London Sculpture Workshop

Brilliant experience! Fab tutor, great venue. Full review here: http://flipsidenavigator.com/look-mum-im-grinding-and-welding/
Rachael
First rate course, highly recommend this which is fun and work at the same time.
Tina Culverhouse
Fantastic! Really informative course with an excellent teacher. A full range of equipment was demonstrated with all the info needed for future skill development. And we had great fun learning. I fully recommend the course
Kim
The bronze workshop with Giles at the London Sculpture workshop is absolutely amazing! It is my 4th (maybe 5th) bronze workshop, and I for sure will return! Giles, is not only a great instructor, providing clear and concise directions, but also provides incredible guidance for specific ideas each student has! I highly recommend signing up for this (or any for that matter) workshop at the LSW! 🙌
Loreal
Epic
Rik Bennett
Giles and London sculpture workshop team is extraordinary in both technical knowledge, communication and workshop guidance. I keep returning back to join the bronze casting class because I feel I am keep learning new things and refine to improve all the time. Giles is extremely patient and clear in guidance. Highly recommend the course to people who interested in sculpture to join no matter who artist level it is. The course is friendly to brand new beginners who has not create sculpture before as well.
Yangzi
Excellent course, highly recommended
Robin Ashford
Very good class. excellent teacher. Very attentive, helpful and knowledgable. Will be coming back again.
Marek
Brilliant class, learnt all about the basics of welding, the teacher was super knowledgable and happy to answer questions we had. Would recommend 100%!
Katie
Great introduction to the material (sheet copper sculpture). Knowledgable and very enthusiastic teacher who show a willingness to impart his knowledge, expertise and experience to his students. I got all I wanted from the 4 days and came away knowing a lot more about the material and its sculptural possibilities. Highly recommended the course and tutor for anyone wanting to explore copper sculpture.
Hamish Kemp
Great three hours, Andrew is a great instructor and I wish I could have stayed longer. Learnt so much in such a short period of time.
Glen
Great class, learned a lot!
Alex
A really enjoyable class (intro to welding), excellent tuition and good fun. Would book other classes there too.
John
Really great introduction to welding. Useful tips and information on MIG welding. Came away feeling more confident.
Nick
A great introduction to MIG welding. Andrew was really helpful and I learnt a lot. The London Sculpture Workshop is a brilliant facility - I will be signing up for more courses!
Laura Johnston
The Welding for Artists workshop at the London Sculpture Workshop was one of the best learning experience I've ever had! The space was very well equipped and our trainer Sylvania was very knowledgeable and facilitating. Health and Safety procedures were always adhered to and every question was answered! Having completed the workshop I now feel very confident to continue welding on my own, though I definitely want to book another course to learn more. Very highly recommend!
Jack Oar
It was an excellent workshop. Very informative and detailed especially for the time frame. Highly recommended.
Jag
What a morning I came home on cloud nine Andrew is a fantastic tutor he made you feel at ease and I learnt so much thank you very much I will be recommending you to other people cannot wait for next lesson again thanks to Andrew
Stephen evans
Really fantastic experience and good learning new ways of making. Giles was super helpful.
Tina
Such a brilliant course, Giles is an amazing tutor and creates a really productive, warm and friendly learning environment. I have learned so much over 6 action packed days, casting in alginate, plaster, bronze and then techniques for finishing bronze.
Laura
Really enjoyed it. I am a slow processor, so I found it diffiicult to follow instructions. But this is my disability and no fault of the teacher - he was very good. I have come away with new skills and will cast plaster in the future.
jane
Highly recommended!
D K
The class was fantastic, we covered all the practical and safety essentials of welding, and were encouraged to try out a range of techniques ourselves to get used to the feel of it. The size of the group was great as there was plenty of space for questions, and it was very informative. I'll definitely be going back!
Daisy
Awesome experience. Very hands on. Did more than just welding. Andrew is absolutely fenomenal. New passion unlocked!
Sabin Gheorghiu
Artists welding course for beginners was fantastic! learnt so much! Andrew our mentor, was great and extremely knowedgable! would recommend this class for sure!
James Elliott
Bought for partner, he loved it and built a chair. Highly recommend.
Maria
A fabulous couple of weekends with Robert. Patient and attentive to what each of us wanted to do and learn. I learnt so much and love the work I made. Thank you again LSW
Sam Harvey
Great course. Well explained excellent. Highly recommended
Stephen
What a good tutor. Very clear explanation of the basics, and then lots of time for practical experience, with further help and advice one to one. Thoroughly recommended.
Paul
Great workshop, great tuition, plenty of practical time to take away some skills. Would recommend.
Jack
Class was excellent, learned loads and made some cool stuff. Definitely worth it.
Ioanna
Enjoyable course. Time and content of the course was perfect for a beginner. Highly recommended.
Phil
Very practical based experience. So please don`t be scared. Well equipped workshop with, friendly and knowable staff and environment. Great place for Novice, beginner, intermediate and the like. Prior knowledge is not required. Please have a project in mind, to start, complete. Most of all do what I did. Have fun and enjoy the experience. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Scottie Hunnybunnywoowoo
Loved the workshop, the tutor was super knowledgeable and it was all very well planned. We had tools and protective equipment. Felt like a good introduction to the world of welding metal. I will probably sign up for a longer one, I didn't have too much time to practice. I feel this is normal during these types of workshops, especially introductory ones. Will definitively sign up for more.
Fabio
The course was great. Andrew explained everything very clearly and the studio is amazing. I think the practice time at the end would have been better if everyone had the same task in joining two bits on f metal (I.e. showed how to) rather than free form as I found it difficult how to visualise this without having had a go previously.
