The Drop Out Technique for Vessels and Sculpture 4hr Course

Whether you’re looking to learn the drop out process from scratch or build confidence in thinking outside the box in your vessel or sculpture making, this course will cover everything from design considerations, mould-making, kiln-set up and firing considerations for vessels from 5cm tall to 50cm tall. You will also discover kiln set-up processes that encourage new ways of thinking, opening the door to the drop-out process becoming a sculpture forming technique.

Key learning areas:

• Design processes that utilise the unique capacity has to stretch and elongate using this process, where to place your colour and pattern for the most dynamic results with a look at useful techniques including strip cut construction and powder pebbles.

• How to create your own moulds using Silkemat, including organic/uniform nesting moulds that allow you to easily create cohesive collections using unique shapes in varied sizes that can be stacked or sit inside each other.

• Bespoke kiln-set up techniques that allow the largest artworks possible to be made safely in your kiln, angled set-ups for intentional un-even dropping and how to support larger moulds up to 60cm diameter.

• How to make your own confetti designs using the drop out process.

• Firing guides that allow you to safely and effectively create drop-outs from 5cm tall to 50cm tall and beyond. We will look at this closely, so that you understand why schedule decisions have been made and how you can experiment with this for bespoke future projects.

• Introduction to cold-working for drop outs - by hand and with machines - from raw-cut edge to cerium polished gloss finish.

This will be a busy session of demos and discussion. You don’t need to buy any materials ahead of the course. Rather, you can gain all of the information from the course and decide what you would like to try afterwards. You will also receive my comprehensive written notes that you can take notes on and refer back to after the course. I will record the course, and you will be able to watch this back for one month afterwards.

The course will be interactive and limited to ten students to ensure you have time to ask any questions you have and there will be opportunities for discussion throughout. You will have the opportunity to discuss your initial ideas and get advice and feedback.

Suitable for those with existing fusing experience, this is not a beginner course.

This course will be hosted on Zoom. I will email you one week prior to the course date with your course notes and you will receive your Zoom link two days ahead of the course. There will be two 15 minute breaks during the course.

Materials are not included.

Please note courses run on London time.