Sculpting the Human Torso with Valentina Zlatarova

Tutor: Valentina Zlatarova
Date: Monday 6 – Friday 10 July 2026
Time(s): 10.00 – 16:00 
Location: Messums Studios, Chilmark, SP3 5DU
 
Course Fee: £583.33+VAT (Total Fee: £700) *
 
Please bring: photographs of your subject material, notebook, packed lunch, apron, sensible footwear.
Tea and coffee will be provided.
 *Studio will add a firing charge according to the volume and firing processes selected.
 
Discover the art of sculpting the human torso in this 5-day hands-on workshop. With two days working from a life model and two days focused on studio practice without the model, participants will  learn observation, how to build structure and rhythm, and how to bring life to the surface of their sculpture. We will touch upon topics like composition, anatomy, and art history. We finish by hollowing and preparing the piece for firing. All levels welcome!
 
The week schedule:
Day 1 
No model. Establishing important anatomical landmarks and starting to block in of ribcage, pelvis, and spine. Short demo on the process of blocking-in the main masses of the torso.
Day2
Getting familiar with working from the model, building the main masses of the muscles in place, and repositioning our work from day 1, if needed.
Day3
Working with the model to model form and fix our work from the previous day, taking sculptural notes to prepare us for sculpting without the model. Torso as a composition, short slides presentation.
Day 4
No model. Modelling form and finishing touches, taking pictures, and preparing for hollowing.
Day 5
No model. Finishing touches, hollowing and re-assembling.
 
Valentina Zlatarova is a Bulgarian-born artist. She attended art school at the age of 13, in her hometown of Plovdiv, where she specialised in sculpture. In 2004 she was accepted at The Florence Academy Art's Sculpture programme, where in her last year of study she was offered a teaching position.  Since 2007 Valentina has been teaching in Europe, Asia, and Indonesia both in private academies and public universities such as The Florence Academy of Art, The Art Academy London, Barcelona Academy of Art, La Salle University, Gaya Ceramics Bali and many more. Valentina’s work has been well recognised and has received several awards for her sculptures including the Founder's Sculpture Prize, and has twice been awarded the Tiranti prize for young artists. Her primary interest has always been the human form, working from life and using natural sustainable materials.