Character Sculpting & 3D Pattern Making

A hands-on two-day course teaching clay character sculpting and 3D pattern making for lightweight, durable puppets and props.

This practical two-day workshop will guide you through the process of transforming a design into a three-dimensional sculpture and developing a 3D pattern from your sculpt. We’ll focus on creating a puppet head using Worbla—a non-toxic thermoplastic widely used in the prop-making industry.

By the end of the course, you’ll have gained a strong foundation in three-dimensional making and the technical skills needed to construct lightweight, durable puppet heads.

Programme

Tuesday 24th February — 7–8pm Puppet Design (Online) Saturday 28th February — 10am–4pm Hands-on Making @ Puppet Place Sunday 1st March — 10am–4pm Hands-on Making @ Puppet Place

You Will Learn How To:

• Take accurate, to-scale measurements from your design
• Translate a 2D drawing into a 3D sculpt
• Work confidently with clay
• Create a 3D pattern from a sculpt
• Use Worbla sheet material effectively
  

Who’s It For?

This workshop is open to people at any stage of their career and is ideal for prop and puppet makers looking to expand their skill set. 3D pattern making is an invaluable technique when creating lightweight yet strong puppets and props. You’ll learn industry-standard making methods, making this course perfect for anyone seeking to develop their professional practice.

Who Am I?

With a background in theatre and live events, I have been building puppets, props, and sets for over 11 years. After training as a puppet maker and puppeteer at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2012, I went on to work freelance with a wide range of clients — from Handspring’s War Horse to creating character costumes for pantomimes at the London Palladium.

I later founded my company, Paper Jungle, which specialises in highly crafted puppets that bring stories to life. Alongside this, I continued my training as a 3D designer while completing an MA at the University of the West of England. I remain continually fascinated by the power of puppets to capture emotion and transform imaginations.

Follow me on Instagram HERE

See more of my work HERE

Where?

The workshop takes place at Puppet Place, the home of puppetry in the South West, located in the heart of Bristol. You’ll be working alongside the studios of leading puppet makers.