Cold Porcelain Figurines Course

Lesson 1 • Understanding Color Basics

Introduces color theory as applied to tinting cold porcelain clay and painting finished pieces. Prepares learners for consistent, intentional colour mixing throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Essential Tools and Supplies

Identifies every tool required for figurine making, from sculpting sticks to rolling pins. Learners build a complete starter toolkit before touching clay.

Lesson 3 • Safety and Workspace Hygiene

Covers safe handling of raw materials, adhesives, and paints used in cold porcelain work. Connects proper hygiene to consistent, contamination-free results.

Lesson 1 • Troubleshooting Paste Problems

Diagnoses and corrects the most frequent paste defects: stickiness, graininess, and crumbling. Learners develop judgment to adjust recipes on the fly.

Lesson 2 • Storing and Conditioning Paste

Explains how to wrap, refrigerate, and condition paste to extend its usable life. Proper storage prevents cracking, drying, and bacterial growth.

Lesson 3 • Cooking and Mixing Techniques

Guides learners through stovetop and microwave cooking methods step by step. Proper heat control prevents lumps and ensures a uniform, silky texture.

Lesson 1 • Rolling and Flattening Clay

Teaches even rolling to achieve uniform slabs and sheets of consistent thickness. Uniform thickness is critical for parts that must match in scale.

Lesson 2 • Forming Basic Shapes

Covers spheres, cylinders, cones, and teardrop forms as the building blocks of figurines. Mastery of these shapes accelerates construction of complex figures.

Lesson 3 • Proportion and Scale Fundamentals

Applies basic proportion rules to figurine bodies so parts relate correctly in size. Learners use simple measurement tools to maintain consistent scale across a piece.

Lesson 4 • Joining and Blending Parts

Demonstrates score-and-slip joining adapted for cold porcelain and seamless blending techniques. Strong joins prevent cracking at attachment points during drying.

Lesson 1 • Armature Materials and Selection

Compares aluminum wire, steel wire, and foam core as armature options. Material choice affects flexibility, weight, and compatibility with cold porcelain.

Lesson 2 • Applying Clay Over the Armature

Covers layering cold porcelain over a padded armature without trapping air or creating weak spots. Proper layering technique ensures even drying and structural integrity.

Lesson 3 • Designing the Wire Skeleton

Guides learners through planning and bending a full-body wire skeleton to match a figurine's intended pose. Accurate skeleton design reduces clay waste and rework.

Lesson 1 • Hair and Clothing Textures

Introduces clay-based hair strands and fabric folds to complete the figurine's appearance. Texture tools and layering techniques create realistic visual depth.

Lesson 2 • Sculpting the Head and Face

Builds a head form and places facial features using anatomical landmarks. Correct feature placement creates a believable face rather than a flat, cartoonish result.

Lesson 3 • Sculpting Hands and Fingers

Demonstrates the step-by-step construction of hands with individual fingers at correct proportions. Hands are the most expressive and technically demanding part of a figurine.

Lesson 4 • Sculpting Legs and Feet

Covers leg construction from thigh to foot, including ankle and toe detail. Properly weighted legs ensure the figurine stands or poses without tipping.

Lesson 1 • Sculpting Animal Heads and Faces

Demonstrates species-specific facial features including snouts, beaks, and ears. Each species requires distinct proportional adjustments from the human face approach.

Lesson 2 • Sculpting Paws, Claws, and Wings

Builds paws, claws, hooves, and wings as distinct structural elements. These appendages require specialised tools and joining methods not used in human figurines.

Lesson 3 • Animal Anatomy Essentials

Covers skeletal and muscular structure of common animal subjects such as cats, dogs, and birds. Accurate anatomy prevents stiff, unconvincing animal poses.

Lesson 4 • Designing Fantasy Creatures

Guides learners through combining animal and human elements into original fantasy designs. Creative anatomy must still follow internal logic to appear believable.

Lesson 1 • Sealing and Varnishing

Applies matte, satin, and gloss varnishes to protect finished figurines from moisture and handling. Varnish selection affects the final visual character of the piece.

Lesson 2 • Shading and Highlighting

Teaches wet-on-wet blending, dry brushing, and wash techniques to add depth and dimension. Shading transforms a flat base coat into a three-dimensional visual effect.

Lesson 3 • Base Coating Techniques

Demonstrates applying smooth, even base coats with brushes and sponges. A uniform base coat is the foundation for all subsequent shading and detail work.

Lesson 4 • Preparing the Surface for Paint

Covers sanding, priming, and sealing the dry clay surface before colour application. Proper preparation ensures paint adhesion and prevents peeling or chipping.

Lesson 1 • Multi-Figure Composition Design

Plans and executes scenes with two or more interacting figurines on a shared base. Compositional balance and narrative clarity are the primary design goals.

Lesson 2 • Repairing and Restoring Figurines

Diagnoses and repairs cracks, chips, and broken joins on finished figurines. Restoration skills extend the life of completed work and client pieces.

Lesson 3 • Miniature Accessories and Props

Sculpts small-scale accessories such as furniture, food, and tools to accompany figurines. Miniature work demands precision tools and refined hand control.

Lesson 4 • Scenic Base and Environment Building

Constructs textured bases using cold porcelain, foam, and mixed media to create environmental settings. A well-crafted base elevates the figurine from object to storytelling piece.