Modeling is sort of the opposite of carving, because instead of removing materials, materials are added to form the sculpture. The scale of carved sculptures can range considerably, from miniature figures that rest on the tip of a finger to massive forms carved of living rock. For example, a stone or wood sculpture can be made by removing material and gouging with chisels, hammers, and files to bring the artist’s imagined form into physical existence. Such reliefs may be carved into the stone or wood of the structure itself, or they may be cast of metal and fixed to the surface of the structure. Reliefs can only be seen from a limited range, whereas a freestanding sculpture can be seen from every angle.Ĭarving is a process in which some of the original material is removed.

Such sculptures may be in high relief-projecting boldly from the surface-or low relief-projecting only slightly from the surface. We usually think of sculpture as being freestanding, but sculptures can be attached to surfaces such as doors, altars, or church walls. The two primary types of sculpture are freestanding, which have all sides showing, and relief, which are those that stick out from a surface or background piece.

Sculpture is created in four basic ways: carving, modeling, casting, and construction.

Three dimensional art