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
Guillaume Couffignal
Petit amphithéâtre
Guillaume Couffignal
Sculpture - 37 x 23 x 20 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 9.1 x 7.9 inch
$2,009
Amphithéâtre
Guillaume Couffignal
Sculpture - 45 x 65 x 37 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 25.6 x 14.6 inch
$4,465
Christian Dugardeyn
the wise man
Christian Dugardeyn
Sculpture - 90 x 50 x 50 cm Sculpture - 35.4 x 19.7 x 19.7 inch
$27,907
Stay with me
Christian Dugardeyn
Painting - 100 x 70 x 0.3 cm Painting - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch
$1,786
Selfportrait 16
Christian Dugardeyn
Painting - 120 x 80 x 2 cm Painting - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$2,679
Royal Union
Christian Dugardeyn
Painting - 150 x 100 x 2 cm Painting - 59.1 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch
$3,684
Une dernière danse pour oublier ma peine immense
Christian Dugardeyn
Painting - 97 x 130 x 3 cm Painting - 38.2 x 51.2 x 1.2 inch
$2,791
Pamphyle
Dominique Rayou
Etat Vibratoire
Dominique Rayou
Sculpture - 24 x 58 x 25 cm Sculpture - 9.4 x 22.8 x 9.8 inch
$9,488
Impermanence cambrée à droite
Dominique Rayou
Sculpture - 37 x 14 x 14 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 5.5 x 5.5 inch
$4,465
Diego Canogar
Tetramorfa Hueca 12N
Diego Canogar
Sculpture - 38 x 32 x 20 cm Sculpture - 15 x 12.6 x 7.9 inch
$7,970
Pequeña Cruciforme de Bronce 6C
Diego Canogar
Sculpture - 49 x 20 x 21 cm Sculpture - 19.3 x 7.9 x 8.3 inch
$5,581
Enroscada Recurva II
Diego Canogar
Sculpture - 41.5 x 40 x 21 cm Sculpture - 16.3 x 15.7 x 8.3 inch
$4,778
Enroscada Recurva III
Diego Canogar
Sculpture - 46.5 x 58 x 29 cm Sculpture - 18.3 x 22.8 x 11.4 inch
$4,778
Will Brüll
Véronique Ball
Javier Toro Blum
Vortex Azul
Javier Toro Blum
Sculpture - 130 x 100 x 12 cm Sculpture - 51.2 x 39.4 x 4.7 inch
$11,163
Acreción Ascendente
Javier Toro Blum
Sculpture - 130 x 100 x 12 cm Sculpture - 51.2 x 39.4 x 4.7 inch
$11,163
Acreción Descendente
Javier Toro Blum
Sculpture - 130 x 100 x 12 cm Sculpture - 51.2 x 39.4 x 4.7 inch
$11,163
Blue circular Light Hole with vertical fade and Eclipse
Javier Toro Blum
Sculpture - 100 x 80 x 12 cm Sculpture - 39.4 x 31.5 x 4.7 inch
$8,930
Blue Eclipse
Javier Toro Blum
Sculpture - 150 x 120 x 12 cm Sculpture - 59.1 x 47.2 x 4.7 inch
$13,395
Amarillo Jaune
Javier Toro Blum
Sculpture - 100 x 80 x 12 cm Sculpture - 39.4 x 31.5 x 4.7 inch
$8,930
Bleue Roy
Renata Andrade
Des racine III
Renata Andrade
Photography - 60 x 40 x 2 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$781
O último beijo (Le dernier baiser)
Renata Andrade
Sculpture - 27 x 21 x 31 cm Sculpture - 10.6 x 8.3 x 12.2 inch
$1,116 $1,005
Raízes IV (Racines IV)
Renata Andrade
Photography - 30 x 20 x 1 cm Photography - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.4 inch
$670
Raízes III (Racines III)
Renata Andrade
Photography - 20 x 30 x 1 cm Photography - 7.9 x 11.8 x 0.4 inch
$670
Des racines II
Renata Andrade
Photography - 60 x 40 x 2 cm Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch
$781
Femme arbre Le rachis vital
Renata Andrade
Sculpture - 30 x 15 x 30 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 5.9 x 11.8 inch
$781
Rietje Geurts
Verleiding (Temptation)
Rietje Geurts
Sculpture - 44 x 12 x 10 cm Sculpture - 17.3 x 4.7 x 3.9 inch
$5,470
Overwinning (Victory)
Rietje Geurts
Sculpture - 62 x 23 x 11 cm Sculpture - 24.4 x 9.1 x 4.3 inch
$6,954