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
Federico Osorio
Embarazada / enceinte
Federico Osorio
Sculpture - 23 x 5 x 3 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 2 x 1.2 inch
£1,333
Libertad / Liberté
Federico Osorio
Sculpture - 58 x 6 x 6 cm Sculpture - 22.8 x 2.4 x 2.4 inch
£7,110
Jimmy Yoshimura
Echelons of empowerment : purple panorama
Jimmy Yoshimura
Painting - 40 x 160 x 5 cm Painting - 15.7 x 63 x 2 inch
£3,555
Urashimo taro’s journey of love
Jimmy Yoshimura
Sculpture - 80 x 50 x 50 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 19.7 x 19.7 inch
£28,439
Deep blu : azure reflections, Tokyo’s depths in manga palette
Jimmy Yoshimura
Painting - 220 x 160 x 5 cm Painting - 86.6 x 63 x 2 inch
£7,821
Purple arlequin : Harajuku rhapsody, the enigmatic dance of colors
Jimmy Yoshimura
Painting - 180 x 137 x 5 cm Painting - 70.9 x 53.9 x 2 inch
£5,332
Tatoo : ink and skin
Jimmy Yoshimura
Painting - 200 x 160 x 5 cm Painting - 78.7 x 63 x 2 inch
£6,221
Otohime’s : princess of the deep
Jimmy Yoshimura
Sculpture - 80 x 50 x 50 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 19.7 x 19.7 inch
£28,439
FLOWER FLAG : SAKURA BLOSSOMS IN TECHNICOLOR, TOKYO’S FLORAL OVERTURE
Jimmy Yoshimura
Painting - 200 x 141 x 5 cm Painting - 78.7 x 55.5 x 2 inch
£6,221
ROSES : BLOSSOMS OF DESIRE, THE PRISMATIC PETALS OF TOKYO
Jimmy Yoshimura
Painting - 38 x 61 x 5 cm Painting - 15 x 24 x 2 inch
£1,866
Jumeaux Ouattara
Sophie Zénon
Topographie végétale (2)
Sophie Zénon
Sculpture - 50 x 15 x 15 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 5.9 x 5.9 inch
£1,955
Bunias orientalis L.
Sophie Zénon
Photography - 120 x 97 x 3 cm Photography - 47.2 x 38.2 x 1.2 inch
Price upon request
La Seille (1)
Sophie Zénon
Photography - 230 x 150 x 0.2 cm Photography - 90.6 x 59.1 x 0.1 inch
£1,333
Topographie végétale (1)
Sophie Zénon
Sculpture - 50 x 15 x 15 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 5.9 x 5.9 inch
£1,955
Livre I / Berteroa incana (L.) DC. (Alysse blanche, Alysson blanc, Bertéroa Blanc), 2021, in Herbarium Florum obsidionalium (2021-2023)
Sophie Zénon
Photography - 30.5 x 41 cm Photography - 12 x 16.1 inch
£3,555
Livre XII / Sisyrinchium montanum Greene (Bermudienne des montagnes, Herbe aux yeux bleus, Sisyrinque des montagnes), 2021, in Herbarium Florum obsidionalium (2021-2023)
Sophie Zénon
Photography - 30.5 x 41 cm Photography - 12 x 16.1 inch
£3,555
Livre XIII / Armeria vulgaris Willd. (Armérie à longues feuilles, Armérie allongée), 2023, in Herbarium Florum obsidionalium (2021-2023)
Sophie Zénon
Photography - 30.5 x 41 cm Photography - 12 x 16.1 inch
£3,555
Thierry Trivès
Freediving La Palme
Thierry Trivès
Sculpture - 200 x 50 x 50 cm Sculpture - 78.7 x 19.7 x 19.7 inch
£19,996
Freediving La Palme
Thierry Trivès
Sculpture - 150 x 45 x 45 cm Sculpture - 59.1 x 17.7 x 17.7 inch
Sold
Madame
Helder Batista
Second Amendement
Helder Batista
Sculpture - 23 x 35 x 16 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 13.8 x 6.3 inch
£1,422
Gameon
Rodo Padilla
Ganando la batalla
Rodo Padilla
Sculpture - 42 x 40 x 34 cm Sculpture - 16.5 x 15.7 x 13.4 inch
£3,910
Verdaderamente libre
Rodo Padilla
Sculpture - 40 x 26 x 32 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 10.2 x 12.6 inch
£3,022
Verdaderamente libre
Rodo Padilla
Sculpture - 40 x 26 x 32 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 10.2 x 12.6 inch
£3,022
En mis fuerzas II
Rodo Padilla
Sculpture - 50 x 19 x 39 cm Sculpture - 19.7 x 7.5 x 15.4 inch
£3,466
Amando a mi prójimo
Rodo Padilla
Sculpture - 27 x 27 x 37 cm Sculpture - 10.6 x 10.6 x 14.6 inch
£3,555
Nobody
Lionel Le Coq
Lesia Danilina
Beige feelings (quadriptych)
Lesia Danilina
Painting - 70 x 70 x 3 cm Painting - 27.6 x 27.6 x 1.2 inch
£1,327
Violets for dessert
Lesia Danilina
Painting - 100 x 70 x 2 cm Painting - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0.8 inch
£1,078