DL144 - Certificate Design for Character
This course is currently offered in collaboration with Creative Futures Academy (CFA). CFA is a ground-breaking partnership between: The National College of Art and Design, University College Dublin, and the Institute of Art, Design + Technology. Our tailored programmes and micro courses offer access to expertise and networks across the three leading creative institutions and our industry partners. Learn with us as we experiment, innovate and respond to change.
What is it?
This industry-focused, practice-based course is for people seeking to upskill their design and craft in technical arts for film and performance.
If you work in a props department, art department, or are a freelance-maker for film, theatre or performance you will benefit from this course.
The course will be delivered fully online and will focus on the design and sculpting of characters for screen and performance.
All tools, materials and techniques are to the highest professional and industry standard. You will receive a tool and materials kit for this course.
The course is completely intensive and immersive allowing you to upskill, with excellent training and supervision, into highly lucrative and skilled professional areas.
In this course, you will:
• Learn to sculpt a double size human ear from reference
• Learn to sculpt a double size human eye from reference
• Learn how to sculpt realistic human skin
• Create a 100mm character head, using the above techniques
Students who successfully complete this course will receive a Certificate in Professional Skills for Creative Industries (Level 8 Award, 10 ECTS).
Who is this course for?
You will need some previous experience in design and sculpting for screen and performance.
This is not a course for beginners. You may be a graduate from 3D Design/Modelmaking, Design for Stage and Screen, Art, Animation, or a related discipline.
We welcome people already working in special effects, prop departments, art departments, prosthetics or makeup for screen industries. Additionally, our course will be suitable for people working in other areas of performance design such as spectacle arts and festival arts.
Future Careers
The film industry in Ireland is urgently seeking employees with professional industry standard skills that this course provides.
The skills you will learn – including sculpting, moulding, casting, hair punch, and painting – are directly applicable for jobs in character and creature design, 3D makeup (prosthetics), puppetry, and prop making. These skills are also transferable to other disciplines, for example in visual arts practice and sculpting.
Portfolio Requirements
We would like to hear from you as to why you would like to do this course and your suitability for it. Remember that this is not a beginner’s level course, so you will need to provide some evidence of your previous work and ability.
On the application form, you will be asked to upload a link to your digital portfolio. Please be clear what is yours and what is collaborative work in your portfolio.
Dates + Times
The course will be delivered fully online (Microsoft Teams), every weekday from Monday 29th April to Friday 17th May 2024 (except bank holiday Monday) from 2pm to 6pm.
Fees + Scholarships
Fees for this course in 2024 are €550, subsidised by the Higher Education Authority’s Human Capital Initiative. Check your eligibility HERE
Once offered a place on the course, you will be asked to complete a declaration form to confirm your eligibility.
Fees for those who do not meet the eligibility criteria above are €1,100.
CFA Scholarship
A CFA Scholarship encourages the participation and success of learners from sections of society that are significantly under-represented in higher education by offering a free place in one of our CFA courses and programmes.
Find out if you are eligible to apply HERE
Fill in the CFA@IADT Scholarship application form HERE
Meet our Lecturers
My name is Paul McDonnell and it has been my job for the past 25 years to make characters come to life. It has always been my dream to create believable characters. I have created creatures and characters for the film, TV, Animation and Spectacle arts industries. In this time, I also had the pleasure to teach and share the skills I have learned. If you would like to completely immerse yourself into creating a Hyper-realistic character join us at this course.
For more information on Paul and his work, please visit: