Back in the early 80's I gave classes in my shop. I had three welding tables and three sets of oxygen acetylene torches. This was one of the highlights of my metal sculpture career. The classes were four nights from 7 till 10. The classes usually ran over that time, but I was enjoying the experience so the time didn't matter that much.

I charged $125.00 each for the four classes. and that was in 1980's dollars. I provided the materials and the tools. The designs I was teaching them didn't take that many materials.

The first class was teaching them how to use the torch. Then it was on to brazing and putting metals together, Once that was accomplished they started on a large wall sculpture. This would usually be finished by the end of the third class and the fourth class was for working on some small table sculptures.

I would still like to offer classes, but my shop today is devoted to experimental work and shooting the instructional videos. There just isn't enough room or enough time to do everything.

If your are set up so that you can give classes, it can make a significant addition to your overall income.

The way that I had the classes set up was for them to choose a specific piece of sculpture that I was doing at the time. It could have been a leaf spray, a sunburst of birds or a large wall cattail.

I didn't realize how smart this was until one time a woman didn't want to do one of the pieces I was showing her. She wanted to do something different. Okay I said, "what do you want to do"?. Her questions was, "what can I do"? This went back and forth and we wasted the first class trying to figure out what she could do and what she wanted to do.

Finally I started her on the torch and as we talked and she practiced we finally came up with something she wanted to do. To her credit she finished her piece and entered it into an art show and won first prize.

Today I would let anyone who wanted classes know that they would be doing one of a specific selection of pieces. It makes it much simpler and easier to teach.

From those initial classes I also offered advanced classes. These were run along the same lines, although now they knew how to use the torch, so they could go straight to turning out sculptures more to their own designs. Here I should have been adding a material cost because they were using more material.

The point here is that if you have a skill, you can add to your income by offering classes.

If I were to offer classes today I would need to do some advertising. It would probably be "word of mouth" advertising at first. If that brought in enough students, I would stop there. If not, then I would let local and nearby art groups know I that offered classes. That would probably be enough.

For me, I would want to devote no more than two evenings a week to classes. That would mean two classes per month, at three students per class, and if I charged $300.00 per person that would be $1800.00 per month. A decent return for doing something that I like to do.

When I was giving classes, people were not into suing for everything imaginable so I didn't have them sign a wavier or something to say that I was not responsible if they got cut or burnt. Today I would insist on this.

Classes also have a spin off value. If one of your students wants a gift or a piece of your work for their home, this is a good chance to make a sale. Or, when their friends see something they made, their friends become aware of your work and make a purchase.

Some of the people I've taught have went on to establish a full time business.  Many have used it as a part time income.  Most however were taking the classes for the experience of doing metal sculpture.

So often in this business I have found that what I'm calling the spin off value, or the serendipitous events that follow my initial plan end up providing me with more income than my original idea.

The internet has made me conscious of how much people want information. And that is what classes are all about - information. There is also a personal movement to do something with our hands. Making something with our hands, and developing our creativity in a specific medium.

I like the digital world, but there is something so much more real when I work in my shop and create metal sculpture. It's the combination of and mind. People yearn for this experience, so if you can offer this in a class, you are not only reaping the financial rewards, you are adding to the life experience of others and in turn yourself.

Ideally if I was setting up classes today and had the room, I think four students per class would be ideal. It would raise the income from the classes by 25% and still take the same amount of time.

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