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
Emile Gilioli
Nude of Woman
Emile Gilioli
Fine Art Drawings - 41 x 31 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.1 x 12.2 x 0 inch
Sold
Larry Rivers
Sans titre
Larry Rivers
Fine Art Drawings - 22.5 x 30 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 8.9 x 11.8 x 0 inch
£6,052
Carnegie Hall from the Carnegie Hall 100th Anniversary Portfolio
Larry Rivers
Print - 144.8 x 101.6 cm Print - 57 x 40 inch
£4,919
Markus Lüpertz
Elf and the dancing bear
Markus Lüpertz
Sculpture - 45 x 20 x 20 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 7.9 x 7.9 inch
£16,910
Markus and the Mandoline
Markus Lüpertz
Print - 107 x 78 x 1 cm Print - 42.1 x 30.7 x 0.4 inch
£1,068
Leonardo Nierman
Pauline Couble
L'oiseau qui rêve de Mer - Miniature 1
Pauline Couble
Sculpture - 11.5 x 7.5 x 14.5 cm Sculpture - 4.5 x 3 x 5.7 inch
£445
L'oiseau qui rêve de Mer 2
Pauline Couble
Sculpture - 37 x 25 x 31 cm Sculpture - 14.6 x 9.8 x 12.2 inch
£3,293
L'oiseau qui rêve de Mer - 1
Pauline Couble
Sculpture - 39 x 25 x 32 cm Sculpture - 15.4 x 9.8 x 12.6 inch
£3,293
L'oiseau qui rêve de Mer - Miniature 3
Pauline Couble
Sculpture - 11 x 6 x 10 cm Sculpture - 4.3 x 2.4 x 3.9 inch
£312
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
£445
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
£347
Nanan
Aurelija Simkute
Patronage, Sculpture Bronze
Aurelija Simkute
Sculpture - 40 x 13 x 11 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 5.1 x 4.3 inch
£4,717
Naive | Bronze Sculpture
Aurelija Simkute
Sculpture - 23 x 18 x 13 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 7.1 x 5.1 inch
£5,785
Whatshisname
Popek Black Porcelain Edition
Whatshisname
Sculpture - 30 x 30 x 17 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 11.8 x 6.7 inch
£1,335
Jeff Balloonski junior ( Rouge )
Whatshisname
Sculpture - 15 x 5 x 8 cm Sculpture - 5.9 x 2 x 3.1 inch
£383
Helder Batista
Second Amendement
Helder Batista
Sculpture - 23 x 35 x 16 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 13.8 x 6.3 inch
£1,424
Andrii Davydenko
Portrait in Stone
Andrii Davydenko
Sculpture - 75 x 75 x 3 cm Sculpture - 29.5 x 29.5 x 1.2 inch
£3,204
Two Blue Avocados
Andrii Davydenko
Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
£1,335
Pressing Your Eyeballs
Andrii Davydenko
Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
£1,335
Guillaume & Anthony
Playmobil Givenchy
Guillaume & Anthony
Sculpture - 60 x 30 x 12 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 11.8 x 4.7 inch
£1,602
Make art not war Can
Guillaume & Anthony
Sculpture - 90 x 60 x 60 cm Sculpture - 35.4 x 23.6 x 23.6 inch
£1,335
Aston Martin Can
Guillaume & Anthony
Sculpture - 90 x 60 x 60 cm Sculpture - 35.4 x 23.6 x 23.6 inch
£1,068
LV surfboard
Guillaume & Anthony
Sculpture - 45 x 170 x 5 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 66.9 x 2 inch
£2,225
“Keith Haring style – “Barking dog” skateboard
Guillaume & Anthony
Sculpture - 20 x 80 x 3 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 31.5 x 1.2 inch
£979
Chanel Open Can
Guillaume & Anthony
Sculpture - 90 x 60 x 60 cm Sculpture - 35.4 x 23.6 x 23.6 inch
£1,602
Louis Vuitton Skateboard
Guillaume & Anthony
Sculpture - 80 x 20 x 3 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 7.9 x 1.2 inch
£1,068
Miami dolphins can
Guillaume & Anthony
Sculpture - 90 x 60 x 60 cm Sculpture - 35.4 x 23.6 x 23.6 inch
£1,068