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
Aloyzas Smilingis
Summer Etude (1)
Aloyzas Smilingis
Painting - 39 x 50 x 0.3 cm Painting - 15.4 x 19.7 x 0.1 inch
$1,002 $953
Nude in Red (Nue Edition)
Aloyzas Smilingis
Print - 120 x 80 x 2 cm Print - 47.2 x 31.5 x 0.8 inch
$1,116
Movement | Bronze Sculpture
Aloyzas Smilingis
Sculpture - 33 x 21 x 21 cm Sculpture - 13 x 8.3 x 8.3 inch
$9,488
Strange Mood
Aloyzas Smilingis
Painting - 100 x 80 x 0.4 cm Painting - 39.4 x 31.5 x 0.2 inch
$3,572
Square In Blue
Aloyzas Smilingis
Painting - 100 x 100 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch
$3,907
Yellow Blossom
Aloyzas Smilingis
Painting - 100 x 100 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch
$3,907
Iván Navarro
Gabriela Alejandra Rivera
Sweet Neon Collection
Gabriela Alejandra Rivera
Sculpture - 18 x 24 x 8 cm Sculpture - 7.1 x 9.4 x 3.1 inch
$2,095
Sweet and Sparkly Collection, Light Green
Gabriela Alejandra Rivera
Design - 18 x 6 x 8 cm Design - 7.1 x 2.4 x 3.1 inch
$1,111
Color Block Duo Gummy Bears
Gabriela Alejandra Rivera
Sculpture - 18 x 12 x 8 cm Sculpture - 7.1 x 4.7 x 3.1 inch
$1,496
Sweet & Sparkly Collection, Light blue
Gabriela Alejandra Rivera
Sculpture - 18 x 6 x 8 cm Sculpture - 7.1 x 2.4 x 3.1 inch
$1,110
Gummy bear color block - Aqua & green
Gabriela Alejandra Rivera
Sculpture - 25 x 12 x 9 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 4.7 x 3.5 inch
$781
Gummy bear wall art - California sunset
Gabriela Alejandra Rivera
Sculpture - 30 x 35 x 5 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 13.8 x 2 inch
$781
California sunset gummy bear
Gabriela Alejandra Rivera
Sculpture - 25 x 12 x 9 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 4.7 x 3.5 inch
$1,060
Metallic Gummy Bear
Gabriela Alejandra Rivera
Sculpture - 18 x 6 x 8 cm Sculpture - 7.1 x 2.4 x 3.1 inch
$1,111
Dam Domido
Paysage semi abstrait (2)
Dam Domido
Painting - 140 x 95 x 0.1 cm Painting - 55.1 x 37.4 x 0 inch
$3,907
Abstraction géométrique turquoise
Dam Domido
Painting - 95 x 150 x 1 cm Painting - 37.4 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch
$3,237
When the sun sets...
Dam Domido
Painting - 100 x 150 x 1 cm Painting - 39.4 x 59.1 x 0.4 inch
$3,684
Anthony Grip
Never give up boombox
Anthony Grip
Sculpture - 24 x 43 x 9 cm Sculpture - 9.4 x 16.9 x 3.5 inch
$781
Lil’ crazy Boombox
Anthony Grip
Sculpture - 25 x 51 x 20 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 20.1 x 7.9 inch
$1,005
2 pac Ghettoblaster
Anthony Grip
Sculpture - 23 x 51 x 16 cm Sculpture - 9.1 x 20.1 x 6.3 inch
$1,005
Anastasiya Protsenko
After the rain
Anastasiya Protsenko
Sculpture - 72 x 69 x 10 cm Sculpture - 28.3 x 27.2 x 3.9 inch
$2,121
Broken constancy (small form)
Anastasiya Protsenko
Sculpture - 35 x 40 x 10 cm Sculpture - 13.8 x 15.7 x 3.9 inch
$2,009
Autumn. September
Anastasiya Protsenko
Sculpture - 60 x 53 x 10 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 20.9 x 3.9 inch
$2,121
Torn clouds
Anastasiya Protsenko
Sculpture - 55 x 65 x 8 cm Sculpture - 21.7 x 25.6 x 3.1 inch
$1,674
Broken constancy (big form)
Anastasiya Protsenko
Sculpture - 49 x 53 x 10 cm Sculpture - 19.3 x 20.9 x 3.9 inch
$2,233
Art By Son
Rescue rangers
Art By Son
Fine Art Drawings - 50 x 70 x 1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.4 inch
$2,512
Piero Gilardi
Richard Slee
Interplanetary music
Richard Slee
Sculpture - 45 x 11 x 16 cm Sculpture - 17.7 x 4.3 x 6.3 inch
$1,963
Door of the Cosmos
Richard Slee
Sculpture - 19.5 x 19.5 x 19.5 cm Sculpture - 7.7 x 7.7 x 7.7 inch
$5,234
Orbitation in Blue
Richard Slee
Sculpture - 78 x 78 x 39 cm Sculpture - 30.7 x 30.7 x 15.4 inch
$10,467
Last Possibility
Richard Slee
Sculpture - 105 x 105 x 30 cm Sculpture - 41.3 x 41.3 x 11.8 inch
$5,888
Heliocentric Worlds
Richard Slee
Sculpture - 46 x 16 x 16 cm Sculpture - 18.1 x 6.3 x 6.3 inch
$3,925
Arnaldo Pomodoro
Emilio Greco
Lovers
Emilio Greco
Fine Art Drawings - 100 x 70 x 0.1 cm Fine Art Drawings - 39.4 x 27.6 x 0 inch
$7,256