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
Juliana Berdugo
Unity Blooming Bear
Juliana Berdugo
Sculpture - 53 x 33 x 23 cm Sculpture - 20.9 x 13 x 9.1 inch
£5,510
Wenqin Chen
In The Second Month
Wenqin Chen
Sculpture - 80 x 36 x 36 cm Sculpture - 31.5 x 14.2 x 14.2 inch
£34,660
Before A Baby Comes Out Of Its Mother's Body
Wenqin Chen
Sculpture - 18 x 15 x 15 cm Sculpture - 7.1 x 5.9 x 5.9 inch
£10,665
Barry Davies
Scottish Blackface Ram (Ovis Aries)
Barry Davies
Sculpture - 60 x 62 x 42 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 24.4 x 16.5 inch
£5,510
Paranthropus Robustus
Barry Davies
Sculpture - 45 x 36 x 20 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 14.2 x 7.9 inch
£3,906
Sinosaurusopteryx Prima
Barry Davies
Sculpture - 31 x 19 x 2 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 7.5 x 0.8 inch
£2,302
Anatomical study of the horse
Barry Davies
Sculpture - 36 x 43 x 12 cm Sculpture - 14.2 x 16.9 x 4.7 inch
£3,897
Sange
Paradox Créations
L'heure bleue
Paradox Créations
Sculpture - 55 x 70 x 50 cm Sculpture - 21.7 x 27.6 x 19.7 inch
£1,244
Le meilleur des mondes
Paradox Créations
Sculpture - 135 x 200 x 100 cm Sculpture - 53.1 x 78.7 x 39.4 inch
£3,022
Patricia Lazcano Irazazábal
Traças 1
Patricia Lazcano Irazazábal
Sculpture - 29.5 x 42.5 x 4 cm Sculpture - 11.6 x 16.7 x 1.6 inch
£978
Traças 2
Patricia Lazcano Irazazábal
Sculpture - 30 x 48.5 x 4 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 19.1 x 1.6 inch
£978
Traças 3
Patricia Lazcano Irazazábal
Sculpture - 11 x 16 x 4 cm Sculpture - 4.3 x 6.3 x 1.6 inch
£644
Traças 4
Patricia Lazcano Irazazábal
Sculpture - 41 x 19.5 x 4 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 7.7 x 1.6 inch
£884
Traças 6
Patricia Lazcano Irazazábal
Sculpture - 16.5 x 33 x 4 cm Sculpture - 6.5 x 13 x 1.6 inch
£755
Traças 5
Patricia Lazcano Irazazábal
Sculpture - 20.5 x 34 x 4 cm Sculpture - 8.1 x 13.4 x 1.6 inch
£755
Traças 8
Patricia Lazcano Irazazábal
Sculpture - 28.5 x 25.5 x 4 cm Sculpture - 11.2 x 10 x 1.6 inch
£884
Traças 9
Patricia Lazcano Irazazábal
Sculpture - 49 x 21 x 4 cm Sculpture - 19.3 x 8.3 x 1.6 inch
£978
Christophe Ruiz
Horizon Carbone (7)
Christophe Ruiz
Painting - 40 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 15.7 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch
£800
Horizon Carbone (3)
Christophe Ruiz
Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
£800
Horizon Carbone (1)
Christophe Ruiz
Painting - 50 x 90 x 2 cm Painting - 19.7 x 35.4 x 0.8 inch
£800
Fragment Carbone (6)
Christophe Ruiz
Painting - 60 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
£800
Horizon Carbone (2)
Christophe Ruiz
Painting - 80 x 60 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.8 inch
£800
AC 5
Ezu Zapata Urrutiabeascoa
Fluctuatio 3
Ezu Zapata Urrutiabeascoa
Sculpture - 12.5 x 14 x 4.5 cm Sculpture - 4.9 x 5.5 x 1.8 inch
£1,369
Woman Touring the Cosmos
Ezu Zapata Urrutiabeascoa
Painting - 50 x 100 x 4 cm Painting - 19.7 x 39.4 x 1.6 inch
£3,870
Granite venus
Ezu Zapata Urrutiabeascoa
Sculpture - 27.5 x 8 x 6 cm Sculpture - 10.8 x 3.1 x 2.4 inch
£1,664
Carpe Diem
Ezu Zapata Urrutiabeascoa
Sculpture - 16 x 14 x 6 cm Sculpture - 6.3 x 5.5 x 2.4 inch
£2,553
Fluctuatio 2
Ezu Zapata Urrutiabeascoa
Sculpture - 16 x 12.5 x 5.5 cm Sculpture - 6.3 x 4.9 x 2.2 inch
£2,289
Cyclops Queen
Ezu Zapata Urrutiabeascoa
Painting - 40 x 113 x 3.6 cm Painting - 15.7 x 44.5 x 1.4 inch
£3,606
I am the Walrus
Ezu Zapata Urrutiabeascoa
Sculpture - 57 x 107 x 30 cm Sculpture - 22.4 x 42.1 x 11.8 inch
£5,977
Amor & Venus Natura
Ezu Zapata Urrutiabeascoa
Sculpture - 45 x 35 x 6 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 13.8 x 2.4 inch
£3,080
Eddy Firmin
Se faire maître (Couteau de précision)
Eddy Firmin
Sculpture - 30.5 x 26.7 x 22.9 cm Sculpture - 12 x 10.5 x 9 inch
£1,777
Signe émotionnel Pays/Culture
Eddy Firmin
Print - 124.5 x 83.8 x 2.5 cm Print - 49 x 33 x 1 inch
£3,110
Signe émotionnel Culture/Protection
Eddy Firmin
Sculpture - 68.6 x 68.6 x 43.2 cm Sculpture - 27 x 27 x 17 inch
£4,088
Se faire maître (Boîte à outils)
Eddy Firmin
Sculpture - 33 x 35.6 x 34.3 cm Sculpture - 13 x 14 x 13.5 inch
£4,444
Alex Radionov
Ballerina on a cube
Alex Radionov
Sculpture - 38 x 22 x 20 cm Sculpture - 15 x 8.7 x 7.9 inch
£4,977
Stefanoiu Vasile
Lesson about the cube
Stefanoiu Vasile
Sculpture - 40 x 23 x 14 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 9.1 x 5.5 inch
£1,777
Orpheus and Eurydice
Stefanoiu Vasile
Sculpture - 77 x 46 x 12 cm Sculpture - 30.3 x 18.1 x 4.7 inch
£8,887
Contemporary man
Stefanoiu Vasile
Sculpture - 65 x 87 x 47 cm Sculpture - 25.6 x 34.3 x 18.5 inch
£5,332
The flight wing
Stefanoiu Vasile
Sculpture - 70 x 37 x 28 cm Sculpture - 27.6 x 14.6 x 11 inch
£1,333
Hydro erosion
Stefanoiu Vasile
Sculpture - 35 x 35 x 16 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 13.8 x 6.3 inch
£3,999
Water and fire
Stefanoiu Vasile
Sculpture - 41 x 16 x 16 cm Sculpture - 16.1 x 6.3 x 6.3 inch
£2,222