The Heatherley Diploma in Figurative Sculpture offers a balance between the traditional skills and techniques of sculpture and the contemporary applications of figurative subject matter. The aim of the course is to give students a vocabulary of sculptural ideas that will enable them to develop their own programme of work by the end of the course.

Portrait sculpture and the objective study of the anatomy of the human figure will form the foundation of the first part of the course. There will be an emphasis on modelling and casting techniques along with the introduction of other basic skills. The importance of drawing will be stressed throughout.

Visiting lecturers include members of The Royal Society of British Sculptors and The Society of Portrait Sculptors who also act as external assessors for the course.

Students will relate their work to a context of historical and contemporary practice of sculpture by means of a background of lectures, seminars and gallery visits. By the end of the first year students will have completed a series of projects introducing them to fundamental techniques necessary for the development of personal creativity. Throughout the second year, students are encouraged to develop and enrich a personal visual language. The challenging of assumptions about the physical world in which we live, the recognition of the power of an interior world of the imagination and the need to develop a means of communication are the driving forces of this part of the course. Students continue to receive specialised instruction in technical processes, including welding and carving in wood and stone, and to develop a personal sensibility in relation to the nature of materials.

Assessment and Tuition
There are two assessment stages during the course with the award of the Heatherley Diploma in Figurative Sculpture on the basis of a satisfactory final assessment at the end of the second year.

Admission Requirements
Applicants should be highly self-motivated and are asked to bring a portfolio of recent work for an interview. As well as examples of three dimensional work, there should also be evidence of drawing ability and an awareness of contemporary art and design issues. Whilst completion of an art foundation course is desirable, a sustained commitment to non-vocational classes and courses would also be regarded as acceptable experience.

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