Best sculpting classes: Channel your inner sculptor 

I’ve always been in awe of how skilled artists can sculpt just about anything imaginable from a seemingly simple block of clay.

If you’re anything like me and are constantly on the hunt for new creative hobbies and challenges, you’ll be happy to know that I’ve outlined some of the best online sculpting classes you can start today, each highlighting diverse themes and techniques.

Already an experienced sculptor? Even though this guide is primarily for beginners, many of the sculpting courses listed also cover advanced, specialized techniques and innovative mediums to expand your horizons!

Continue reading to find out how you can get started!

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Best sculpting classes

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced sculptor, here is our lineup of some of the best sculpting classes you can find online today!

Introduction to Clay Figurative Sculpture

Looking for introductory sculpting classes that will explore the basics of hand sculpting? This Domestika course is an excellent place for beginners to start learning!

Taught by Cristina Córdova, throughout almost three hours, you’ll learn the foundations of sculpting a hollow ceramic bust with just your hands and a few basic tools to craft astounding pieces.

Your teacher will cover the fundamentals of the slab-building technique while guiding you through sculpting an upper torso, neck, and head featuring human-like gestures and facial expressions to bring your pieces to life.

And like most Domestika classes, you’ll be putting all these skills to the test by creating your own clay sculpture. This is the perfect course for complete starters getting in touch with this medium for the first time: lessons are detailed and comprehensive.

While the resources required for this course will be easy to access, you will need to gather quite a few to get started. That said, check out the class trailer by clicking below to get an idea of what you’ll need! You can buy this class individually or access it on a monthly/ yearly Domestika Plus subscription.

Sculpting Basics: Modeling Clays & Materials for Mixed Media Sculptures

This sculpting basics class on Skillshare is taught by artist Stephanie Kilgast and is mostly designed for beginners, although it also dives into lots of great techniques for advanced artists. 

Focusing on mixed-media sculpture, your instructor will share over a decade of know-how and advice on materials, tools, and methods. You’ll learn all there is to know about four different types of clay: polymer, air-dry (Stephanie’s favorite), cold porcelain, and epoxy. 

Because some clay types are more challenging to work with than others, you’ll have the chance to learn something new despite your skill level. You can also start with what interests you most and return to the others later; you’ll have the chance to explore each medium as you evolve in the craft!

Stephanie will also show you how to incorporate paper into your sculpting projects through five different activities — one per clay type. 

Skillshare works on a yearly subscription plan, so you’ll have plenty of time to complete this 2.5-hour-long course! Not ready to commit? The platform’s free one-month trial is a great way to enjoy this content and other sculpting classes for $0!

Learn Sculpture – How To Make A Three-Dimensional Piece Clearly And Step By Step

Udemy is another popular platform that showcases a lot of great sculpting classes for all levels and interests. 

This particular course presents Francesca Dalla Benetta (who we will revisit later in a Domestika course) and is the perfect starter class for inexperienced artists interested in everything sculpture!  

Your instructor has curated this class with beginners in mind and goes through the entire process of sculpting a 3D piece modeled in plasticine and clay. It’s ideal for aspiring sculptors who don’t know where to start and will benefit from easy-to-follow, step-by-step lessons from an industry pro. 

Also, it’s over three hours long, making it the perfect choice if you’re looking to master technique and detail vs following a quicker, more project-centered tutorial. Udemy is known for its price-slashing and great deals; click below to check pricing. Once purchased, it’s yours to keep forever!

Paper Mache for Beginners: Sculpt a Colorful Character

Sarah Hand brings a burst of color and imagination to the table with her fun-filled paper mache sculptures. 

As one of the most light-hearted sculpting classes you’ll find on Domestika, this course is a fantastic option for adults and children alike — it’s a great project family and friends can enjoy together! 

Paper mache artist Sarah will show you how to use cheap, simple, everyday household items to make creative, joyful projects. During this course, you’ll learn how to develop unique concepts, sketch ideas, and convey quirky personalities through sculpting techniques. 

Once you’ve mastered these skills, you’ll put them to the test by creating a customized paper-built character you can proudly post on social media, gift a friend, or showcase in your home. 

Playful Woodworking: Create Wooden Art Toys

It’s always been hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that there are people (like actual human beings!) behind toy design and construction. Talk about a dream job!

This Domestika class focuses on building wooden toys from scratch to completion and is taught by woodworkers and toy experts Eduardo Castanheira and Natália Rocha — founders of Popoke Brasil Carpentry Workshop. 

Although this course is set up for beginners, considering the number of materials, access to machinery, and tool mastering required, we believe it’s best suited for more experienced crafters and sculptors aiming to branch out into working with wood. 

Also, since wood is the primary medium used in this class, it’s an excellent option for seasoned woodworkers looking for new projects and challenges to tweak their skills. 

If you are interested in this course but need to learn the basics of woodworking and fundamental tools, we advise checking out our list of the best online woodworking classes for beginners, or more creative woodworking hobbies to further explore the medium!

Clay Portrait: Model a Full-Scale Face

This is your stop if you’re looking for comprehensive sculpting classes! This Domestika class features expert sculptor and teacher Efraïm Rodríguez who will guide you through over seven hours of content on how to replicate three-dimensional subjects with clay.

