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SCULPTURE: TERMS & NOTES
 Permanence: because of its permanence, sculpture often represents
the only artifact of entire civilizations
 Sculpture: is 3-dimensional art / Because of its three-dimensionality,
it comes very close to reality in its depiction
Types of sculpture- full round, relief, and linear
 Full round: 3-dimensional & can be viewed from any angle. Because full
round sculpture stands free and 3-dimensional, sculptors must concern
themselves with practical aspects of gravity & engineering. They may
use devices for support.
 Relief: maintains 2-dimensional quality and is not seen in the round, it
is viewed only from one side. It is either low or high relief, because it
protrudes from a background. High relief projects at least half of its
depth from the background. Low relief projects less than half.
 Linear: emphasizes construction with thin, elongated items, such as
wire or neon tubing. Linear sculpture includes mobiles.
METHODS OF EXECUTION
SUBTRACTION- sculptor begins with large block of wood or stone and
cuts away the unwanted material.
Types of rock: three types of rock are used by sculptors
 (1) igneous: (granite)- hard, lasting, but difficult to carve
 (2) Sedimentary: (limestone)- lasting, easy, when polished produces
smooth & lustrous surface
 (3) Metamorphic: (marble)- a sculptor’s ideal material because it is
long lasting, a pleasure to carve, & exists in a broad range of colors
Carving Technique: the sculptor creates a model, smaller than the
intended sculpture, a miniature, perhaps of clay, plaster or wax; and then
works from the material intended for the finished piece
 1st: The sculptor roughs out the image- knocking away the waste to
within 2 or 3 inches of what will be the finished area
 2nd: The sculptor uses a different set of carving tools, and finishes
the material to precise detail
 3rd: Lastly the sculptor finishes by polishing the work

CONSTRUCTION- the sculptor starts with raw material and adds
element to element to build the sculpture
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Types of materials include plastics, metals such as aluminum or steel,
terracotta clay, epoxy resins, wood
Combinations of these materials to create mixed media may be used
OR combinations of techniques of execution
SUBSTITUTION- this is used with any material that is transformable
from a plastic, molten or fluid state into a solid state. It is molded or
cast.
To Create a Mold:
 First the sculptor creates a Positive: the sculptor creates an
identically sized model of the intended sculpture
 Then the sculptor forms the Negative: after covering the model with
plaster that when hardened is removed, the sculptor has then created
the negative which becomes the mold for the actual sculpture
 The sculptor casts the material: the molten material is then poured
into the negative and is allowed to solidify; then when the mold is
removed, the sculpture emerges. Polishing follows.
Lost Wax Technique
 Lost wax technique is cast sculpture in which the mold uses a wax
model that is then melted to leave spaces in the mold.
1. The sculptor covers a core of clay that is the shape of the
sculpture with a layer of wax the thickness of the final work.
2. The sculptor then carves the details in the wax, attaches rods and
a pouring cup made of wax to the model, and then covers everything
with a thick layer of clay.
3. When the clay dries, the sculptor heats the mold to melt the wax &
then pours molten metals into the mold.
4. When the metal solidifies, the clay mold is broken and removed- the
sculpture cannot be duplicated.
Hollow Casting
 In this type of sculpture, the sculpture is cast so that it is hollow.
This is less expensive because it requires less material. It is also less
prone to crack since it is less susceptible to expansion and contraction
resulting from temperature change. It is also lighter, and easier to
handle and ship.
MANIPULATION- this is also called modeling or shaping materials by
skilled use of the hands. This is evidenced when a potter uses a wheel to
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create ceramic vessels from a lump of clay, or a glass blower forms art
glass by blowing air into the molten glass.
Additional Sculpture Techniques
 1. Found Objects: Artist changes of context of objects, or combines
found objects in a different way, or decides that a certain object has
an aesthetic reference and presents it as such.
 2. Ephemeral art: This is a conceptual art that is designed to be
transitory. It makes statement then ceases to exist.
Art Elements in Sculpture
 Mass (Space): Unlike shapes on a 2-dimensional picture plane,
sculpture takes up 3-dimensional space and thus consists of actual
volume and density. It is literal mass.
 Line & Form: The form of the sculpture draws our interest and we
discuss line in terms of how it is revealed in the form.
1. Geometric and organic shapes
2. Open form- when the lines of the sculpture direct the eye
through the piece and then off into space
3. Closed form- when the eye is directed continually back into the
form
 Color- materials may be chose for their colors, or the work may be
painted. Other materials may be chosen so that nature will provide the
final color through weathering.
 Texture- roughness or smoothness of the surface becomes a tangible
characteristic in sculpture. This can be perceived or physical.
 Space- Negative space refers to shapes or openings in the sculpture
that can be of significance to the work.
Design Principles in Sculpture
 Balance: this refers to how the elements are distributed on either
side of a work of art. Symmetrical is the same on both sides;
asymmetrical is different on each side
 Proportion: the size relationship between parts of a whole
 Scale: the size in relation to what is considered normal or consistent
 Repetition & Variation: repeating various elements in a work of art and
then varying it by changing that rhythm
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Articulation: manner by which our eyes move from one element in the
sculpture to the next & how the artist has joined the various
components together
Focal area (emphasis)- area of greater interest; where our eyes linger
the longest
Dynamics- movement or activity of the art elements in the work. The
3-dimensionality of sculpture heightens this and causes us to
experience a sense of dynamics as we move around the piece.
Movement may also exist in the piece itself.
Sensory Experience of Sculpture
 Touch- we can feel it. Any work of sculpture attracts our touch.
 Temperature– color implies temperature (warm or cool colors).
 Weathering- the effects of temperature and climate have an impact
on the sculpture.
 Age- our response to a work may be shaped by the effects of age.
Ancient objects possess character, and might have greater emotional
impact.
 Size- our senses respond to the weight and scale of a work because it
has mass. A sculpture of 3 feet tall has a very different impact than
one that is 30 feet tall!
 Materials- sometimes the artist disguises the materials (stone carved
to look like drapery) or in reverse, the artist may emphasize the
materials used by incorporating their natural patterns into the
meaning of the work.
 Lighting- Light plays a fundamental role in our perception of 3dimensional objects. The direction & sources of light on a sculpture
can change the composition. Whether displayed outdoors or indoors,
the light affects the overall presentation of the work.
 Environment- where and how a work is exhibited contributes to our
response. There is a difference in impact on our senses between a
sculpture displayed in a carefully designed environment that screens
our vision from distractions; and a sculpture that is exhibited in a
busy public park. Sculpture that is on display in a museum is lit
differently and removed from the tactile experience compared to
artwork that is out of doors and accessible to the public.
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