Air Dry Clay Techniques Next Steps - Mansfield Central Library - Adult Learning

Ignite your creativity and expand your clay‑making skills with this inspiring Air Dry Clay Progression Course, designed for learners ready to build on their foundational knowledge and explore more advanced sculptural techniques. Taught in a relaxed and supportive environment, this course encourages you to experiment, play and push your creative boundaries as you work on more ambitious clay projects.

Throughout the course, you’ll deepen your understanding of air dry clay by exploring a wide range of intermediate and advanced methods. You’ll learn how to design and create your own textured tools and stamps, experiment with applying clay to mixed‑media surfaces such as bottles and jars, and develop confidence in constructing larger 3D forms using supports and strong joining techniques. As your skills grow, you’ll explore texture, shape and embellishment to create detailed sculptural pieces that reflect your personal style.

A key focus of the course is decorative finishing. You’ll experiment with layered colour, dry brushing, varnishing and other surface techniques to bring depth and character to your creations. By the end of the course, you’ll complete a finished sculptural project that showcases the advanced methods you’ve learned and your growing creative voice.

Whether you’re looking to progress from the beginners’ course, develop a creative hobby further, or challenge yourself with more complex clay work, this course offers an inspiring and inclusive space to grow your confidence and artistic expression.

What you need to bring to the course:

2x Das clay (white)

Cookie cutters round

Texture roller (if possible)

Artecho or gesso white acrylic paint

Clay tools wooden or plastic

Acrylic paint assortment of colours

Apron (optional)

Gloss varnish/sealer (Water based)

Sandpaper

A glass jar with lid

A wine bottle or milk bottle

Various sized polystyrene balls

PVA glue

Funding and Fees

If you receive certain benefits, you may be able to take the course for free.
If money is stopping you from enrolling, please visit our funding page to see what help is available.

Living in England

To book and join one of our courses, you must live in England permanently and either:

• Live inside the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) area (Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire)

or

• Live outside the devolved areas listed below

You cannot enrol if you live in these devolved areas:

• Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)

• Liverpool City Region Combined Authority

• North East Combined Authority

• South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority

• Tees Valley Combined Authority

• West Midlands Combined Authority

• West of England Combined Authority

• West Yorkshire Combined Authority

• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority

• York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

• Hull and East Yorkshire

• Greater Lincolnshire

• Devon and Torbay Combined County Authority

• Cornwall Council

• Lancashire Combined County Authority

• Buckinghamshire Council

Residency Requirements (Additional Information)

If you live in the UK on a visa, we’ll need evidence of your visa to confirm funding. You can upload this when applying, and you’ll need to complete a short questionnaire.

Some exceptions include:

• Your visa must last until after your course ends.

• Asylum seekers must have lived in the UK for at least 6 months while their claim is being processed.

• You are supported by your local authority under Section 23C or 23CA of the Children Act 1989, or under the Care Act 2014.

Anyone who does not meet the funding criteria would need to pay full course fees.