Adam
Great workshop! It exceeded my expectation as I got out more than I though I would. The teacher was fantastic.. attentive to questions, detailed in the welding technique and on general metal working tools. You get to practice a fair bit. Will strongly recommend if you would like to get a general feel for welding
Manuel
Exactly what I wanted. Thank you!
Jenny
What a fabulous 3 days. Within the hour of starting we were all melting metal. We rapidly explored cutting, bending, grinding, polishing and mig, and for those who wanted it, stick welds. Silvina is a smooth, confident and cheerful facilitator and she kept us safe and motivated with short team tasks on the first day and individual projects on the following 2 days. It was tiring , but it was the well earnt sort of tiring ! We all left with a 'something we made' that captured the mistakes then successes of our move from novice to welding with so much more confidence. Thank you to all involved
Chris Townsend
Just completed the 6 day bronze casting course which was great fun. The course is hard work but extremely rewarding and I now know the process of bronze casting. I came away with a few small personal pieces of bronze which are each reminders of a great two weekends. I might just enroll again ...........
David Hunter
This course was excellent... the first 3-day weekend was spent getting to know the whole process, the materials, meeting the others artists and their plans for creating bronze cast artwork, and then casting a wax model of your artwork and preparing the pouring and venting tubes. The 2nd 3-day weekend was spent watching bronze being poured, breaking out the bronze sculptures, and finally finishing with cold and hot metal working tools and patina... A wonderful experience that I would definitely do again... thank you !
Dawn
Great teaching, lots of techniques to learn. Best to go with drawings or ideas of what you want to achieve in the two days. Highly recommended.
Tina
Get to grips with the basics of welding in 3 hours. Knowledgable friendly instructor, loads of equipment and very practical and hands on. Also a lot of fun. (and not just for artists)
Chris
Brilliant as always. The focus on individual aims is so helpful and I remain appreciative of the tutoring and facilities at the London Scultpure Workshop.
christina
brilliant class
Mickael
This course was excellent. The tutor got us working safely straight away, and then increased our awareness of Health & Safety as the course went on, rather than starting off with ALL of the H&S things you have to think about when working with metal & machinery & electricity & molten mild steel! Why does that matter - well, because arc welding & angle grinders chucking out sparks & the like can look very intimidating, and this was a great way to build confidence to work safely first, rather than spending a couple of hours on all the H&S considerations, which were brought in as we went along. The tutor always expected more of us, so we would get more out of the course - "Do it again" - so we did. I had had 1 introductory go at welding before, & been a bit timid with it - not after this. Strongly recommend.
Isabelle
The trainer, Silvania, was fantastic. From explaining H&S through to welding skills, grinding tips and ideas for future projects. Lovely Trainer, Lovely group of people on the course. If you are thinking of trying welding, you won’t go wrong with this course.
Anthony Woods
Really great afternoon. Learned an amazing amount in one day. Thanks.
Cally
The short evening class has given me the confidence to use this method to stick bits of metal together. Rather than putting in lots of practice making clean straight welds, we got to be creative and put something together. A great session with the result - a unique sculptural form.
Ben
Excellent as always. Alex Harley is a lovely tutor who was great at inviting an exploration in work with wax. She was able to focus and encourage individual interests and concerns. Having previously found wax extremely tricky, I learnt how to work with wax at different temperatures for different effects. I found the workshop inspiring, energising and fun. Thank you
christina paparestis
Brilliant workshop. Covered all the basics and cake away confident of being able to use a variety of tools and machines. Andrew was fantastic as tutor, knowledgeable, helpful and patient!
Matt
really fun way to spend an evening. great instructor and met some nice people. went away with a hand made clothes hook!
Hector
I had a fabulous 3 days learning with Silvina. We were all different and Silvina allowed us to learn and create our own thing. The guidance and support was perfect. Thank you
Sam Harvey
Brilliant. Attended three day workshop led by Silviana with five other people. At the start I had felt a bit anxious about the welding and using the angle grinder, but left feeling almost like a pro! You get stuck in straight away and it only gets better. Silviana is enthusiastic and cares about you learning and doing well. Food at cafe at Climbing wall was good, as was the Art Cafe although was shut on weekend.
Nicky
Really enjoyed the course and learned a great deal.
Chris
Just completed the 3 day metal work/ welding for artists. Brilliantly run course. I’ve How done 4 courses at this sculpture workshop. This must be the most challenging to run in terms of the equipment used welders, angle grinders, plasma cutters but the tutor handled it extremely well. She was professional, helpful, knowledgeable and her experience shone through. I’ve come away from the course feeling much more confident in welding, much more knowledgeable about the equipment all around, a much greater appreciation of what you can do with the materials and the special character the material brings to sculpture. Really worthwhile course for anyone interested.
Hamish Kemp
Very fun evening and was exactly what I was looking for to improve my dodgy self-taught welding skills!
Matt
Excellent. Very informative
James Roberts
Brilliant course. Learned lots, gained confidence in using the tools and machines, tutor and other learners made a friendly & supportive learning environment. I did it straight after the Wood and Metal Tools workshops, which worked really well for me, as time to reflect, correct, and "normalise" being in a metal workshop, with its noises, smells & hazards!
Isabelle Tracy
Fabulous weekend with a brilliant engaging tutor. Alex has so much to offer students both from her experience as a sculptor and as her experience in teaching.
Claude Lester
Wonderful teaching and lots of hands on time - can't recommend enough!
Lauren
Fantastic 2-day course that left me inspired and feeling confident enough to build my own Enzo Mari furniture, and perhaps start on designs of my own. The course was thoroughly taught by Andrew who covered the basics from types of wood to tools. I really enjoyed the emphasis on quality and craft, and the small class size meant that we got to handle every aspect of the build. We all also had quite a few options in the projects we could choose to build.
