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
June Kim
Digital Season, Merging Redthread Landscape
June Kim
Print - 50 x 90 x 0.3 cm Print - 19.7 x 35.4 x 0.1 inch
£889
Knots, Time Landscape
June Kim
Sculpture - 43 x 36 x 63.5 cm Sculpture - 16.9 x 14.2 x 25 inch
£22,218
Artic, Merging Redthread Landscape
June Kim
Print - 50 x 90 x 0.3 cm Print - 19.7 x 35.4 x 0.1 inch
£267
Nicola Facchini
Tanto, Stava già male
Nicola Facchini
Sculpture - 25 x 30 x 32 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 11.8 x 12.6 inch
£2,488
George Panossian
Chantilly
George Panossian
Sculpture - 200 x 179 x 153 cm Sculpture - 78.7 x 70.5 x 60.2 inch
£27,994
Donald explorer
George Panossian
Painting - 80 x 140 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 55.1 x 0.8 inch
£2,222
Pink Poodle
George Panossian
Sculpture - 90 x 90 x 51 cm Sculpture - 35.4 x 35.4 x 20.1 inch
£13,331
Sailor Pigeon
George Panossian
Sculpture - 203.2 x 165.1 x 175.3 cm Sculpture - 80 x 65 x 69 inch
£13,331
Axe Hydrant
George Panossian
Sculpture - 82 x 51 x 57 cm Sculpture - 32.3 x 20.1 x 22.4 inch
£13,331
Water Hydrant
George Panossian
Sculpture - 82 x 51 x 57 cm Sculpture - 32.3 x 20.1 x 22.4 inch
£13,331
Vivianne Paris Panigiris
La mer des Rêves triptych 1/30
Vivianne Paris Panigiris
Sculpture - 75 x 25 x 3 cm Sculpture - 29.5 x 9.8 x 1.2 inch
£978
La Mer Des Rêves - Diptych
Vivianne Paris Panigiris
Sculpture - 60 x 40 x 3 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch
£1,155
Le cri des vagues
Vivianne Paris Panigiris
Sculpture - 60 x 40 x 3 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 15.7 x 1.2 inch
£1,155
La Mer Des Rêves - Single Canva
Vivianne Paris Panigiris
Sculpture - 40 x 30 x 3 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch
£711
La mer des rêves 1/30 set
Vivianne Paris Panigiris
Sculpture - 25 x 25 x 3 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 9.8 x 1.2 inch
£489
La Mer Des Rêves - Round Edition
Vivianne Paris Panigiris
Sculpture - 40 x 40 x 5 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 15.7 x 2 inch
£889
La mer des Rêves round edition 1/50
Vivianne Paris Panigiris
Sculpture - 30 x 30 x 3 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.2 inch
£578
Je t’offre mon coeur
Vivianne Paris Panigiris
Sculpture - 15.5 x 15 x 7 cm Sculpture - 6.1 x 5.9 x 2.8 inch
£578
Anna Kruhelska
Constant Change 25
Anna Kruhelska
Sculpture - 110 x 110 x 23 cm Sculpture - 43.3 x 43.3 x 9.1 inch
£8,625
Stavros Kotsakis
Irina Bellaye BlanXs
Dyptic Champagne ou Les bules ce soir
Irina Bellaye BlanXs
Painting - 80 x 120 x 2 cm Painting - 31.5 x 47.2 x 0.8 inch
£3,733
Winter Twist
Irina Bellaye BlanXs
Fine Art Drawings - 65 x 50 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 25.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch
£667
Jardin de mes rêves
Irina Bellaye BlanXs
Sculpture - 95 x 65 x 45 cm Sculpture - 37.4 x 25.6 x 17.7 inch
£1,600
Round Dance
Irina Bellaye BlanXs
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 65 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 25.6 x 0.4 inch
£667
Hard Rock
Irina Bellaye BlanXs
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 65 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 25.6 x 0.4 inch
£667
Les traces du silence
Irina Bellaye BlanXs
Painting - 60 x 60 x 4 cm Painting - 23.6 x 23.6 x 1.6 inch
£1,600
Devant le silence
Irina Bellaye BlanXs
Painting - 47 x 35 x 2.5 cm Painting - 18.5 x 13.8 x 1 inch
£1,066
Enrose me
Irina Bellaye BlanXs
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 65 x 2 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 25.6 x 0.8 inch
£889
Jil Joannin
Vili
Terzo Yan
Nal-Vad
La Paresse (Série : Les 7 péchés capitaux)
Nal-Vad
Painting - 79 x 79 x 2 cm Painting - 31.1 x 31.1 x 0.8 inch
£2,666