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
John Petrey
Deer (Sculpture Using Found Objects)
John Petrey
Sculpture - 210.8 x 68.6 x 55.9 cm Sculpture - 83 x 27 x 22 inch
£47,768
Nathan Mixed Media Sculpture
John Petrey
Sculpture - 68.6 x 38.1 x 38.1 cm Sculpture - 27 x 15 x 15 inch
£6,054
'Karina' Mixed Media Sculpture of Woman's Dress
John Petrey
Sculpture - 68.6 x 40.6 x 40.6 cm Sculpture - 27 x 16 x 16 inch
£6,054
Merida Mixed Media
John Petrey
Sculpture - 160 x 111.8 x 101.6 cm Sculpture - 63 x 44 x 40 inch
£19,904
Natale Mixed Media Sculpture
John Petrey
Sculpture - 144.8 x 53.3 x 53.3 cm Sculpture - 57 x 21 x 21 inch
£9,537
Nora Mixed Media Sculpture
John Petrey
Sculpture - 152.4 x 61 x 61 cm Sculpture - 60 x 24 x 24 inch
£7,878
'Rylee' Mixed Media Sculpture of Woman's Dress
John Petrey
Sculpture - 68.6 x 38.1 x 38.1 cm Sculpture - 27 x 15 x 15 inch
£5,722
'Leah' Mixed Media Sculpture of Woman's Dress
John Petrey
Sculpture - 68.6 x 38.1 x 38.1 cm Sculpture - 27 x 15 x 15 inch
£5,722
Michael Wallner
Borough Station 1
Michael Wallner
Photography - 38 x 48 x 0.3 cm Photography - 15 x 18.9 x 0.1 inch
£495
Trafalgar Square From Above
Michael Wallner
Sculpture - 63 x 72 x 5 cm Sculpture - 24.8 x 28.3 x 2 inch
£2,200
Past Glories (Battersea Power Station)
Michael Wallner
Design - 72 x 120 x 12 cm Design - 28.3 x 47.2 x 4.7 inch
£5,500
Alessandro Piano
Alter Ego Puppet 750
Alessandro Piano
Sculpture - 25 x 16 x 8 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 6.3 x 3.1 inch
£1,200
Alter Ego Pinguibeach 584
Alessandro Piano
Sculpture - 25 x 16 x 8 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 6.3 x 3.1 inch
£800
Alter Ego Token Fiaschetto
Alessandro Piano
Sculpture - 24 x 14 x 14 cm Sculpture - 9.4 x 5.5 x 5.5 inch
£355
Alter Ego Token Funghetto
Alessandro Piano
Sculpture - 18 x 16 x 16 cm Sculpture - 7.1 x 6.3 x 6.3 inch
£355
Alter Ego Token Candelabro
Alessandro Piano
Sculpture - 26 x 13 x 13 cm Sculpture - 10.2 x 5.1 x 5.1 inch
£355
Alter Ego Token Cactus
Alessandro Piano
Sculpture - 24 x 15 x 15 cm Sculpture - 9.4 x 5.9 x 5.9 inch
£355
Alter Ego Oscar Green
Alessandro Piano
Sculpture - 25 x 16 x 8 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 6.3 x 3.1 inch
£444
Elizabeth Portnova
La vague et le noroit
Elizabeth Portnova
Sculpture - 34 x 28 x 18 cm Sculpture - 13.4 x 11 x 7.1 inch
£844
Incrustration sentimentale 3
Elizabeth Portnova
Sculpture - 38 x 22 x 14 cm Sculpture - 15 x 8.7 x 5.5 inch
£1,244
La vague et l'alyzée
Elizabeth Portnova
Sculpture - 41 x 19 x 13 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 7.5 x 5.1 inch
£800
La vague et la bise
Elizabeth Portnova
Sculpture - 24 x 34 x 17 cm Sculpture - 9.4 x 13.4 x 6.7 inch
£755
La scintillante
Elizabeth Portnova
Sculpture - 30 x 26 x 16 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 10.2 x 6.3 inch
£933
La Pointe
Yves Pires
Paloma Castello
Rita Hayworth, The Castelloland Series
Paloma Castello
Photography - 69.9 x 49.8 x 0.3 cm Photography - 27.5 x 19.6 x 0.1 inch
£1,037
Goddess Circe. Amphora
Paloma Castello
Sculpture - 50 x 34.3 x 34.3 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 13.5 x 13.5 inch
£1,327
Tallulah Bankhead
Paloma Castello
Fine Art Drawings - 41.9 x 29.5 x 0.3 cm Fine Art Drawings - 16.5 x 11.6 x 0.1 inch
£415
Goddess Artemis. Stamno
Paloma Castello
Sculpture - 39.9 x 30 x 30 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 11.8 x 11.8 inch
£1,327
Helios. Neon Light Box. Wall Sculpture
Paloma Castello
Sculpture - 61 x 46 x 15 cm Sculpture - 24 x 18.1 x 5.9 inch
£1,244
Nostalgia. Neon Light Box Wall Sculpture
Paloma Castello
Sculpture - 61 x 46 x 15 cm Sculpture - 24 x 18.1 x 5.9 inch
£1,244
Venus. Neon Light Box. Wall Sculpture
Paloma Castello
Sculpture - 61 x 46 x 15 cm Sculpture - 24 x 18.1 x 5.9 inch
£1,244
La Mer Poseidon. Neon Light Box Wall Sculpture
Paloma Castello
Sculpture - 61 x 46 x 15 cm Sculpture - 24 x 18.1 x 5.9 inch
£1,244
Qiongfei Zhang
Mao guidant le peuple
Qiongfei Zhang
Sculpture - 200 x 230 x 100 cm Sculpture - 78.7 x 90.6 x 39.4 inch
£26,661
Tissu Rouge, Série No. 2
Qiongfei Zhang
Painting - 140 x 230 x 0.4 cm Painting - 55.1 x 90.6 x 0.2 inch
£11,464
Tissu Rouge, Série No 4
Qiongfei Zhang
Painting - 140 x 225 x 0.3 cm Painting - 55.1 x 88.6 x 0.1 inch
£11,198
Roses d'automne
Qiongfei Zhang
Painting - 186 x 100 x 0.4 cm Painting - 73.2 x 39.4 x 0.2 inch
£6,665
Jean Marais
Kusbudiyanto
Jagawana, Forest Ranger
Kusbudiyanto
Painting - 94 x 60 x 4 cm Painting - 37 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch
£1,689
Marie Palazzo
Rémy Aillaud
Say hello to my little friend
Rémy Aillaud
Sculpture - 17 x 97 x 17 cm Sculpture - 6.7 x 38.2 x 6.7 inch
£5,777
Dynamite dollar XXL
Rémy Aillaud
Sculpture - 115 x 35 x 35 cm Sculpture - 45.3 x 13.8 x 13.8 inch
£6,665
Harley motobot
Rémy Aillaud
Sculpture - 110 x 50 x 60 cm Sculpture - 43.3 x 19.7 x 23.6 inch
£17,330
Harley Davidson rocket
Rémy Aillaud
Sculpture - 12.5 x 46 x 11 cm Sculpture - 4.9 x 18.1 x 4.3 inch
£2,217
Philipp plein Dynamite M
Rémy Aillaud
Sculpture - 17 x 9 x 9 cm Sculpture - 6.7 x 3.5 x 3.5 inch
£1,329