Jay Yang
I know LSW well having done many courses here over the years and this is the first time I have been less than satisfied. On repeating this sheet copper course I did choose an ambitious project and was not disuaded at the outset by the new tutor. She was very skilled and helpful indeed but as one who is less well versed in the deployment of LSW's vast range of equipment her students progressed at a slower pace. LSW facilities are still good but I am now weary of a change of tutors.
Anonymous
Good facility, interesting class. I certainly learned the basics. Useful as an intro and we had a practical time to. Worth doing it
Chris
Great course, would totally recommend,
Mike Ballard
An outstanding tutor in Sylvian (probably misspelt). She brought creativity, humour, patience & expertise which allowed our group to get on with learning how to work with all the machinery in the very well-equipped workshop. A tremendous experience!
Kirsty Boazman
Great course, good company, great location with views over the river. Excellent teacher Silvina, personal, helpful and experienced.
Chris Le Bas
Excellent course with lots of one-to-one supervision and support. Recommended!
Judith
Really enjoyed the course. The teacher, Andrew, was great, really knowledgeable, easy to talk to and he explained things really well. Well worth it.
TK
Great short course that covered lots of methods and techniques. Teacher was excellent - professional, clear, helpful and had the right balance between showing you and getting you to do it yourself. Would definitely recommend.
Nick Turner
Great experience !
Sohrab Khan
This was a very useful course, I learned a lot and made a sculpture that I'm very happy with.
Melanie Deegan
Great teacher...will be coming back
Rogers David
Well paced and clear and straightforward introduction to key principles of welding. Andrew knows his stuff well especially the art elements. Recommend this to people wishing to get started on this area.
Jeff M
The course was packed with information and advice from the start. The pace was good too. The instructor was able to answer all questions put to him. After instructions were good as well as thorough. The trainer also took the time to help me understand ARC welding too as I have my late fathers old machine.
Anthony Woods
I'm always impressed with the level of support Giles is able to offer the participants on the bronze casting course. I'm delighted with the bronze I made which would not have been possible without his guidance. I'm truly addicted and will be back again. I find the London Sculpture Workshop an inspiring place!
christina paparestis
I highly recommend this bronze casting course. Excellent tutor and facilties with a great view of the Thames.
Sue Caulfield
Alex lead the workshop with such enormous generosity, encouragement and openness. This coupled with what was just an excellent room of people made for a really uplifting couple of days. I feel inspired to continue what I started having been fuelled with ideas. LSW is one of my most favourite places to spend time.
Charlotte Padgham
I learnt alot, I built an iconic designed chair, with added addition of storage and adjusted leg length for my height! I'm keen to make more stuff and feel so much more confident! Great venue, good amount of equipment, great teacher, good balance of support and independent learning. No waiting for equipment.
Georgie H
Another exceptional workshop!.
Andrea Wright
Well worth the money, the teacher was really engaging with amble time at the end to practice the welds learnt in class. Highly recommended!
Anonymous
Brilliant course. Tutor knowledgeable and experienced - provided right level of support and independence. Projects to suit the individual. Loved it.
Jo Preston
An excellent course that I highly recommend with the workshop being a clean and safe environment. Andrew is a highly skilled tutor who explained everything well. Lots of 1-2-1 help. I learnt so much in 2 days and made my own chair!
Andrea Wright
Exciting location next to the Thames and easier to reach than I had expected. The two-day introductory course to making sculpture from wax fulfilled my expectations and allowed me to make a useful piece. I would have welcomed an opportunity to try out the other two kinds of wax to which we were introduced
James Dunnett
My two days were like being on holiday. I enjoyed the freedom to experiment with guidance. The balance between giving us a basic introduction and then allowing us to work on our own ideas was perfect. The advice and guidance was also spot on. I am hoping to be back soon.
Sam Harvey
London Sculpture Studio is my happy place. This particular course was one I've been trying to find time for for a very long time and I'm so glad I attended. Ben was a brilliant tutor, friendly and very generous with his time and knowledge. Can't wait for open access to start up again.
Charlotte Padgham
Absolutely The Best Thank You Looking forward to more Welding!!
Robert Atwater
Great teaching and practical work
ARINZE AKWIWU
Great morning , highly recommended
Marie Ackers
Andrew lead a fantastic class. Everything explained in a good amount of detail and enough time to practice the skills too. Ace afternoon.
Philip McGrath
I really enjoyed the course. The tutor was knowledgeable and really helpful. It gave me a really good insight into the processes and materials used in plaster and concrete casting. In addition, the different textures and surfaces that can be achieved. I would really recommend the course and look forward to returning. Great to be around and meet new people with similar interests.
Hamish Kemp
An enjoyable and interesting course. Instructor, Ben , was patient and informative. I’d definitely recommend this course for an introduction into moulding and casting
Majella Flower
really good course and full of useful tips and tricks
Claude Lester
I love the courses held at London Sculpture workshop - great facilities, and experienced teachers!
Claude Lester
Total fantastic 2 days on this course. Learnt a huge amount in a very short time and enjoyed every second. The tutor, Andrew, was brilliant helping all the way along with everyone and helping us to realise the pieces we were creating and making sure we got the most out of the course. I would highly recommend this course if you're interested in working in metal and trying out all the machinery and techniques.
Ian Lanksbury
Great session. Super teacher. Fun to be let loose with the tools.
