Sculpture Methods Essay

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It’s amazing to look around and realize that we are surrounded by so many objects of art we call sculptures. Some Sculptures are created to last a life time, like sculptures made in bronze from different cultures, and other may not last as long, like an ice sculpture that melts or wood that can warp throughout time. The four basic methods for making a sculpture are modeling, casting, carving, and assembling Modeling is probably a method most of us have experienced in our life time, because it’s the use of clay. Clay is a material composed of minerals from the earth. Clay is smooth, easy to shape into form and work with when wet. Sculptors will start off with small amount of clay and add to it, this is called the additive process. When the clay form has dried the sculpture will fire the clay, this is where the clay is heated at a very high temperature. An example of modeling is Terracotta statuette of the Diadoumenos (youth tying a fillet around his head), this first century b.c. this sculpture is made of terracotta; a type of clay. This gives it the beautiful color and texture. Being it is an earth element sculptors had it available. It is quite easy to work with it was one of the most common clay. When I look at this sculpture it looks unfinished, although the medium being clay has much character with texture and color, done in bronze casting would have been beautiful. This sculpture has much detail in the face as the statue looks down into deep thought, making you wonder what he is thinking about. The next method of making a sculpture is casting, casting is where a material, most common is bronze metal is heated at a very high temperature until it is in liquid form and pored over a sculpture. A common method for metal casting is called the lost- wax process; using a mold wax and clay with the pouring of the bronze. Most sculptors do not touch the sculpture

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