Frequently Asked Questions

Are the courses live (i.e. do I have to attend lessons at a particular time)?
No. Each course consists of recorded videos, that you can watch whenever you want, and as many times as you would like. People often write to me and ask if I have ‘raw footage’ of the entire process of me sculpting a head. This isn’t practical, as it would mean recording literally weeks worth of footage, and would not actually be helpful, as progress is very slow in real time. We have tried to make the videos as close to possible to the experience of being in the studio with me. There are also downloadable notes for accompanying the videos as well as reference photographs, illustrations and charts.
What language is used in the courses? Are there any translations?
At the moment, we have only published English language versions of each course. We have tried to make it as accessible as possible for people to do their own translations (e.g. using Google translate). All the videos will have the option for English written subtitles on screen. These are also available as plain text transcripts so that you can Google Translate them into your language of choice to support your understanding. Similarly, it should be possible to cut-and-paste the text from the downloadable notes that come as PDFs.
Does the cost of the sculpting courses (e.g. Strong Foundations) include any critiques of my work?
No. We have designed the courses for you to learn at home on your own, at your own pace. The purchase price does not include any personal feedback. Amelia would love to see your finished artworks if you send a photo, but she will not be giving detailed feedback.

What clay should I use? (What clay does Amelia use?)
Amelia uses a water-based modelling clay in the course. This is the clay she always uses when sculpting life-size portraits. This is a question that gets asked frequently. It's not important what brand of clay you use, any water-based modelling clay will be fine. If you want to take your sculpt to a smooth finish, just make sure you get clay that doesn’t have a gritty texture.
Will I be able to keep my finished sculpt and paint it, or fire it in a kiln?
No - not if you use water-based modelling clay. When working with water-based clay sculpted onto a metal armature, you will need to make a mould and cast a finished sculpture from this in a permanent material such as plaster or resin. The clay will eventually dry out and crack unless kept damp, and cannot be painted. You can’t fire a clay sculpt with a metal armature inside in a kiln, and it is not possible to remove the armature after sculpting with this method. Air-drying clay sculpted onto a metal armature will also crack eventually, This is because clay shrinks as it dries out, so air-drying clay works only for sculpting methods without an armature. When learning to sculpt, we'd recommend that you don’t worry about moulding and casting. You can photograph your finished portrait, and then strip back your armature and sculpt another! It is only with repetition that you will master achieving a likeness.
Does the portrait course (Strong Foundations) include any explanation of how to use a grid and a cut-out profile?
You may have seen videos of Amelia sculpting from researched photographic reference, where she measures off a gridded photograph and cut-out profile. This is not the technique demonstrated in Strong Foundations. This is an advanced technique that is useful when sculpting people with limited reference pictures and a strict deadline.It isn’t the best way to learn. To become a better sculptor, you must train your eye to see accurately. Measurements are a useful tool, but they are not always reliable. The aim is to get to a point where you trust your own judgement above all else. In this course you will be modelling the profile by eye. There are no short-cuts to learning to see better. You must push yourself or you are not improving.

Do I need a good internet connection to access the courses?
Yes. The course website will be accessible via your password log in. Then you will need an internet connection for the site to work. If you are unsure if your internet connection is strong enough to access the videos, please try the free sections before purchasing.
Will I be able to access the courses from my country?
If you are able to watch the free course content available on the website it should be fine.
Is it possible to pay for the courses in instalments?
No. Unfortunately we are not able to offer this as an option.

Does Amelia offer live workshops, where she teaches in person?
Currently Amelia is unable to offer face-to-face instruction. She is too busy working full time as a freelance sculptor. This may change in the future. Keep an eye on Amelia's website and social media pages for any updates.
How long does my course access last? (Can I look back over ‘completed’ sections?)
Your course access username and password will not expire, so you can revisit the course as often as you like (subject to T&Cs). There is no time limit. Marking sections as complete will help you to keep track of which videos you've watched, but will not restrict you accessing them again. You can choose to re-mark them as 'incomplete' if you would like.
Your sculpt is life-size. I would like to make a portrait at a different scale, will Strong Foundations help me with that?
The focus of the course Strong Foundations is on training your eye to see shapes, so that you can create an accurate likeness of a model from life or photographs. You can use our photographic reference images to sculpt Layla or apply the method to sculpting a model of your own. The principles apply whatever scale you choose for your portrait - it is simply a case of enlarging or reducing the measurements to match.

Does the course Useful Anatomy include any sculpting instruction?
No, we have designed the Useful Anatomy course to be of value to all figurative artists who want to learn more about the human body. We are currently developing full figure sculpting courses, using the same life models. Useful Anatomy will be recommended as essential background. Each course takes us at least a year to produce, so keep an eye on the website for updates!
Useful Anatomy contains nude images, is it suitable for under 18s?
As per our T&Cs we require all learners to be of majority age in their country of residence. The course contains nude images of professional life models for the purposes of demonstrating anatomy only.
I have a different question, how do I get in touch?
Please email us at: [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

I have very little experience of figurative sculpting. What order should I take the courses? Will I need to have completed any of them, before taking another one?
Each course is self contained. It is not essential to take any of them before another. However, we would recommend taking them in this order: Strong Foundations, Useful Anatomy, Standing Strong.
I’m a professional/experienced sculptor. What can these courses offer me?
We have had many professional sculptors take our courses and found them very helpful. We designed them to suit any level of experience, as the focus is on improving both your eye, and your anatomical knowledge. Similarly, it should be possible to cut-and-paste the text from the downloadable notes that come as PDFs.
I have sculpted from a live model before, but I have never worked from photos. Is this going to be a problem?
No. Working from photos is an extremely useful skill, whether you choose to work exclusively from photo reference, or in addition to live modelling sessions, being able to work from photos can not only save you money in model fees, but can open up the opportunity to create dynamic poses that a model may not be able to hold for long periods. In both the portrait and figure sculpting courses, I show you how to photograph and measure a model, and provide a full set of reference, so you can sculpt along with me at home, or apply the method to your own model. We also provide downloadable blank measurement charts for you to use on subsequent projects.

Your dog is unbelievably cute. What breed is she?
Yes, Beryl Verrall is the best dog in the world. She is a small Golden Doodle (half standard Golden Doodle, half miniature poodle).
Will I be able to keep my finished sculpt and paint it, or fire it in a kiln?
No - not if you use water-based modelling clay. When working with water-based clay sculpted onto a metal armature, you will need to make a mould and cast a finished sculpture from this in a permanent material such as plaster or resin. The clay will eventually dry out and crack unless kept damp, and cannot be painted. You can’t fire a clay sculpt with a metal armature inside in a kiln, and it is not possible to remove the armature after sculpting with this method. Air-drying clay sculpted onto a metal armature will also crack eventually, This is because clay shrinks as it dries out, so air-drying clay works only for sculpting methods without an armature. When learning to sculpt, we'd recommend that you don’t worry about moulding and casting. You can photograph your finished portrait, and then strip back your armature and sculpt another! It is only with repetition that you will master achieving a likeness.
I don’t speak English. I know you have English subtitles and transcripts for all the videos, but direct translations from speech can be difficult to understand. Is there another way I can translate the videos to my language?
Each video has a downloadable pdf, where I explain exactly what is happening in each lesson. These are grammatically correct and will be more accurate to use with a translating site such as google translate.

Do you show how to hollow out a clay sculpture, for firing in a kiln, in your courses?
No, I do not work this way. Both the portrait and the figure sculpting courses are focussed on the process of sculpting accurately, and improving your eye. If you want to keep your sculpture at the end it will need to be moulded and cast in a permanent material such as plaster, resin or bronze. I do not teach moulding and casting, as it is not my field of expertise. You will find there are many free videos on youtube covering these processes, or alternatively you could try searching for a local mould maker or foundry who can make a cast for you.
I don’t know how much the course is in my currency, can you tell me?
The course prices are stated in British Pounds, as this is our currency. You can google ‘How much is X British pounds in X currency’ and it will tell you the answer.
I would like to come and work with you in your studio, and learn from you in this way. Is this possible?
No. I created these online courses so that you can learn all my techniques from wherever you are in the world. I am a jobbing, self-employed sculptor and I work alone in my studio. I do not have work for anyone but myself.
Do you take private commissions? I would like a portrait/ figure sculpture of a celebrity/relative.
No. I do work as a commercial sculptor a lot of the time, but only for large organisations such as wax museums, or film productions.
I am a teacher. Can my school/college get a discount for buying multiple courses for our students?
Yes. We offer a 30% discount on the full price of courses, if you are purchasing 10 or more. Please contact us directly for further information
I am a teacher. Can I buy one course and use this to teach an entire class?
No. Each purchase is for a single user (with unlimited access after purchase).