Dan Cobley
Anna was a wonderful tutor and this was a great course to introduce you to the material. We had the opportunity to try many different types of jesmonite and make our own creations with the mould-making materials provided. We were shown different techniques for casting and laminating it, and received extensive handouts to take away too, which are very useful for future reference. I would recommend bringing any silicone moulds you already own as this way I was able to cast quite a lot during the class. I would definitely recommend!
Bethany M
Really good course, a good informative starter into the world of Jesmonite. Anna, the teacher was excellent and showed us some interesting techniques. The obby listing is a little unclear- it doesn’t specify that the course is two days but it was on sat and Sunday 10-4.
Joely Brammer
Learnt a lot about welding techniques and managed to have a go with 3 different types of welding machines as well. Really enjoyed it. Andrew (the tutor) was excellent - explained everything really clearly and very encouraging and friendly. I would highly recommend.
Mike Sharp
My son said the class was professionally run and safe.
I bought the welding class for my son; he enjoyed it very much and learnt how to use a mig welder.
An excellent resource, the afternoon flew by, would love to visit again. Highly recommended.
Bernie France
Fantastik workshop. Learned loads, had a great time.
Mateusz Odrobny
Great experience. Andrew was very helpful and taught us everything we could need for a first time at welding. Would recommend to anyone.
Alex
An enjoyable evening class taught by Andrew. As a basic introduction to welding it was well worth attending.
peter doyle
Great introduction to welding
Euan Major
Fun and educating. I can highly recommend it!
Henrik
Really great course, learned everything I wanted to pick up and more.
Duncan
Very insightful to the welding world, would recommend it to anyone want to try it. Andrew (the teacher) very nice fella who explained things really well and very approachable.
Greg
Really enjoyable day. Felt like I learned lots and really enjoyed the practice. I think it would be awesome as a full day course.
Lisa
The only issue I had with the course was the fire alarm testing going off during a really important demonstration/explanation and it went on and on and on - it was definitely a test rather than an actual fire. It went off twice and was ear piercing. The tutor tried to talk through it but it was impossible to hear or concentrate and was actually painful. He did ask for the test to be cut short - it was obviously working - apparently they wanted to let the alarm test go on for 20 minutes! I suppose I would say don't schedule classes on alarm testing days during alarm testing hours.
Eldi
A really great course - I enjoyed every minute of it and the teacher (Andrew) was amazingly knowledgable and helpful. Highly recommended.
Robert
Great tuition, learned lots and had fun making the Sedia chair.
Christopher
morwenna.lake@gmail.com
Morwenna
very informative and welcoming :)
Sarah
Perfect introduction to sheet copper sculpture. The teacher was great providing just the right level of tuition to ensure competent and safe practice while allowing ample time to work through ideas. The workshop is very well equipped, flooded with natural light and everyone had plenty of room to work. Highly recommended.
Michael
The London Sculpture Workshop is a very special place and the course on bronze casting was brilliant! This is my second bronze course because I am so impressed with what I have managed to achieved on it and it is such good value for money! Giles is a gifted and excellent Tutor managing the diverse needs of the different individuals in our group, all working with different ideas/concepts. I look forward to going again. It’s hard work but wonderful! Thank you!
Christina
With some great teaching/support from Giles, came out of the 6 day course having learnt loads and some pieces that I am very happy with.
Gavin
Fantastic, highly recommended. Giles worked very heard to ensure that all students aspirations were met and everyone ended up with finished work to take home. He's a great teacher and LSW is an invaluable resource.
Liz
Andrew is an incredibly engaging, clear and helpful tutor. Small class size meant that everyone got a decent amount of practice time. I’ll be back!
Charlotte
A really enjoyable weekend - we learnt about the range of waxes available, and a variety techniques including refining the wax, modelling, constructing using heat, creating plaster casts moulds, spot welding armatures and finishing. The teacher was very knowledgeable and helped me to develop my work to suit my own interests. It would have been useful if there had been pigments available to create coloured wax sculptures. I left feeling very inspired and ready to continue exploring!
Rosina
Fantastic course, brilliant tutors, really got to grips with copper, highly recommend it.
Jacqui
A good introduction to the techniques learning the basics. The tutor did a good job and was most helpful in sorting out any difficulties and answering the many questions raised. The course was held on a very hot weekend, so it would have been helpful to have a water dispenser available on site. Also for follow up a list of material suppliers would have saved much time and trouble when sourcing our own raw materials following the introductory course. Generally well worth attending and will return for other courses and use of the workshops Ron Bennett
Ron
I bought this as a gift for my partner and he absolutely loved it. Andrew the teacher was incredibly knowledgable and patient and it was a thoroughly rewarding 2 day workshop. He come away feeling really inspired to work on projects at home. Thank you! Would definitely recommend
Katherine
Teacher was really good. Very nice person. Was taught the basics. But I feel enough info and practical, to set up and practice at Home / a workshop. Would definitely recommend if interested in welding
Philip
This was a great course: as enjoyable as it was instructive. The course content was geared to introduce beginners to the potential of Jesmonite for sculptural use. It covered a range of basic techniques. We were all able to experiment and came away with a set of extremely useful notes for future reference. The tutor was excellent (and charming with it) and paid careful attention to the various interests and objectives of the individuals in the group. The group members were also lovely!
Liz
Had a great day. Would have preferred to have spent more time doing the welding than learning the ins and outs of each machine though.
Deirdre
Great tutor, great bunch of fellow participants & came away with a very usable piece of furniture. Well recommended.
Brett
I found the course really helpful and have come away feeling confident in making a two part cast on my own. Anna was really helpful in answering any questions I had regarding other types of casting techniques and materials.
Amy
Excellent course, knowledge and helpful tutors. Would highly recommend.
Katie
This was a perfect intro to welding. There was enough opportunity to have a go as well as useful guidance on getting started. I now feel confident enough to practice at home.
