

Tom's profile and contact details have been verified by our team
Tom
- Rate R1006
- Response 24h
-
Students16
Number of students Tom has accompanied since joining Superprof
Number of students Tom has accompanied since joining Superprof

R1006/h
1st lesson free
- Art and Design
- Sculpture
University lecturer in automata & mechanical sculpture - Learn online or in the workshop
- Art and Design
- Sculpture
Lesson location
Recommended
Tom is a respected tutor in our community. He is highly recommended for his commitment and the quality of his lessons. A trusted partner on your learning journey.
About Tom
A little bit about my working background - I have given workshops for over twenty five years in schools of all ages and am a qualified secondary level teacher. For five years I was associate lecturer at UAL Wimbledon College of Art in puppetry, animatronics and automata. I also run Meta Props, where I offer a consultant and technical service to artists, fashion designers, even magicians! I and am co founder of Arts Republic, making environmental kinetic sculpture and mechanical collection boxes for museums. Mechanical art has always been a passion in my life, and I have accumulated a huge knowledge and know personally many contemporary makers in both fields.
About the lesson
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Professional
- +1
levels :
Intermediate
Advanced
Professional
Beginner
- English
Languages in which the lesson is available :
English
Whether you're a novice or wish to refine your skills, I offer bespoke tutoring tailored to your unique needs and goals. Come with your idea for the project and be taught in person or online. As a teacher with experience from Primary to University levels I’ve designed the course so that the student can succeed, whether it be an automaton, toy or kinetic sculpture, through a process of simple intuitive stages. In between the tutorials you will receive support on sourcing materials and components, also I’ll send you info about kinetic artists and automata makers that you will learn & I think you might draw inspiration from. The first 30 minute lesson, where we'll speak by phone or Zoom, is free where you can describe your project and ask questions prior to making your booking. Please note teaching in the workshop is usually in two hours sessions. Online it works best in one hour sessions. After session a goal will be set for our next session - if life gets in the way or you’re just not ready for the next step, we can simply reschedule. You will acquire skills, such as silver soldering, metal-work how to make components so saving you money. You can learn just how to automate your piece using motors and Arduinos. With Kinetic Sculpture the mechanism takes centre-stage. It can mean working in a more free-form way but once I’ve interpreted what it is, you want to make, I will ensure you keep you on track to achieve your vision. Part of my profession is as consultant and engineer for artists, fashion designers, dancers and even a magician. Please note that online teaching does require you to have some tools, or access to, such as a drill, bench vice, pliers, hacksaw, hammer and punch - the more you’ve got the better although it is quite possible to make both kinetic art and automata with very basic tools, just look at the work of Alexandre Calder and Jean Tinguely (the Picasso of kinetic art) and what he achieved. Joining in a local Maker or Hack Space can be an excellent way to gain access to extensive workshop equipment. Please note teaching in person at my London workshop is usually in two hours sessions. Online it works best in one hour sessions.
Reviews
All the reviews collected from students are verified by our team. They are therefore reliable and correspond to a real experience with Tom.
Perfect! Tom is a great tutor. He is full of knowledge and knows all the best ways to approach any challenge, be it an overall plan or a small detail that needs addressing.
He has let me learn through doing, whilst being ever interested, helpful and forthcoming with guidance. I could not have achieved as much as I have without him.Perfect! Tom is experienced and understood what I want to achieve. I am looking forward to our first session.
- Roy has demonstrated a great eagerness to learn about kinetic sculpture. An accomplished artist and maker already, I look forward to teaching him in my workshop in LondonTom's response :
Perfect! Tom is super friendly and enthusiastic. He was happy to take on any challenge and made me feel comfortable entering the world of mechanics. Would highly recommend
- Ruby is talented, a real go-getter and nice to boot. I wish her well with her projectsTom's response :
Excellent! Tom is a very helpful teacher, encouraging and knowledgeable. He explains concepts well and has a broad knowledge of lots of different technical and artistic processes , so very useful help to work out how to take my projects forward.
- Jenny is a highly motivated and creative student and has been a pleasure to teach. She has grasped the methodology of mechanism development extremely well Once she has a few under her belt I envisage great creativity from her.Tom's response :
See more reviews
Recommendations
Recommendations are written by the tutor's friends, family, and acquaintances.
Tom is a very enthusiastic teacher with a great knowledge of all things creative. He is extremely patient which really encourages his students to thoroughly understand the subject. I really appreciated how determined he was to help solve certain problems I came across. He was a huge help to me and I really did learn a great deal.
I have been taught by Tom on a number of occasions and had the pleasure of working with him too. His broad knowledge of the subject is always incredibly helpful; both conceptually and practically. He has consistently gone out of his own way to help me with various projects, far beyond the call of duty.
Tom is a brilliant tutor and has taught specialist animatronic courses to my students at UAL Wimbledon for at least the last ten years. He is a kind considerate tutor with a fantastic professional career which runs alongside his teaching commitments.
See more recommendations
Rates
Rate
- R1006
Package rates
- 5h: R5032
- 10h: R10063
online
- R1006/h
free lesson
The free first lesson with Tom allows you to get to know the tutor and discuss your needs and expectations.
- 30min
Details
The first 30 minute meeting on the phone is free. In between lessons you will receive full support on sourcing materials and components, also I’ll send you information about kinetic artists and automata makers that I think you might draw inspiration from. On signing up you will receive a data sheet about my unique ‘Sketch Model’ methodology and the best books on automata making, also where you can see automata and kinetic art in action - perhaps near you.
Tom's video
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