You’ll learn every single phase of this process: research, sketching, how to mold different mediums such as clay and wood, how to select a model, how to capture human expression, techniques to sculpt specific facial features, and firing.

Know that Adobe Photoshop will play a big part in your final project, so having previous knowledge of this software is crucial. You can always work through your project with paper and pencil, but you’ll miss out on learning some helpful shortcuts and techniques!

Since this course is quite long, feel free to work at your own pace, even if this means one lesson a week! The beauty of Domestika is that it allows you to buy courses individually and keep them forever, so no need to feel pressed for time.

Sculpture: How to Sculpt a Human Head

Sticking with portrait sculpture a bit longer, Udemy also offers this course on how to create three-dimensional faces and busts. 

Once you purchase a course on Udemy, it will be yours forever. That said, this is an ideal option if you have little to no time during the week (especially if you’re a parent to toddlers!) and are looking for an affordable class that will allow you to learn at your own pace. 

Taught by Alex Oliver, a member of the artistic collective VivaArte Estúdio, this course will teach you how to sculpt a realistic-looking human head. This class doesn’t necessarily challenge you to a final project but is more of a follow-along-as-you-learn kind of experience. 

Although this course sticks to the same theme as the Domestika course mentioned above, it is shorter and also happens to be more expensive. Make sure you look into both to see which one best suits your needs. Click below to get a glimpse of what this class has to offer!

Sculpt Characters with Epoxy Modeling Clay

Welcoming back sculpting expert Francesca Dalla Benetta, this Domestika course explores the world of epoxy clay and is a real winner if you’re looking into more specialized, detailed sculpting techniques.

With a background in special effects for TV and film, Francesca will shed some light on sculpting with epoxy clay to achieve impressive, professional-looking projects.

Because epoxy clay is commonly considered a step up from, for example, polymer clay, this introductory class is also the perfect choice for more advanced sculptors wanting to experiment with new mediums, approaches, and methods.

However, if you’re a complete beginner, don’t shy away from this class: there’s something here for every skill level to learn! You’ll also get a thorough supply list and additional resources to support you while you work on your final project: a sculpture of a character with epoxy plasticine.

How To Craft Wire Tree Sculptures With Andy Elliott

Self-taught artist Andy Elliot brings a different kind of swag to sculpting with this unique Udemy class — bonsai tree-sculpting with wire!

During this course, you’ll learn the steps to create a miniature bonsai sculpture, including 18 minutes solely devoted to guidelines on creating a larger model with more intricate details. 

If you’re a sculptor looking to experiment beyond clay, this class is the way to go. It’s also ideal if you’re already familiar with wirework through jewelry-making and mixed-medium projects and want to learn how to incorporate this material into other creative hobbies. 

Because the resources required are pretty cheap and accessible, taking this course is an affordable, enticing opportunity to learn how to make gorgeous pieces for business ventures, personal décor, or gifts. 

It’s also really short, which makes it the perfect match if you’re low on time! For a similar but more comprehensive wire sculpting class, check out this five-hour-long Wiretrees for Beginners and up course on Udemy. 

Building Lifelike Sculptures with LEGO

And just when you thought sculpting couldn’t get any more innovative, here’s proof that it can! This Lego sculpture course on Domestika is the perfect way to take this craft to another level.

With the help of your teacher and toymaker Samuel Hatmaker, you’ll get a taste of the versatility and artistry you can find in one of the most popular creative hobbies: brick building.

In under two hours, you’ll learn how to transform simple Lego blocks (or Lego alternatives!) into striking, one-of-a-kind 3D sculptures. By learning how to approach this classic medium from an artistic angle, you’ll discover the possibilities and how you can create just about anything!

This is the ideal course if you love building with your own two hands and creating incredible pieces from scratch. During this time, you’ll put together a personalized Lego sculpture as you master techniques and apply tips and tricks that will be valuable for future Lego ventures.

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How to choose the best sculpting classes for you

When searching for the best online sculpting classes, it’s useful to take a moment to plan what you want your learning experience to look like before getting started. 

Firstly, find the online learning platform that most resonates with you: Domestika, Skillshare, or Udemy.

While you won’t be able to view the entirety of the sculpting courses below without paying or subscribing, you can have a peek at class trailers through the buttons provided to get a taste of what you can expect.

All three platforms offer great prices, manageable course durations, and easy-to-follow lessons for all skill levels. 

They do, however, differ in other areas, so we advise asking yourself the following: 

• Are these sculpting classes one-off purchases, or do they require a membership to attend?
• Do any of the platforms offer free trials or unlocked content?
• Are mentors tackling materials, themes, and techniques that match your objectives?
• Do the sculpting courses listed include final projects to practice skills learned?
• Can the materials outlined in each course description be easily accessed?
• Are sculpting classes in English? Dubbed? Taught in a foreign language with subtitles?
• Are additional resources provided? 
• Will you have access to course content after completion?
• Are course completion certificates given? 

Remember, these are all important points to go over, but without having the proper materials or tools to work with, very little can be done!

That said, be sure to do some research in advance to confirm you can easily find these at your favorite online art retailer or your local craft store. Each course will outline the materials you need from the start, so you will have some guidance there.

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That’s it for our list of the best sculpting classes online! Do you have any more recommendations? Let everyone know in the comments below!