Owen
Plaster Mould making class with Robert was excellent! Highly recommended !
Victoria
Gave me the confidence to work in copper on my own. You discover how you can manipulate copper, how to cut (using plasma cutter) and how to join pieces (brazing) copper. The first part of day one we made a bowl and this taught us the basics, it was a very good stater activity. Next we could make anything we wanted. I think that it's a good idea to come prepared with some idea of what you want to make as this part was left entirely up to individual. Well stocked workshop. Very good tutor who was patient, very knowledgeable and very helpful. It didn't matter if you wanted to make a garden ornament or a sculpture he facilitated everyone's needs. Really glad I went would highly recommend. Only one negative you get really grubby!
Varvara
The course was fantastic. You're guided through a lot in the 2 days by an expert in the field- from learning about basic woods, furniture styles and dimensions, to wood cutting and assembling a piece of furniture. Highly recommend!
David
Really enjoyed the workshop. Love the freedom to try all the different material and Lauren was a fantastic teacher. Would definitely recommend to others.
Katherine
Very enjoyable course with knowledgeable, friendly and helpful tutor. Loads of jesmonite material to play with and an excellent opportunity to try different variations of the material without having to invest in large quantities initially. I took some small plastic tubs and moulds with me but you can make simple metal moulds at the workshop otherwise. Easy to find - great view of the Thames - free parking and good places for lunch! Came away with much better understanding of the material and lots of ideas. Thanks very much.
Dawn
Definitely worthwhile three days, the tutor Silvina Soria is an exceptionally well qualified artist/sculptor, don’t make the same mistake as I did just take a look at her achievements C/V before attending the course. Met a number of really interesting people on the course. Having stick welded in the past Silvina certainly improved my capabilities and given me confidence to complete a number of metal sculptures in my own workshop. Although the workshop is well-equipped the lack of welfare facilities was disappointing.
Jack
Really enjoyable class was really informative and with plenty of info about owning a MIG welder at home. Was a really lovely space and an excellent place for picking up other skills, I fully intend to come back and learn more skills from the London Sculpture Workshop! I can't recommend this class more, it really was a great experience and really set you up for further learning about welding as well as being just and excellent fun day out. Only issue we had was people struggling to find Unit 0 where the workshop is based, you want to get there easily take the last left on the road into the estate and go behind the art cafe and hug the sea wall, the workshop is right at the end of the row, you're going the right way if there's a giant rusted out ship on your right.
Sinead
Loved the class! It didn't go into too many difficult technical things, and we had 1h to weld different pieces of metal together to get a real feel of the stuff and excellent guidance from the teacher when we got stuck. Small class of only 7 people so it gave everyone a chance to make something. Lovely location as well, it almost felt like you were next to the seaside.
Abi
Really enjoyed it....learned lots....will be doing more sessions to keep my hand in.....instructor was very clear and concise with the info he was giving
Seon
The course was a great introduction into creating silicone moulds with an energetic, and knowledgeable tutor who was really helpful and managed to give her time to all the students. There was an interesting mix of students, including several practicing artists which really brought the course to life. The only improvements I would suggest would be a little more structure to the course and to be give a clearer of the stages of casting at the beginning of the course, so you could plan your time more efficiently.
Sean
A really good class. Hands on & fun!
Adam
Really informative and great, if you’ve never welded anything in your life. Recommend it!
Jamie
Fantastically good. Well paced, lots of information, great practical session at the end, patient and experienced instructor. Really great, highly recommended.
Edmund
Great course. Covered most of the machines available in the workshop. Plenty of input and advice available on projects that people had brought in.
Paul
It was a good beginners course. Could include more of a design element in it.
Aga
Andrew was extremely patient and helpful in guiding me through my project (me being a total beginner). His know-how and experience really impressed me - I wish I can learn more from such courses in future!
Lingnan
Great class! Just enough time to understand the basics of welding but also get stuck in and try my hand at a bit myself. I loved it. Great instruction.
Eta
Perfect introduction. Relaxed atmosphere and small class size made this a really good way to acquaint myself with welding. Great tutor, I loved every minute of this class.
Hazel
What a great course! Learnt so much in just 3 hours. Andrew explained things really well and was on hand all afternoon to help and guide us. Will be doing more courses with him! Really loved it and wasn’t as scared as I thought I’d be being a complete newbie to welding!
Elaine
Very friendly and informative
bernie
Great course, really interesting background and very well taught skills, very happy with the result.
Melanie
It was good, got to use some machinery, learn about the various welds, different joints. Informative and fun, good bunch of class mates too.
Gabriel
Friendly and very informative class will be returning.
Erkin
Great course, learnt a lot Thanks
eleanor
The tutor Lauren was very clear and covered a lot of information in two days. I learned a lot and am confident enough to continue working with Jesmonite on my own!
Yambe
Really enjoyed it, really playful and creative course
lucie
Tutor was very good; most questions were met efficiently. Would have liked more time casting, less time sculpting (wax)
Antonietta
A really enjoyable workshop covering many topics (colouring, using lookalike stone, metal fillers, and quadrelax glass), I felt that I learnt a lot and left feeling very inspired. The tutor was very knowledgeable, and able to suggest ideas to help me develop my work.
Rosina
Good teaching. Generous with the materials. Helpful staff. Only negative comments are: There must be a reason that 5/10 students turned up believing that we would be making our moulds from which to cast something in jesmonite. It was certainly not clear that the only mould making was constructing basic metal forms. There were no handouts. We all took notes but the tutor said that hand outs would be sent to us by email ; none have arrived yet. They would have been useful during the course. I know that the jesmonite info sheets give all the technical stuff but even just a list of suppliers and details of accessories such as the silicon spray and the spray on wax release agent would have been useful. But all in all a very worthwhile course.
