Introduction to Clay Figurative Sculpture
A course by Cristina Córdova , Figurative ceramic artist and teacher
Joined May 2019
Explore expression, character, and the human figure to construct a unique clay bust using the slab building technique
Joined May 2019
Body language, movement, and expression are what give life to any structure and the medium of clay gives you the opportunity to explore them. Ceramic artist Cristina Córdova specializes in figurative sculpting, combining ceramic construction techniques with traditional modeling. She plays with both naturalism and abstraction to explore the human figure. Cristina has won several International Association of Art Critics Awards, and her work is part of a number of permanent collections across the US.
In this course she shows you how to hand sculpt a hollow ceramic bust using the slab building technique. Learn the foundations of building a three-dimensional form, and explore anatomy, gesture, and expression to bring your sculpture to life. See how slabs of clay can become a work of true beauty.
What will you learn in this online course?
17 lessons & 11 downloads
- 99% positive reviews (939)
- 26,430 students
- 17 lessons (2h 56m)
- 11 additional resources (3 files)
- Online and at your own pace
- Available on the app
- Audio: English
- English · Spanish · Portuguese · German · French · Italian · Polish · Dutch
- Level: Beginner
- Unlimited access forever
What is this course's project?
Create a hollow ceramic bust, including head, neck and upper torso, through the use of simple patterns and the slab building technique.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is for anyone interested in working with the medium of clay, from beginners in the craft, to sculptors who want to explore hollow construction.
Requirements and materials
No previous experience is needed.
In terms of materials, you will need paper, sculpture clay, a scoring tool, a clay knife, a wire tool, paddle, ribs, and other materials specified by the teacher in the course.
Reviews
Cristina Córdova
A course by Cristina Córdova
Cristina Córdova is a renowned figurative ceramic artist from Puerto Rico. With nearly 20 years of experience, she has dedicated her career to creating clay sculptures that explore the human figure and its various expressions.
After completing her graduate studies in ceramics and a three-year residency at the prestigious Penland School of Craft, Cristina founded Córdova Studios, where she has developed her artistic practice.
Her work is part of the permanent collections of major institutions such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Mint Museum, the Everson Museum, and the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico.
Content
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U1
Introduction
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About Me
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Influences
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U2
Before We Begin
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Materials and Tools
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Preparing Your Workspace
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Printing Templates
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U3
Getting Started
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Making Clay Slabs
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Forming the Neck and Upper Torso
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Forming the Head 1
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Forming the Head 2
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Forming the Head 3
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Assembling Parts into Strong Gestures 1
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Assembling Parts into Strong Gestures 2
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U4
Clarity and Expression
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Refining Shapes 1
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Refining Shapes 2
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Fine Tuning the Surface 1
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Fine Tuning the Surface 2
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Preparing for Firing
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FP
Final project
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Introduction to Clay Figurative Sculpture
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What to expect from a Domestika course
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Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
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Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
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Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
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Certificates
PlusIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
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Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
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Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
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Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
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Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Domestika's courses are online classes that provide you with the tools and skills you need to complete a specific project. Every step of the project combines video lessons with complementary instructional material, so you can learn by doing. Domestika's courses also allow you to share your own projects with the teacher and with other students, creating a dynamic course community.
All courses are 100% online, so once they're published, courses start and finish whenever you want. You set the pace of the class. You can go back to review what interests you most and skip what you already know, ask questions, answer questions, share your projects, and more.
The courses are divided into different units. Each one includes lessons, informational text, tasks, and practice exercises to help you carry out your project step by step, with additional complementary resources and downloads. You'll also have access to an exclusive forum where you can interact with the teacher and with other students, as well as share your work and your course project, creating a community around the course.
You can redeem the course you received by accessing the redeeming page and entering your gift code.
leeanne7
PlusLoved it....have made at least 5 figures from her patterns with alterations......
elaine_walters
PlusWonderful course - gave me the resources and guidance to refine and scale up my sculptures - 100% recommend this course
lpigatto
Tecnicas muy eficientes para esculturas de gran tamaño. Muy practico y recomendable.
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claudia_diazraths
Me encanto el curso y me sirvió para entender varios aspectos de la escultura. Aún no termino totalmente mi escultura falta que se seque .solo quiero dar las gracias a Cristina por la entrega de conocimientos ,estoy encantada y pienso hacer otros proyectos .gracias de todo corazón. desde Chile.
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bungatuffy
PlusThis was an excellent course. The prof shares her skills and techniques clearly and generously giving specific instructions as well as leaving room for individual creativity.