Sculpture Vocabulary
Abstraction
a technique that emphasizes a simplified or systematic investigation of forms. The subject may be recognizable or completely transformed into a form or essence of the object.
Additive
a sculptural process in which material is built up or added to create a form.
Armature
a framework used to support material being modeled in sculpture.
Assemblage
a sculpture constructed from various materials not originally manufactured for artistic purposes, often including found objects.
Cast
A form made by creating a mold into which a material is poured in liquid form, allowed to harden, and removed from the mold.
Figurative
Representing human or animal forms.
Freestanding
a sculpture that stands by itself; usually made for viewing from all sides.
Installation
A sculpture created for a particular site wherein the viewer is a participant or part of the sculptural statement.
Kinetic
Any three-dimensional art that contains moving parts and can be set in motion either by air currents (mobiles) or some type of motor.
Maquette
a small-scale model of a larger sculpture.
Modeling
Shaping pieces from a pliable material such as clay by using the hands and hand tools.
Nonobjective Art
Works that have no apparent relationship to objects from our three-dimensional world.
Plasticity
the quality of a material that allows it to be manipulated without tearing or breaking.
Positive/Negative Space
Positive space – the physically filled area in a three-dimensional form; Negative space – physically unfilled area.
Proportion
a sense of appropriateness in size relationships of the different parts of a work of art.
Relief
Three-dimensional form raised from a flat surface; bas-relief or low-relief are forms that are barely raised from the flat surface; high-reflief are forms raised considerably from the flat surface.
Scale
the size of an object in relationship to other objects and its surroundings.
Subtractive
sculpture formed by cutting away the excess from a larger piece of material.
a technique that emphasizes a simplified or systematic investigation of forms. The subject may be recognizable or completely transformed into a form or essence of the object.
Additive
a sculptural process in which material is built up or added to create a form.
Armature
a framework used to support material being modeled in sculpture.
Assemblage
a sculpture constructed from various materials not originally manufactured for artistic purposes, often including found objects.
Cast
A form made by creating a mold into which a material is poured in liquid form, allowed to harden, and removed from the mold.
Figurative
Representing human or animal forms.
Freestanding
a sculpture that stands by itself; usually made for viewing from all sides.
Installation
A sculpture created for a particular site wherein the viewer is a participant or part of the sculptural statement.
Kinetic
Any three-dimensional art that contains moving parts and can be set in motion either by air currents (mobiles) or some type of motor.
Maquette
a small-scale model of a larger sculpture.
Modeling
Shaping pieces from a pliable material such as clay by using the hands and hand tools.
Nonobjective Art
Works that have no apparent relationship to objects from our three-dimensional world.
Plasticity
the quality of a material that allows it to be manipulated without tearing or breaking.
Positive/Negative Space
Positive space – the physically filled area in a three-dimensional form; Negative space – physically unfilled area.
Proportion
a sense of appropriateness in size relationships of the different parts of a work of art.
Relief
Three-dimensional form raised from a flat surface; bas-relief or low-relief are forms that are barely raised from the flat surface; high-reflief are forms raised considerably from the flat surface.
Scale
the size of an object in relationship to other objects and its surroundings.
Subtractive
sculpture formed by cutting away the excess from a larger piece of material.