Sculptors
A sculptor is someone who creates sculptures. The broad term 'sculptor' does not only apply to artists, it can also be used in non-artistic contexts. For example, it may refer to someone working on a restoration site or creating replicas of existing sculptures. For a sculptor to also be defined as an artist, there needs to be a sense of artistic intention behind the objects they create. This person can be a professional or an amateur.
Sculpture is considered a major artistic discipline in the same way as painting. Some sculptors only work in the medium of sculpture while other artists have a multidisciplinary approach.
A sculptor seeks to create three-dimensional shapes out of one or several media. Sculptors can choose from a variety of materials for their sculptures. Some of the most frequently used media include stone (marble, granite etc), concrete, cement, wood and clay (which is used to create terracotta sculptures). Artists can also use metal to create sculptures, bronze has historically been the most commonly used but nowadays, sculptors can also choose aluminum or even steel.
Contemporary practices and technical developments have led to a growing diversity of materials being available for sculptors to use. Contemporary sculpture therefore uses a wider range of materials than modern sculpture did. Nowadays, it is not uncommon to see artworks made of resin, glass or a combination of several different materials. Artists may also use new technologies such as 3D printers to help them create works.
Over the course of the history of sculpture, there have been a many different types of sculptures and artists have developed numerous techniques for creating three dimensional works.
In relief sculpture, the sculpted form stays attached to the background made of the same material. If the carving is shallow then the work is referred to as a bas-relief. If there is some undercutting and more of 50% of the depth is shown, the work is sculptured in high relief.
If a sculpture is described as in the round or free-standing, it means that the work is detached from the background, in the majority of cases this means that the viewer to walk around it and admire it from all angles.
A key basic distinction is sculpture is the contrast between modeling and carving. Modeling is an additive technique which creates forms by adding more material. This is more flexible for sculptors as they can generally add or subtract the material as they please, for example as they would when using clay. Carving is a subtractive method; the sculptor removes material from a solid block of material, for example wood or marble, to reveal the desired shape.
Some of the greatest artists in the history of sculpture include: Michelangelo, Antoine-Louis Barye, Rembrandt Bugatti, Camille Claudel, Auguste Rodin, Alberto Giacometti, Louise Bourgeois, Cesar, Arman, Anish Kapoor, Anselm Kiefer, Jeff Koons, Yayoi Kusama, Richard Orlinski and Christophe Charbonnel.
Discover the styles & movements
Leonardo Nierman
Flight
Leonardo Nierman
Sculpture - 71.1 x 110.5 x 33.7 cm Sculpture - 28 x 43.5 x 13.25 inch
$12,000
Duilio Forte
Sleipnir Mini Grund VIII 87751
Duilio Forte
Sculpture - 51 x 45 x 30 cm Sculpture - 20.1 x 17.7 x 11.8 inch
$555
Finis Extra 48779
Duilio Forte
Painting - 27.1 x 35.2 x 5.3 cm Painting - 10.7 x 13.9 x 2.1 inch
$433
Angélica Chavarro Franco
Intenciones del silencio XVI
Angélica Chavarro Franco
Sculpture - 43.2 x 33 x 0.3 cm Sculpture - 17 x 13 x 0.1 inch
$1,500
Intenciones del silencio II
Angélica Chavarro Franco
Painting - 42.7 x 85.9 x 0.3 cm Painting - 16.8 x 33.8 x 0.1 inch
$800
Intenciones del Silencio XV
Angélica Chavarro Franco
Painting - 95.3 x 52.8 x 2.5 cm Painting - 37.5 x 20.8 x 1 inch
$2,000
Sagrada Dualidad XVII
Angélica Chavarro Franco
Painting - 169.9 x 169.9 x 5.1 cm Painting - 66.9 x 66.9 x 2 inch
$5,000
Finito Infinito XVIII
Angélica Chavarro Franco
Painting - 119.9 x 119.9 x 3.3 cm Painting - 47.2 x 47.2 x 1.3 inch
$2,100
Intenciones del Silencio X
Angélica Chavarro Franco
Painting - 30 x 34.8 x 2.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 13.7 x 1 inch
$500
Intenciones del Silencio XIV
Angélica Chavarro Franco
Painting - 30 x 34.8 x 2.5 cm Painting - 11.8 x 13.7 x 1 inch
$500
Intenciones del Silencio XIII
Angélica Chavarro Franco
Painting - 34.8 x 30 x 2.5 cm Painting - 13.7 x 11.8 x 1 inch
$500
Sufyr
La fille à la couronne de fleurs
Sufyr
Painting - 22 x 11 x 1 cm Painting - 8.7 x 4.3 x 0.4 inch
$277
Carl Jaunay
Lectrice assise sur bord de livre Love
Carl Jaunay
Sculpture - 31 x 13 x 10 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 5.1 x 3.9 inch
$2,664
Vélo - route - La Victoire
Carl Jaunay
Sculpture - 31 x 31 x 9 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 12.2 x 3.5 inch
$2,320
Lectrice sur bord de livre Elle
Carl Jaunay
Sculpture - 31 x 10 x 10 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 3.9 x 3.9 inch
$2,664
Couple cœur à la main sur socle
Carl Jaunay
Sculpture - 29 x 8 x 9 cm Sculpture - 11.4 x 3.1 x 3.5 inch
$1,099
Melkio
Crys
Uncle Scrooge and his first euro
Crys
Painting - 64 x 58 x 2 cm Painting - 25.2 x 22.8 x 0.8 inch
$499
Yannick Le Bloas
Kokeshi arbre, ou la prise de tête
Yannick Le Bloas
Sculpture - 28 x 19 x 19 cm Sculpture - 11 x 7.5 x 7.5 inch
$444
Le marin rouge
Yannick Le Bloas
Sculpture - 19.5 x 14 x 10.5 cm Sculpture - 7.7 x 5.5 x 4.1 inch
$300
Ilot - À l'ombre de l'arbre
Yannick Le Bloas
Sculpture - 10.5 x 20 x 11 cm Sculpture - 4.1 x 7.9 x 4.3 inch
$161
Le gros poisson bleu
Yannick Le Bloas
Sculpture - 31 x 45 x 23 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 17.7 x 9.1 inch
$655
Kokeshi traditionel
Yannick Le Bloas
Sculpture - 10 x 6 x 6 cm Sculpture - 3.9 x 2.4 x 2.4 inch
$155
Marko Grgat
ODart
Ryan Uy
Reza
MAMAN Maternité 1987 Motherhood
Reza
Sculpture - 29 x 29 x 3 cm Sculpture - 11.4 x 11.4 x 1.2 inch
$1,720
Two nude Ladies in pink 1985 Deux femmes nues en rose
Reza
Painting - 15 x 20 cm Painting - 5.9 x 7.9 inch
$1,609
Deux nues en bleu 1988 Two blue nude women
Reza
Painting - 34 x 49 cm Painting - 13.4 x 19.3 inch
$1,054
Les Trois Grâces 1987 The Threee Graces
Reza
Painting - 49 x 34 cm Painting - 19.3 x 13.4 inch
$1,276
Les Trois Grâces 1987 The Three Graces
Reza
Painting - 49 x 34 cm Painting - 19.3 x 13.4 inch
$1,165