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
Pétra Werlé
Ugo Nespolo
La Fenice (The Phoenix)
Ugo Nespolo
Sculpture - 35.6 x 17.8 x 12.7 cm Sculpture - 14 x 7 x 5 inch
$1,100
Judit Horvath Loczi
Life's little pleasures XIX
Judit Horvath Loczi
Painting - 48 x 38 x 11 cm Painting - 18.9 x 15 x 4.3 inch
$1,862
Open the Gates II
Judit Horvath Loczi
Sculpture - 125 x 105 x 50 cm Sculpture - 49.2 x 41.3 x 19.7 inch
$6,574
Life's little pleasures XVII
Judit Horvath Loczi
Painting - 48 x 38 x 11 cm Painting - 18.9 x 15 x 4.3 inch
$1,862
Life's little pleasures XVIII
Judit Horvath Loczi
Painting - 48 x 38 x 11 cm Painting - 18.9 x 15 x 4.3 inch
$1,862
Life's little pleasures XX
Judit Horvath Loczi
Painting - 48 x 38 x 11 cm Painting - 18.9 x 15 x 4.3 inch
$1,862
Life's little pleasures XXI
Judit Horvath Loczi
Painting - 104.1 x 61 x 10.2 cm Painting - 41 x 24 x 4 inch
$1,728
Life's little pleasures XXII
Judit Horvath Loczi
Painting - 61 x 104.1 x 10.2 cm Painting - 24 x 41 x 4 inch
$1,728
Evening with Them I
Judit Horvath Loczi
Painting - 60 x 40 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 15.7 x 1.6 inch
$2,805
JM Collell
Plexi'Art "Bardot #1" (2)
JM Collell
Photography - 80 x 80 x 1.9 cm Photography - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.7 inch
$1,234
Plexi'Art "Lagerfeld WS1" (7)
JM Collell
Photography - 80 x 80 x 1.9 cm Photography - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.7 inch
$1,234
Plexi'Art "Basquiat WS2"(3)
JM Collell
Photography - 80 x 80 x 1.9 cm Photography - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0.7 inch
$1,234
Plexi'Art "Grace Kelly #1"(5)
JM Collell
Photography - 100 x 75 x 1.9 cm Photography - 39.4 x 29.5 x 0.7 inch
$1,234
Plexi'Art "Kate #1" (6)
JM Collell
Photography - 100 x 75 x 1.9 cm Photography - 39.4 x 29.5 x 0.7 inch
$1,234
Plexi'Art "Redford #1" (8)
JM Collell
Photography - 80 x 76 x 1.9 cm Photography - 31.5 x 29.9 x 0.7 inch
$1,234
Plexi'Art " Lion #1 "(9)
JM Collell
Photography - 100 x 75 x 1.9 cm Photography - 39.4 x 29.5 x 0.7 inch
$1,234
Emma Levine
Bevan Ramsay
You could tell he had the red spirit in him
Bevan Ramsay
Sculpture - 68 x 34 x 28 cm Sculpture - 26.8 x 13.4 x 11 inch
$6,600
My father came over from England
Bevan Ramsay
Sculpture - 80 x 42 x 30 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 16.5 x 11.8 inch
$6,600
The bottom is a really interesting place
Bevan Ramsay
Sculpture - 80 x 42 x 30 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 16.5 x 11.8 inch
$6,600
I've been here for about three months
Bevan Ramsay
Sculpture - 59 x 33 x 27 cm Sculpture - 23.2 x 13 x 10.6 inch
$6,600
I like knowing that change is possible
Bevan Ramsay
Sculpture - 75 x 36 x 24 cm Sculpture - 29.5 x 14.2 x 9.4 inch
$6,600
Kunstrasen
Spot Remover (on cardboard)
Kunstrasen
Painting - 34 x 33 x 0.5 cm Painting - 13.4 x 13 x 0.2 inch
$1,683
Wake Me Up When Its All Over
Kunstrasen
Painting - 53.975 x 38.735 x 2 cm Painting - 21.3 x 15.3 x 0.8 inch
$2,500
Most is what you make of it?
Kunstrasen
Sculpture - 15.2 x 20.3 x 5.1 cm Sculpture - 6 x 8 x 2 inch
Sold
Why Reach for the Stars When This Place Could Be Heaven Too
Kunstrasen
Painting - 80 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
Sold
Marin Marcos
Marilyn au corsage
Marin Marcos
Sculpture - 59 x 39 x 2 cm Sculpture - 23.2 x 15.4 x 0.8 inch
$3,254
Tony Tichene
Marie Baslé
Lisbeth Delisle
Collage - 10
Lisbeth Delisle
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 inch
$1,346
Maison 1
Lisbeth Delisle
Fine Art Drawings - 65.5 x 40 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.8 x 15.7 inch
$2,019
La Veuve Noire
Lisbeth Delisle
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 inch
$1,346
Collage - 6
Lisbeth Delisle
Fine Art Drawings - 29.7 x 21 cm Fine Art Drawings - 11.7 x 8.3 inch
$1,346