Tom Wilkinson

Juice Cui reviewed: Automata, mechanical toy & kinetic sculpture at artist's workshop: 4 classes

"Sincerely apologies for my late response to this significant feedback, due to my family issue and I was not accessed to my gmail🥺. Tom has been a brilliant and wonderful teacher who has told me a lot on working with metal, plastic, and automatas. I was very inspired on his talking robotic and it was a very beautiful project. We had been working on a lot of small projects together. I am very thankful to Tom who has wonderfully helped me on looking for a lot of important materials including a trolley. Finally we made a little drum machine together and it was brilliantly moving and lovely. I would strongly recommend this course, even if you are a beginner or a skillfull artist because Tom is very patient and knowledgeable."

Tom Wilkinson responded:

"I was honoured to help Juice out on her degree project. We both hit it off with mutual fascination with William Kendricks' mechanical theatre. She is highly creative and proved a very receptive student in learning new skills. I wish her great success on her forthcoming masters course."

Katie Tindle reviewed: Automata, mechanical toy & kinetic sculpture making in artist's workshop: 6 classes

"Tom was a brilliant teacher. He was very accommodating and flexible in regards timing, patient when explaining new concepts, but allowed me to work out elements of the build myself so that the skills would be replicable in the future. I would definitely recommend this course, it was a lot of fun!"

Tom Wilkinson responded:

"Thank you Katie, for your kind words. You were a terrific student – keen to learn new skills and very capable in your making abilities. I wish you well with your project and look forward very much to seeing it on completion. "

Mark MDS reviewed: Automata, mechanical toy & kinetic sculpture online: 8 classes

"Tom has been an inspiration throughout. His advice, support, ideas and challenges have made the whole process enormously enjoyable. As I am a total novice, Toms patience, encouragement and suggestions have made it possible to work at a pace that suits my learning style and yet gets results. Many thanks Tom… on to the next project 🙄"

Andy reviewed: Automata, mechanical toy & kinetic sculpture online: 8 classes

"Tom is an excellent tutor and we got on really well. The sessions were really useful and I’ve learned a lot about technical drawings, building “sketch” models out of cardboard and other cheap materials before moving on to MDF board prototypes in preparation for the final model made in more expensive materials: best quality plywood, with brass and steel elements. Tom really helped me with the design element of the process and I learned to appreciate the more thoughtful approach he suggested. He also recommended other makers whose work was worth looking at and books that would provide help and advice. Along the way I’ve learned the pros and cons of different types of materials and fabrication techniques. It’s the first time I’ve done some of this (tech drawing, brass work and silver soldering) since third year metalwork at school in 1969 - I’m much better at it now than I was then!"

Tom Wilkinson responded:

"Andy was a very capable student. Not entirely a novice to start with, but with excellent making skills and a keenness to learn. He accepted the challenge of making a more complex mechanism in order to up the illusionary effect and worked hard to forfil each stage set. I hope he came away by the end of the course armed with a variety of techniques and tips that will enable him to grow and expand his automata making horizons. Although Andy didn't get to finishing his project, we did reach the final stage where all the tricky stuff had been worked out so he could proceed at his own pace, between tending his garden, in making the final version and bringing it to life with refinement of the characterisation and surface finish. I really look forward to seeing the finished automaton."