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
Sonali Patel
Return to Nature - Blue
Sonali Patel
Sculpture - 21 x 19 x 12 cm Sculpture - 8.3 x 7.5 x 4.7 inch
$1,960
Under the golden foliage
Sonali Patel
Sculpture - 23 x 28 x 17 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 11 x 6.7 inch
$2,290
Spirit of Nature II
Sonali Patel
Sculpture - 56 x 39 x 15 cm Sculpture - 22 x 15.4 x 5.9 inch
$5,674
Paul Thierry
Was für ein Glück (Morgen)
Paul Thierry
Print - 100 x 50 x 8 cm Print - 39.4 x 19.7 x 3.1 inch
$2,537
Tiziano Sculpteur
Cuscino rouge avec texture
Tiziano Sculpteur
Sculpture - 26 x 48 x 13 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 18.9 x 5.1 inch
$1,554
Cuscino Turquoise
Tiziano Sculpteur
Sculpture - 40 x 50 x 14 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 19.7 x 5.5 inch
$1,443
Contr'elle
Tiziano Sculpteur
Sculpture - 180 x 70 x 50 cm Sculpture - 70.9 x 27.6 x 19.7 inch
$17,760
Incontro Musicale
Tiziano Sculpteur
Sculpture - 215 x 70 x 30 cm Sculpture - 84.6 x 27.6 x 11.8 inch
$21,089
Olga Radionova
Tree of Life #1
Olga Radionova
Sculpture - 55 x 41 x 14 cm Sculpture - 21.7 x 16.1 x 5.5 inch
$5,713
StarFall. Item 2
Olga Radionova
Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 50 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 19.7 inch
$444
Starfall. Item 3
Olga Radionova
Fine Art Drawings - 70 x 50 cm Fine Art Drawings - 27.6 x 19.7 inch
$444
Starfall. Item 4
Olga Radionova
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 70 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 27.6 inch
$444
Starfall. Item 5
Olga Radionova
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 70 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 27.6 inch
$444
Starfall. Item 6
Olga Radionova
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 70 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 27.6 inch
$444
Tree of Life #3
Olga Radionova
Sculpture - 50 x 55 x 12 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 21.7 x 4.7 inch
$5,485
Renata Dyk
Self - Consciousness
Renata Dyk
Sculpture - 37 x 22.5 x 15.5 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 8.9 x 6.1 inch
$2,253
The trunk and the sun
Renata Dyk
Painting - 100 x 70 x 3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch
$2,764
Boureima Ouedraogo
Sapeur girafe
Boureima Ouedraogo
Sculpture - 37 x 29 x 18 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 11.4 x 7.1 inch
$943
Jonathan Chapline
Supporting figures pink
Jonathan Chapline
Sculpture - 31 x 15 x 8 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 5.9 x 3.1 inch
Sold
Standing bather blue
Jonathan Chapline
Sculpture - 31 x 15 x 8 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 5.9 x 3.1 inch
Sold
Standing bather pink
Jonathan Chapline
Sculpture - 31 x 15 x 8 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 5.9 x 3.1 inch
Sold
Supporting figures blue
Jonathan Chapline
Sculpture - 31 x 15 x 8 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 5.9 x 3.1 inch
Sold
Kasia Kay
Human Race, Only
Kasia Kay
Sculpture - 360 x 3.8 x 3.8 cm Sculpture - 141.7 x 1.5 x 1.5 inch
$17,748
Tran Van An
Desa Vlahutin
The Path of the Squares
Desa Vlahutin
Sculpture - 50 x 40 x 20 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 15.7 x 7.9 inch
$4,467
Fibonacci Fragment I
Desa Vlahutin
Sculpture - 78 x 72 x 31 cm Sculpture - 30.7 x 28.3 x 12.2 inch
$9,194
Fibonacci Fragment II
Desa Vlahutin
Sculpture - 101 x 40 x 40 cm Sculpture - 39.8 x 15.7 x 15.7 inch
$9,405
Fibonacci Fragment V
Desa Vlahutin
Sculpture - 78 x 75 x 19 cm Sculpture - 30.7 x 29.5 x 7.5 inch
$9,660
Fibonacci Fragment VII
Desa Vlahutin
Sculpture - 31 x 82 x 26 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 32.3 x 10.2 inch
$9,586
Rina Murao
Table of Squares, II
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 150 x 250 x 250 cm Sculpture - 59.1 x 98.4 x 98.4 inch
$3,224
Balcony-the Hatch
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 228 x 456 x 127 cm Sculpture - 89.8 x 179.5 x 50 inch
$5,509
Table of Squares, III
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 25 x 42 x 42 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 16.5 x 16.5 inch
$10,429
Table of Squares, I
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 102 x 102 x 270 cm Sculpture - 40.2 x 40.2 x 106.3 inch
$50,764
The Sea at Dawn
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 150 x 253 x 253 cm Sculpture - 59.1 x 99.6 x 99.6 inch
$67,446
See to the Sea
Rina Murao
Sculpture - 115 x 405 x 170 cm Sculpture - 45.3 x 159.4 x 66.9 inch
$42,425