Both professional artists and amateur enthusiasts who dedicate part of their free time to one of their great passions, Sculpture , they do it out of necessity or the satisfaction that comes from expressing themselves through the creation of volumes and shapes. On other occasions, we've told you about the most common materials for making sculptures. and even the types of sculptures that exist . Today we would like to delve into the sculpture techniques best known and most used.
Sculptures are a three-dimensional art form that utilizes real space, encompassing or interacting with it. When starting to create a new sculpture, artists must make several decisions regarding its height, width, and length, and based on these and the expected result, decide on the technique or techniques they will employ.
Techniques for making a sculpture
Sculpt
This is one of the most familiar sculpture techniques, even those unfamiliar with the art. It involves working from a block, gradually removing particles until the sculptor achieves the desired shape. Historically, marble was sculpted in Italy; limestone was used in Europe; and alabaster stones in Germany, England, and Spain.
This technique is accompanied by the roughing tools , which leave deep, uneven grooves; or flat chisels which are used as finishing tools on surfaces such as limestone, sandstone or marble.
Carving
Carving is a technique used primarily to work marble and wood. It involves removing material from the outside in through grinding and polishing.
In the case of the When it comes to wood carving , it's important to keep in mind that the type of wood used is very important. Thus, cedar or pine, which are softer, are easier to carve than oak or walnut. However, the latter are more durable and allow for finer details. Precisely for this reason, a deep knowledge of materials and techniques is always so important for a sculptor.
As for the Carved in ivory , we must consider that it is an expensive and difficult-to-obtain material, as it is obtained, for example, from elephant tusks or rhinoceros horns. For this reason, its main use has traditionally been for carving religious objects.
Modeling
Modeling, as its name suggests, is a technique in which a soft or malleable material is shaped using a mold. One of the most commonly used materials for this technique is clay, although it is not the only one. Clay is very inexpensive, easy to obtain, and easily molded. One of the strengths of this technique is that it allows for multiple copies to be made.
Surely many, if not all, of you are familiar with the famous wax museums. Well, the celebrities represented there are made of wax using this technique. When done properly, they can even fool the human eye from a distance. Incredible, right?
Foundry
Like the previous technique, this one also requires a mold. The main difference is that, in the case of casting, the resulting sculptures are usually made from mixed metals. Bronze, for example, is an alloy of tin and copper; and this mixture is commonly used in sculptures because it is so strong and durable. In fact, in the Middle Ages, it was used to make weapons, tools, and other sculptures.
Polished
Polishing is a technique used by artists to improve the final finish of their created figurine, enhancing its visual appearance and feel. It consists of performing a mechanical operation on the surface. Polishing wood is also known as sanding, and can be done using sanders or by hand. Polishing other materials, such as copper, silver, or gold, is often done for purely decorative purposes, resulting in a shinier, cleaner finish and improved feel, as previously mentioned.
Other sculpture techniques
Are there other sculpting techniques? Yes, they are. Chiseling, embossing, engraving, stamping, or die-cutting, for example, are other types of techniques. However, today we wanted to focus on the most commonly used and most recognized. Do you know anything about any of these techniques that we haven't mentioned? If so, let us know! We hope you've learned a lot today, and if you decide to create your own sculptures, you're in the perfect place to do so. Just tell us what you need, and we'll be happy to help.
