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
Dezache
RNST
Joanna Glazer
Swimming with Diamonds
Joanna Glazer
Painting - 80 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
$542
Dancing above the Fire
Joanna Glazer
Fine Art Drawings - 40 x 30 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$542
Stone of Wisdom - Pierre de Sagesse
Joanna Glazer
Sculpture - 25 x 15 x 10 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 5.9 x 3.9 inch
$542
Incarnated Betty Boop and Her Beloved Radiant Alter Ego
Joanna Glazer
Painting - 100 x 80 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.4 inch
$542
Building my Nest - 1 Tree
Joanna Glazer
Painting - 60 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$542
Pichi & Avo
Hybrid Hero Sculpture
Pichi & Avo
Sculpture - 36 x 27 x 27 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 10.6 x 10.6 inch
$2,047
Orphic Hymn to Poseidon - Magenta
Pichi & Avo
Print - 83 x 65 x 0.1 cm Print - 32.7 x 25.6 x 0 inch
$1,317
AKET
René Magritte
Les menottes de cuivre
René Magritte
Sculpture - 49 x 16 x 13 cm Sculpture - 19.3 x 6.3 x 5.1 inch
$21,576
Le Chef-d'Oeuvre ou les Mystères de l'Horizon
René Magritte
Print - 45 x 60 x 0.1 cm Print - 17.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch
$830
La bataille de l'Argonne
René Magritte
Print - 45 x 60 x 0.1 cm Print - 17.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch
$775 $620
Philippe Huart
Effets secondaires – Hypnotic Love (R2B1)
Philippe Huart
Sculpture - 58 x 41 x 35 cm Sculpture - 22.8 x 16.1 x 13.8 inch
$1,328
Gun
Philippe Huart
Fine Art Drawings - 24 x 30 x 0.2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 9.4 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch
$1,660
Orange Vertige. 2014. (Vortex 13)
Philippe Huart
Painting - 80 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$6,086
Bleu vertige (Vortex 19)
Philippe Huart
Painting - 100 x 100 x 2.5 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1 inch
$8,852
Effets secondaires – Passionate Love (R3)
Philippe Huart
Sculpture - 58 x 41 x 35 cm Sculpture - 22.8 x 16.1 x 13.8 inch
$1,328
Nando Kallweit
Aiiroh
Da Vinci Muse par Aiiroh & Namisen
Aiiroh
Print - 75 x 75 x 0.2 cm Print - 29.5 x 29.5 x 0.1 inch
$664
Michel Audiard
Hommage à Pompon
Michel Audiard
Sculpture - 25 x 50 x 16 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 19.7 x 6.3 inch
$1,438
Mick Jagger(Série Passages)
Michel Audiard
Sculpture - 65 x 45 x 1 cm Sculpture - 25.6 x 17.7 x 0.4 inch
$1,881
L'hippopotame blanc
Michel Audiard
Sculpture - 36 x 55 x 25 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 21.7 x 9.8 inch
$3,209
Panda (Série Passages)
Michel Audiard
Sculpture - 38 x 52 x 8 cm Sculpture - 15 x 20.5 x 3.1 inch
$1,660
Alec Monopoly
Aspen Snow Day (EA, hand-embelished)
Alec Monopoly
Print - 78.74 x 55.88 cm Print - 31 x 22 inch
$7,745
Monopoly Carrying 2 Money Bags
Alec Monopoly
Painting - 90 x 60 x 4 cm Painting - 35.4 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch
$32,641
Ron English
Polaroid 600 Ron English
Ron English
Sculpture - 15 x 12 x 10 cm Sculpture - 5.9 x 4.7 x 3.9 inch
$719
Vanity tribute to Andy
Ron English
Sculpture - 68 x 54 x 45 cm Sculpture - 26.8 x 21.3 x 17.7 inch
$14,937
Mc Supersized Platinum Porcelain
Ron English
Sculpture - 23 x 18 x 6 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 7.1 x 2.4 inch
$885