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
Roland Masson
Pinkhas
QSTNMRK
José Ignacio Suarez Solis
Almiranta tricornio, Sculpture
José Ignacio Suarez Solis
Sculpture - 69.9 x 84.8 x 49.8 cm Sculpture - 27.5 x 33.4 x 19.6 inch
€13,519
Coqueiros de Klee
José Ignacio Suarez Solis
Painting - 89.9 x 89.9 x 0.3 cm Painting - 35.4 x 35.4 x 0.1 inch
€1,564
Apropriaçao frei de carranca, Figurative Sculpture
José Ignacio Suarez Solis
Sculpture - 34.8 x 19.8 x 19.8 cm Sculpture - 13.7 x 7.8 x 7.8 inch
€7,725
Ori Guerreira na luz III, Figurative Sculpture
José Ignacio Suarez Solis
Sculpture - 59.9 x 129.8 x 30 cm Sculpture - 23.6 x 51.1 x 11.8 inch
€13,519
Orí guerreira na luz I, Figurative Sculpture
José Ignacio Suarez Solis
Sculpture - 110 x 89.9 x 34.8 cm Sculpture - 43.3 x 35.4 x 13.7 inch
€13,519
Orí guerreira na luz II, Figurative Sculpture
José Ignacio Suarez Solis
Sculpture - 65 x 80 x 39.9 cm Sculpture - 25.6 x 31.5 x 15.7 inch
€13,519
Orí Yucateca, Figurative Sculpture
José Ignacio Suarez Solis
Sculpture - 190 x 39.9 x 39.9 cm Sculpture - 74.8 x 15.7 x 15.7 inch
€19,313
Orí guerreira tupinandacaru I, Figurative Sculpture
José Ignacio Suarez Solis
Sculpture - 190 x 39.9 x 39.9 cm Sculpture - 74.8 x 15.7 x 15.7 inch
€19,313
Rodrigo Zuliani Hauck Zampol
Ragisména series White M5
Rodrigo Zuliani Hauck Zampol
Sculpture - 30 x 19.8 x 3.8 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 7.8 x 1.5 inch
€579
No title 1
Rodrigo Zuliani Hauck Zampol
Painting - 66.8 x 49.8 x 0.3 cm Painting - 26.3 x 19.6 x 0.1 inch
€1,062
Ragisména series White M6
Rodrigo Zuliani Hauck Zampol
Sculpture - 30 x 19.8 x 3.8 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 7.8 x 1.5 inch
€579
Umbra series 16
Rodrigo Zuliani Hauck Zampol
Sculpture - 39.9 x 30 x 2.8 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 11.8 x 1.1 inch
€1,255
Umbra series 17
Rodrigo Zuliani Hauck Zampol
Sculpture - 39.9 x 30 x 2.8 cm Sculpture - 15.7 x 11.8 x 1.1 inch
€1,255
Machet 1
Rodrigo Zuliani Hauck Zampol
Sculpture - 30 x 30 x 3.8 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1.5 inch
€773
No title 2
Rodrigo Zuliani Hauck Zampol
Painting - 66.8 x 49.8 x 0.3 cm Painting - 26.3 x 19.6 x 0.1 inch
€1,062
No title 3
Rodrigo Zuliani Hauck Zampol
Painting - 66.8 x 49.8 x 0.3 cm Painting - 26.3 x 19.6 x 0.1 inch
€1,062
Valay Shende
Elephant with Ballons
Valay Shende
Sculpture - 120 x 45 x 50 cm Sculpture - 47.2 x 17.7 x 19.7 inch
€55,000
Mehnoush Modonpour
Ignorance #1
Mehnoush Modonpour
Sculpture - 30 x 20 x 24 cm Sculpture - 11.8 x 7.9 x 9.4 inch
€1,300
Mahsa and the lion
Mehnoush Modonpour
Painting - 46 x 38 x 1.5 cm Painting - 18.1 x 15 x 0.6 inch
€880
Irakli Tsuladze
Light of Love
Irakli Tsuladze
Sculpture - 110 x 60 x 60 cm Sculpture - 43.3 x 23.6 x 23.6 inch
€2,800
Crixo Aponte
Manny Woodard
Between Shore and Sea
Manny Woodard
Sculpture - 25 x 18 x 12 cm Sculpture - 9.8 x 7.1 x 4.7 inch
€818
She Turns to Face the Sun
Manny Woodard
Sculpture - 31 x 10 x 11 cm Sculpture - 12.2 x 3.9 x 4.3 inch
€667
Dancing with my Handbag
Manny Woodard
Sculpture - 20 x 14 x 8 cm Sculpture - 7.9 x 5.5 x 3.1 inch
€606
If You Should be Silent
Manny Woodard
Sculpture - 52 x 27 x 21 cm Sculpture - 20.5 x 10.6 x 8.3 inch
€1,273
Juan Spray
Street art or graffiti
Juan Spray
Painting - 130 x 97 x 3 cm Painting - 51.2 x 38.2 x 1.2 inch
€1,200