sculpting
Forming three-dimensional art
Sculpting is the act of shaping material into three-dimensional art—carving stone, modeling clay, casting bronze.
The term extends to any careful shaping: sculpting a hedge, sculpting your body at the gym.
A surgeon might speak of sculpting facial features.
The word emphasizes deliberate, artistic control over form.
Simulating or demonstrating form
- carvingShaping by cutting away
- castingShaping through liquid form
- moldingDecorative architectural edging
- shapingGiving something its form
chiseling · whittling · engraving · etching · incising · handbuilding · coiling · throwing
Moldable earth for ceramics
- marbleRecrystallized limestone rock
- bronzeCopper-tin alloy
- stoneSolid earth fragment
- woodTree-derived building material
plaster · wax · resin · terracotta · alabaster · granite · limestone · sandstone
Outline or numeral
- bustFailure or sculpture
- torsoBody without limbs
- statueThree-dimensional sculpted likeness
- statuetteMiniature sculpted figure
figurine · maquette · relief · frieze · installation · monument · proportion · anatomy
Edged carving implement
- malletSoft-headed striking tool
- gougeConcave carving blade
- raspCoarse shaping tool
- fileStored collection of data
calipers · rib · turntable · stand · kiln · wheel · spatula · scraper
Florentine sculptor and painter
- RodinFrench bronze sculptor
- GiacomettiSculptor of attenuated figures
- NoguchiMidcentury sculptor-designer
- ParthenonAncient Greek hilltop temple
Bernini · David · Carrara · classical · Renaissance · Hellenistic · Buddhist
modeling
Simulating or demonstrating form
- carvingShaping by cutting away
- castingShaping through liquid form
- moldingDecorative architectural edging
shaping · chiseling · whittling · engraving · etching · incising · handbuilding · coiling · throwing · pinching
clay
Moldable earth for ceramics
wood · plaster · wax · resin · terracotta · alabaster · granite · limestone · sandstone · soapstone
figure
Outline or numeral
statuette · figurine · maquette · relief · frieze · installation · monument · proportion · anatomy · contour
chisel
Edged carving implement
file · calipers · rib · turntable · stand · kiln · wheel · spatula · scraper · sandpaper
Michelangelo
Florentine sculptor and painter
- RodinFrench bronze sculptor
- GiacomettiSculptor of attenuated figures
- NoguchiMidcentury sculptor-designer
Bernini · Parthenon · David · Carrara · classical · Renaissance · Hellenistic · Buddhist
roughing
Unnecessary physical contact foul
- blockingImpeding forward progress
- detailingDescribing thoroughly, point-by-point
- firingTerminating employment
glazing · welding · casting · curing · drying · bisque · slip · wedging · annealing · burnishing
- art techniquespainting, drawing, sketching, shading, blending
- modeling3D modeling, data modeling, computer modeling, mathematical modeling, financial modeling
- activitiesbowling, climbing, exercise, eating, baking
- artsartist, creativity, expression, songs, painting
- creative activitiessketching, doodling, painting, drawing, collage
- leisure activitiesrelax, watching, unwind, walking, chill
sculptingpainting
Pigment on canvas
drawing · sketching · printmaking · illustrating · watercoloring
sculptingdemolishing
Destroying a structure completely
destroying · smashing · wrecking · crushing · dismantling
sculptinghacking
Infiltrating protected digital systems
bashing · mangling · butchering · defacing · vandalizing
- body sculptingReshaping physical form aesthetically
- ice sculptingForming frozen water artistically
- sand sculptingCreating art from granules
- face sculptingMakeup technique defining bone structure
- clay sculptingShaping moist earth artistically
- snow sculptingCarving forms from frozen flakes
sculpture, sculptor, sculpt, sculpted, sculpts, sculptural, sculptors, sculptresses, sculptress