John
I enjoyed the course and there were plenty of positives, including: - An abundance of Jesmonite to 'play' with - The tutor had a good range of knowledge/experience with the product and it's ancilliaries - The cafe as the nearby rock climbing facility was excellent - An enviable workshop with loads of equipment and resources - I had a go at alginate modelling which wasn't on the 'curriculum' - The jump right in and do as you please mentality was great for me but maybe not for others? However, the negatives were: - No joining instructions so I didn't have a clue what to do or where to go when I got to the sculpture building. Not even a telephone number. So I stood around trying to figure out what to do until I could get to where I needed to be - by accident - No H&S briefing. At all. Frightening really! - I could and should have brought more moulds. There needs to be more emphasis on this in the course particulars. Although you are able to use the equipment to cut and shape steel, this didn't really appeal to me - Maybe some handouts wouldn't go a miss - A blackboard/whiteboard to write pertinent information on. Especially the tutor's name which I couldn't remember in the class and can't remember now - The surrounding area is quite rough and I felt quite vulnerable on my own so be aware of this in the winter when the nights are darker quicker - Some recommendations of local hotels and restaurants would be good for those who are not local
Wendy
A great course, a great tutor. Thoroughly recommended.
Brett
Good, and I now know understand several techniques for welding or otherwise joining metal together, including several I didn't know existed. The balance of time spent explaining various tools (including power settings on various types of welders) vs the hands-on experience was perhaps just a little too far towards the explaining for my personal learning style. If it wasn't just a 3-hour class this would be ok, and even potentially interesting, but I would say it went just too far beyond what we would need to know for that session, at the expense of hands-on time. I did come away with two practical household items made from scraps - a trivet and an over-the-door coat hook. Neither are lookers (hey, first attempt at MIG welding!) but the engineering is sound and both are now in use at home. Also, perhaps this is sightly nitpicky, but I had real trouble finding a set of coveralls that fit - they were either absolutely tiny (several sizes too small) or literally falling off my body to the point that it was dangerous - even with rolled sleeves & legs I was tripping over the material. I'm a size 12 & 5'4", not exactly unusual! Several other students were broadly similarly sized, so maybe they just got there first, but another few pairs of 'medium' coveralls would help. On balance, a solid 4 stars, and I'm really glad to have found a facility like this in London - odds are very good that I'll be back at some point to create, craft or repair something in metal. The site is fairly remote though only about a 5 min walk from a bus stop with a bunch of buses from Woolrich / North Greenwich, and never felt unsafe, even at night in the dark winter evening. Do note that Citymapper and other mapping providers may show the wrong entry location to the Thames Side Studios, which caused me and others a bit of lost time finding the place! Once you get the right entrance, the directions provided via Obby are fine.
A
This course was more about having access to the workshop, and materials rather than structured learning. You are much more likely to get something from this if you have a clear vision or objective as to what you want to achieve. Teachers were pleasant, helpful and knowledgable and provided loose instruction however I left thinking that I could probably have gained the same level of understanding from a few YouTube videos and from buying some concrete mix and reading the packet. Whilst metal-working was interesting to produce the molds I will find this difficult to replicate at home and would likely resort to more simple materials (e.g. cardboard) to achieve similar ends. Unfortunately, the finished items that I produced are not beautiful nor useful and I didn't really love anything that anyone else on the course produced either. For me it would have been better if the course had more structure for example: if printed course materials were provided; if a latex molds were produced early in day 1 and then re-used with the different concrete materials and that mold were of something that one could make use of (e.g. a plant-pot or pencil holder etc.) if you didn't have an artistic end-game in mind. At least then we would have something useful to show for our efforts and something to remember the different techniques and materials. In summary, the course was a welcome break from the norm but could have been a bit better. It's best suited to artists wanting workshop time and access to materials than a structured learning experience for bored professionals wanting to try something a bit different.
Stuart
It’s was amazing, teaching was individual and well paced font of information. Group size was just right. I learnt so much and loads of material to use. I highly recommend sculpture work shop courses.
julie
Really informative and fun course with plenty of time to experiment with different techniques.
Anonymous
I left the course feeling confident that I can continue to use Jesmonite independently as well as apply it in a wide range of different ways in my practice. Instructor was knowledgable, helpful and informative. We had a series of demonstrations that we could then go away and try out on our own ideas. I came away with a range of exciting and dynamic objects.
Rita
genuinely the most fun I've had in ages! Silvina was everything you would want from a teacher she spent a great deal of time with us both collectively as a group and helping us individually. Silvina had a fun and relaxed approach to the course which set the tone for how the group interacted with each other making the course all the more enjoyable. its only a short course so its impossible to learn everything about welding but i felt that we all walked away with a new skill set and the confidence to develop it further independently. the facilities are great, the location is amazing, parking is free, the food is good. i was thoroughly impressed and I couldn't speak more highly of it.
Simon
Really loved the course and learnt a lot in a fairly short space of time. It was a small enough group that we all got good individual attention. I wish we'd had more time at the end to experiment with casting into the moulds, but the teaching was great. Only thing was that we could have used more rolling pins as the first part of the process was quite slow as we were all sharing materials - perhaps this would have left more time at the end to cast into the moulds.
Anonymous
I really enjoyed the 2 day Casting Plaster and Concrete course, and feel that I learnt a lot in a short time. We made moulds from a variety of materials including sheet metal, clay and wood, and cast-off textured materials (i.e. bubble wrap). There was the opportunity to try a range of materials including plaster, fibrous cement, concrete, and fast-setting concrete. The tutor was knowledgeable, encouraging and inspirational. She took the time to understand my interests, and also made suggestions for experiments to try. The workshop facilities were excellent – but most importantly I feel able to continue working and exploring the material at home.
