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Course Description

Offered in Fall.

Step into the world of professional digital sculpting and learn how to create characters that do more than look impressive, they tell a story. In this class, students explore the artistic principles behind compelling character design while working with industry-standard tools including ZBrush, Blender, and Maya.

With over 20 years of experience in character design, storytelling, and digital sculpture, instructor John Mahoney guides students through transforming simple ideas into expressive 3D characters. Students learn how gesture, anatomy, design, and personality come together to create believable, dynamic forms that will be optimized for rigging.

Beyond technical skills, the course emphasizes storytelling, emotion, and world-building; the core principles used in film, animation, games, and collectibles. Students sculpt characters in ZBrush and prepare their work for refinement, posing, and presentation in Blender and Maya, gaining experience with real-world production workflows.

By the end of the course, students will complete portfolio-ready character sculptures suitable for college admissions, art schools, and emerging creative careers.

Whether new to digital sculpting or looking to elevate existing skills, this class helps students strengthen design thinking, expand creativity, and build standout portfolio work.

Take your characters, and your portfolio, to the next level.

Learner Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Apply principles of gesture, anatomy, and design to create expressive 3D character sculptures that are optimized for rigging.
  • Use ZBrush to sculpt detailed characters from concept through refinement.
  • Prepare and transfer 3D assets between ZBrush, Blender, and Maya using professional workflows.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of character storytelling through form, pose, and visual design.
  • Refine models for presentation, posing, and rendering in Blender and Maya.
  • Develop portfolio-ready character work suitable for college admissions and creative industry applications.
  • Analyze and iterate on character designs through critique and revision.
  • Apply industry-standard digital sculpting practices used in animation, games, and entertainment design.

Application Instructions

The demand for portfolio development workshops is very high, and you are strongly advised to submit your application materials as soon as possible. Please be advised that in the event a class reaches capacity we will cease reviewing applications, which can happen at any time. Materials submitted after the deadline, or when application reviews are ceased, will be considered only if space remains or becomes available.

Enrollment in this workshop is based on the instructors' review of:

Five examples of your work, which must include:

  • One life drawing of a plant
  • One life drawing of hands
  • One character design
  • Two other work samples of your choosing

Application Notes:

  1. Life drawings are to be drawn with traditional materials (pen/pencil/paper; no color), and are requested so we can evaluate your observational drawing skills. Remember, life drawings are done by observing real items, not drawings from photographs or imagination.
  2. The character design and two other work samples can be anything of your choosing, and are requested so we can get a sense of your creative interests and style.
  3. Don't stress. We're not looking for perfection; we're looking for ability to do the work.

Prerequisites

You must be 14 years old or older to take part in this workshop.
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Enroll Now - Select a section to enroll in

Section Title
Portfolio Development Workshop in Character Sculpting in 3D
Type
ES Online Asynchronous
Dates
Sep 28, 2026 to Nov 27, 2026
Delivery Options
Online-Asynchronous  
Course Fee(s)
Tuition non-credit $1,000.00 or $250.00 deposit Click here to get more information
Potential Discount(s)

Section Notes

THIS COURSE IS ACCESSED THROUGH CANVAS

The Canvas platform provides an instructor-led learning experience. These class sizes are small to facilitate discussion and engagement with your instructor and other students. You have access to recorded content from CalArts instructors and may complete the course work at your own pace with set deadlines. Class sizes are small, allowing students to get to know one another through their artwork, and engage with faculty and peers through discussion boards. The instructor is available to respond to student questions through Canvas messaging.

Most Canvas online courses qualify towards a CalArts Certificate.