Introduction to Copper Automata

Build your first working automata in this practical and creative 2-day course.

Key details

Location

Falmouth Campus

Course duration

2 days

Course overview

Start with a creative idea and end by finishing your first beautiful working automata on this intensive and practical 2-day course run by Esther Smith, a professional automata-maker based in Falmouth.

We’ll teach you how to work with copper and a variety of other materials to create a story in a small metal world. Your work will be created by hand, working in a small group in our well-equipped metalworking workshop.

All materials you’ll need are included, and you’ll leave with your unique working automata.

Tuition fees per individual: £395

Location: Metalworking workshop, Falmouth campus

Duration: 2 days

How to apply

See course dates below that are available to book.

Upcoming courses

A group photo of copper automata made by Esther Smith

Copper Automata by Esther Smith

Tue 02 Sep 2025

2-day course | 2nd - 3rd September | £395

Introduction to Copper Automata

In-person

Start with a creative idea and end by finishing your first beautiful working automata on this intens...

Introduction to Copper Automata

If no upcoming Short Courses are displayed above, get in touch with us for more information.

Course details

This is a 2-day course based in our fantastic 3d metalworking workshop on our Falmouth campus. Falmouth town has a long history as a centre for automata makers and continues to be an important nucleus of contemporary automata makers. We’ll start with an introduction to the fascinating history of automata, framed by this local lens.

Bring your ideas and prepare to get creative as we support you to devise a story for your automata to tell, and explore what’s possible within the 2 days of this course.

We’ll then get straight into the details, learning about the basic mechanisms and the fundamental techniques you’ll need to work with copper and other materials. There’ll be time for experimentation as you develop these foundational skills.

Through a series of guided workshops you’ll then be supported to explore how these materials can be combined with movement, using a variety of mechanisms, to tell your story and enact a short narrative.

By the end of the course, you’ll have created your own working automaton that you can take home to enjoy as a finished piece, or continue working on following the course.

This course is run by Esther Smith, a senior Technician at Falmouth. Outside of her work at Falmouth, Esther is a professional automata maker. Originally trained in jewellery and silversmithing, she took the leap from jewellery to automata making in 2014 and works primarily with copper, silver and brass. Her automata are stocked in galleries across the UK.

All the materials you’ll need are included in this course; and tea and coffee is provided each day. Please bring a packed lunch with you.

On this course, you will:

Design an automata within the scope of the materials and methods offered
Cut and finish copper motifs from paper templates
Construct a supportive box or miniature theatre for your automata in wood or metal
Engineer a mechanism to give your automata movement
Add decorative finishes to your metal

Introduction to Copper Automata

Course leader: Esther Smith

Esther is a Cornish based automata maker. She uses traditional metalworking techniques to make her pieces including patination and enamelling to infuse copper and brass with colour.

Esther’s inspiration is storytelling. She snips, saws and files characters including animals, boats, trees and flowers – anything that can be drawn as a silhouette and applied to metal. Each piece plays a vital part in the story. The mechanical aspect of automata brings a magical element of movement to the story and serves to enchant those who turn the handles.

Esther grew up on the north coast of Scotland and now lives in south Cornwall. The surroundings, wildlife, myths and tales of both places feed into her work, giving her great scope to produce a wealth of different pieces.

Originally Esther trained as a jeweller at Birmingham’s School of Jewellery. She has many years of teaching experience as well as years of experience in running her own workshop.

How you'll learn

This is a creative and hands-on course where you’ll learn via a series of practical taught sessions. You will work with copper and brass with the possibility of adding wooden elements. No previous experience is necessary as all techniques will be demonstrated and supported throughout the 2 day course.

Who is this course for

You might be a creative inventor or an artist looking to broaden your practice, or someone interested in gaining knowledge of working creatively with metals. No previous specific experience is necessary as all techniques will be demonstrated and supported throughout the course. Please note that to get the most out of the course you'll need to have basic confidence and competence in practical crafts and using hand or powered tools.

Each day will have the following timings:

9.30: Arrival and welcome, tea and coffee 

10am – 1pm: Morning session  

1pm – 2pm: Lunch break (please bring a packed lunch) 

2pm – 5pm: Afternoon session 

Bring your creative ideas, all materials you’ll need to design and create your automata are provided.

Please remember to bring a packed lunch with you.

All materials you’ll need are provided.

Tea/coffee is included each day. Please remember to bring a packed lunch with you.

This course is taught in our metalworking workshop on our Falmouth Campus.  

Our Falmouth Campus can be reached via a range of public transport options. You can find out more, here.  

For campus maps and information on visiting us, please visit our How to find us page. 

No previous specific experience is necessary as all techniques will be demonstrated and supported throughout the course. Please note that to get the most out of the course you will need basic competence and confidence in practical crafts, and in using hand and powered tools.

Accommodation is not included in this course cost. If you would like to book accommodation, please see our accommodation for short course students page for a range of options.   

Our Falmouth campus is not fully accessible. Please contact us if you have questions about mobility and access.

How to apply

To apply for this course, make your selection from the available dates below, this will take you to an event page where you will be able to book yourself onto the course via the Book now link.

Tuition fees per individual: £395