Rosina
Potentially a good course slightly let down by the Tutors lack of knowledge. He was a stand in as the programmed tutor was unavailable;able at the last minute. He tried hard but was unable to answer a number of queries of mine about casting vessels in Jesmonite. He also recommended an approach that failed - on the other hand we were being experimental so that was not all bad. I'm glad i went.
Rod
Friendly, helpful and fun - for me (male). Less so my girlfriend, who found it quite daunting - but the tutor eventually helped her out with an alternative approach, so she came away satisfied. Its a very basic intro so don't arrive with too much ambition!
Stuart Mackay
I booked the class as a present for my partner who was realyl delighted with the hands on nature of the class and how much he learnt. ,
Ame
The course covered a very complex process in a thorough way over a very short time span, allowing everyone to achieve a finished product. The tutors were knowledgeable and encouraging and the venue well equipped and attractively situated by the Thames although quite a long trek from central London
Louise Rahman
I've done four courses at the LSW - all brilliant - friendly tutors who make the best use of the time to get the techniques learnt and at least one piece of sculpture to take home . The silicone mould making course was in the usual mould of the others I have done - wax, casting in concrete and plaster, pewter casting and bronze casting - tools and materials provided - some materials you have to pay for, enough working space with an absorbing view on the River Thames and all tools provided, pleasant banter and useful background information about the techniques used and where you could learn more.
Richard Garlick
Really enjoyed the day, super keen to get some cheap welding stuff and play at home now too :-D
Claire
It was a very informative and interesting starter class. The venue was clean and accessible (though the entrance was slightly out of the way) and the teacher was really focused on and gave you good individual advice. I really enjoyed it.
Jessica Horwill
I did the 2 days welding course to understand metal and it’s properties. I had an ambitious goal to design a spiral staircase at my flat. The course exceeded all my expectations. Andrew was patient, knowledgeable and very methodical with his teaching. He helped me master the basics in measurements and welding skills. I was so proud that I was able to make a side table (albeit slightly wobbly;) in two days. I would highly recommend anyone thinking of working with metals to learn from Andrew.
Aali
I really enjoyed the welding workshop in the end, at first it was a little scary but our teacher Silvina was very welcoming & reassuring with her style of teaching to make you feel more confident.
Cheryl
Excellent introductionI would have liked more time for construction (rather than casting)It would have been helpful to encourage people to bring moulds with them. And to provide paper towels.
Judith Glynn
I thoroughly enjoyed the bronze casting course. Giles worked extremely hard on all of our behalfs to ensure that we ended up with pieces to be proud of. I have a renewed appreciation for the medium and the time and effort involved in producing bronze artefacts. I will look to attend a further course in the future.
Gillian
Giles, my instructor for the bronze casting course, was brilliant. The atmosphere in the studio was great, and I found the class very enjoyable. Giles is also beyond knowledgeable, being a professional artist himself he has a very good eye and is instinctive about the execution of a design. I would highly recommend this course.
Arthur Lo
This. Was. INCREDIBLE! I was a complete beginner but there were a range of experience levels & they catered for us all. I learnt so many techniques, processes & how to use a range of tools. Everything was hands-on & the teachers put so much energy & expertise into supporting us. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
Jay
This was my first proper experience in woodworking and I really enjoyed it. The course is well organised and is very focused on practical work, which is exactly what I was looking for. Andrew is a very good and experienced teacher, who is helpful with any advice or guidance you need.
Nick
Excellent - fun and informative. Can't wait to try another class at London Sculpture Workshop!
Helen
It was a great class! Lots of fun - some confusion, as the instructor at one point said that the class was in fact 'basics of welding' and not intro for artists... Still, worth the visit.
Margarida
Super fantastic!!
Lesley-Anne
It was an interesting course with lots of ideas on how to use wax of different types. It was almost to full on for only 2 days. Would recommend it for anyone interested in sculptural techniques no matter how experienced you are.
Trevor
The London Sculpture Workshop is a gem of a place I totally recommend! I loved its atmosphere so much I attended all of the short courses they offer. Inspiring tutors – all practising artists, a great variety of classes - from metal work to bronze casting or wood furniture design, in super well equipped workshops. There I met students with very different profiles and objectives, from practising artists willing to upgrade their skill-set or experiment with new processes & materials, to absolute beginners wanting to just “do things with their hands”. They also offer a open access scheme to a versatile metal and wood workshop where you can develop your own creative projects in your own rhythm, once you feel confident to go autonomous. Truly brilliant place!
Emilie
Really good course, learnt a lot and enjoyed exploring with the different mediums. Tutor Lauren was great, really knowledgeable and could ask her anything. Be prepared to make your own moulds and have an idea of what you want to make before you go. Only slight comment is that there was a lacking of basic things like paper towels, other than that, really good workshop.
Keziah
The London Sculpture Workshop is a gem of a place I totally recommend! I loved its atmosphere so much I attended all of the short courses they offer. Inspiring tutors – all practising artists, a great variety of classes - from metal work to bronze casting or wood furniture design, in super well equipped workshops. There I met students with very different profiles and objectives, from practising artists willing to upgrade their skill-set or experiment with new processes & materials, to absolute beginners wanting to just “do things with their hands”. They also offer a open access scheme to a versatile metal and wood workshop where you can develop your own creative projects in your own rhythm, once you feel confident to go autonomous. Truly brilliant place! Emilie
Emilie
Andrew was the best! So knowledgeable and helpful! I didn’t think it would’ve been possible to learn all that I did in such a short space of time and couldn’t believe how well my chair turned out! This course has wet my appetite for woodworking and can’t wait to look at doing some projects at home!
