Build your own professional animation puppet, at Aardman.
Bring a character idea. Leave with a finished, camera-ready puppet, built alongside the puppet makers who bring Aardman's characters to life.
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- 5 weeks, in person, Monday to Friday
- Aardman Studios, Bristol
- Taught and supported by Aardman puppet makers
- 11 January to 12 February 2027
- ÂŁ3,710
- 20 places
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FROM SKETCH TO SCREEN-READY CHARACTER
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Every Aardman character starts as a drawing and ends as a puppet tough enough to survive months of animation. This course takes you through that whole journey with your own design.
You'll learn how the pros do it: armatures, sculpting, mould making, casting, rigging points, replacement mouths, costume and props. Every stage is taught hands-on, in the studio, by people who do it for a living.
By week five you'll have a finished puppet, a professional portfolio shoot, and the skills to build the next one yourself.
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Payment Plans Available
MEET THE 2026 TUTORS
Led by Will Becher, taught by Aardman's makers
Will's Aardman career began in the model making department, making clay wings for Chicken Run. Twenty-five years later he's an Oscar® and BAFTA nominated director (A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon) and was Supervising Animator on Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. He knows exactly what a puppet needs to survive in front of camera, because he's spent a career animating them.
As the Academy's Stop Motion Lead, Will leads this course from start to finish.
Alongside him, you'll learn from a team of Aardman puppet makers, sculptors, mould makers and costume specialists, the people who build the studio's characters. Each brings their own specialism, so every stage of your puppet is taught by someone who does it for a living.
What You'll Leave With
- Your own finished, professional-quality animation puppet
- Hands-on skills in armature, sculpting, moulding, casting, painting, costume and props
- Professional portfolio photos, shot in our stills cove
- A place at our graduation showcase in the Aardman Atrium
- Contacts and feedback from working Aardman puppet makers
WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR?Â
Puppet Making Professional is for makers who want to build characters to a professional studio standard.
It's a great fit if you're:
- A model maker, sculptor or prop maker moving into stop motion
- An animator who wants to build your own puppets
- A student or graduate aiming for a job in a puppet department
- An illustrator or designer with characters you want to see in three dimensions
You don't need:
- Some making experience is helpful. If you're new, try our Model Making Foundation first.
- Your own tools or materials.
You do need:
- To be 18 or over
- To attend in person, Monday to Friday, for all five weeks in Bristol
- A character idea you'd love to bring to life
Not sure if it's right for you? Come to an Open Day and meet the team.
Accommodation and travel aren't included.
