Miniature Bike created using wire and various metals by Claudia Moore Field

Sculpture is one of the oldest art forms currently in existence. In fact, since prehistoric times, man has carved different materials. Thus creating plastic forms in which the human figure predominates. In Egypt the first sculptural works date back to the fourteenth century BC, and already in that era the Egyptians were well acquainted with all the techniques for treating the various materials. 

Among the most sought after for sculpture is marble. The latter is an organogenic limestone of metamorphic origin. The marble is extracted in the quarries, detaching blocks with mines, levers or by helical wire. Once extracted it is used in construction or to create marble sculptures. 

This technique is very complicated and to perform it you need to know the various phases. The method to be used is called upbeat sculpture. This consists in removing pieces of marble with special tools, until the desired sculpture is obtained. In the following guide I explain how to sculpt marble.

Sculpture techniques

The preferred technique of classical sculpture, dating from the period of the ancient Greeks, was the use of a chisel to carve on a block of resistant material. Sculpting means throwing pieces of a block into the desired shape.

Other techniques for creating sculptures consist in molding, sculpting, casting or hollowing out objects through the manipulation or processing of the chosen materials.

Sculpture materials

Any material can be used to create a sculpture, as long as it gives the artist the ability to create shapes. You can use, for example, various materials such as stone, wood, clay, clay, gold, silver, bronze, sand, ice, fruit and much more.

Types of sculpture

The sculptures can be grouped according to the type of material used, such as sculptures in wood, bronze, marble, sand, among others. Another form of classification is by historical period or by type of structure.

Selling your works with the customer in mind

If you are finally ready to sell your works of art and become a professional artist, you need to know your audience.

Who is interested in your works? And most importantly, how many of these potential fans of your style can turn into buyers?

In fact, you must take into account that, if many people like art, few – at least in principle – will really appreciate your work, and even less will be inclined to take out their wallet.

You might think that the collectors you need to turn to are rich people of a certain age with whom, perhaps, you will struggle to get in touch. Well, that’s not the case: statistically speaking, in fact, your potential buyers are and will always be more Millennials or Generation Y.

According to a US Trust survey, in fact, those born between 1980 and 2000 are going to form a new and interesting class of collectors very quickly, with a growth of 67% compared to 46% of Generation X and 19% of Baby Boomers (which, however, it must be said, still make up 44% of the total of collectors). 

Today on the internet it is possible to find sculptures collection for sale of famous contemporary artists, we can find original works and reproductions, which leads u sto the next paragraph.

Difference between selling original works and selling reproductions

When you think about selling your works online you are invariably referring to the original works. But does it have to be the only way? Perhaps your works also lend themselves well to creating prints and merchandising. Of course, for a certain type of paintings and works, this thought does not stand, and it should be so.

In other cases, however, you can really think of creating limited edition prints, on canvas or paper, with or without a frame.

It is then possible to spread one’s art through various merchandising, from hats to shopper bags: when a certain circle is formed, it will be possible to sell personalized original works, so as to have created the necessary field to sell – at a high price – even the your genuine originals.