Shelly
Lauren was clear, instructive, serious when she had to be (health and safety issues) and good fun in her teaching method. I really didn't want to leave. I don't know why I left it so long to do one of your courses. Already trawling through the courses to find the next one. Many thanks, Will
Will
Although I do not consider myself to be an artist, I did want to have an expert-led introduction to welding for the purposes of general repairs and new-fixture building, including for a canal boat. The course delivered that very well with excellent theoretical and hands-on aspects. Welding is a practical activity and the course balanced that well with basic theory. I enjoyed the course and felt that it was very good value for money. I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone wishing to get a positive and practical start to welding, how to do it, how to fix basic issues, how to choose a welder for your needs and (not least) how to be safe.
Dave
This was very interesting & enjoyable. All the attendees came away with intriguing artifacts & had a good trial with the techniques & skills involved. No one had done any welding & all got to grips with it. Also a friendly diverse bunch of people & Silvina was an excellent guide. Many thanks.
Ben
Good - lots of information and learnt a lot, but there was quite a bit to do and there were probably a few too many people on the course - there was quite a bit of waiting around .
Adam
Excellent. Perfect balance of theory and hands-on with the emphasis on hands-on. Great tutor who was there when required but not looking over your shoulder all the time. Everyone left with a small creation. Thank you.
Paul
Great!
Laura
Amazing teachers and support in understanding the process of the plaster cast and mound making. Thoroughly enjoyed it! Great facilities! Thank you
Alice
I loved this course. Perfect for a complete beginner (me) or professional artist (everyone else on the course). Was a relaxed and playful space with great teacher and views of the river. Have come away with new skill and 6 castings.
hannah
Definitely worth doing! A great opportunity to learn the technique of welding and practising it whilst creating something. The quality of tuition and support is fantastic.
Hannah
Excellent combination of instruction and time to work on individual projects. Fantastic equipment. Learned a lot
Joanna
Excellent introduction to working with metal - good supply of metal to experiment with and good equipment. Have since joined the London Sculpture Workshop so that I can use the Open-Access facilities.
Nigel
Great experience. I really enjoed it. I would reccomend it
Marcello
Professional friendly inclusive educational workshop even for a complete novice. I even got a slow motion vid clip of me taken while using a mic welding . Andrew was attentive and left us to practise when we got the hang of it and he let me take some photos of his machinery . Would recommend for non-artists like myself.
Wendy
Really good. Andrew went over all types of welding. He gave us a brief safety instruction and how best to use the certain types of welders/techniques. He then let us get on with it. We had lots of scrap metal to practice on and there were lots of welders, so no one was waiting in line. I feel that I can make something now. Thanks!
Hugo
It was very challenging and exciting The tutors did their best to help us achieve as much as possible in the time available
Louise
Great course led by a brilliant tutor, highly recommended
Joe
I had a fantastic time, the course was briliant, Andrew was a great teacher, there were just 4 of us doing the course so felt really looked after. I learnt so much , and came away feeling confident to use all the tools i already have, which i realised i had been using wrong all these years lol. The course was perfect, in that it did not try to teach hundreds of things in the 2 days, but instead focused on basics, the use of tools, the importance and skills needed in measuring etc - and to top it off i came aware with a chair i built - and it looks great if i do say it myself.... i give the class 100%
Jimmy
I had a really great afternoon - and learnt so much in a short time. The session covered Mig, Tigg, Arc and Spot welding, grinding and finishing. A great springboard for planning future ideas and projects.
Rosina
Really enjoyed the course. Lauren was a very good trainer and explained everything clearly and carefully, was happy to answer questions, and go off piste when necessary. Thanks again.
Mark
Very warm and welcoming for a complete beginner. Only downside was five people sharing a welder meant not as much hands on practice as I would have liked.
Anonymous
This was an excellent introduction to welding. Lots of hands on, practical time to get to grips with it all. Would highly recommend anyone interested in trying out welding to give it a go!
Frost
Good course before t not received information email from instructor as promised.
Dacia
An excellent introduction with a good tutor and gave a useful overview of welding methods. Looking forward to doing the full metal fabrication days.
Ruth
Excellent course. A surprising amount covered in three hours. Entirely hands on combined with very good technical information. Great facilities. No improvements to suggest, highly recommended!
Jane
Robert is a patient and helpful tutor. Course covered waste mould s and plaster piece moulds. Small group made it very enjoyable
Julie
Incredible course - perfect way to spend the weekend learning about sculpture, welding and metal fabrication. Thanks so much I will be recommending this course to everyone I know :)
Max
Great class for a total beginner to welding, good balance between tutorial and letting us do out own thing: plenty of safety and background but also just enough time to play with the materials and make a couple of things to take home. Thank you!
Claire
I gave the class to my partner as a birthday gift and he absolutely loved it. As a keen craftsman, he was so excited to try out welding and was not disappointed. The tutor leading the class was so knowledgeable and passionate about his craft, and he came home with three things he had welded! 10/10
Beth
This was an excellent course, the teacher is calm, easy to understand and very encouraging. The workshop is clean, well organised and safe with all the equipment you could need.The course starts out with instruction and quickly moves on to your own experiementation under his watchful eye.
sarah
Brilliant experience! Fab tutor, great venue. Full review here: http://flipsidenavigator.com/look-mum-im-grinding-and-welding/
Rachael
First rate course, highly recommend this which is fun and work at the same time.
Tina Culverhouse

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