are designed for:
If you want to learn about the human figure, I would suggest you join the Online courses. Why? There is a lot more information Javier can share with you. You can find your time to invest in your learning process. Head studies online is about six weeks course, and the figure online course is about ten weeks. The more hours you put in, the more you will learn; that´s a rule. And finally, it is more personalized as the progress of your work will be reviewed every week by Javier personally.
If you are interested in doing a workshop but you don´t know which one, get in touch and let us know what is that you are looking for and we will help you. Either if you are looking for some good training, knowledge or just living the experience as a hobby, we can help you.
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