Clay sculpture is one very common and widespread form of sculpture. In all cultures there is such a form of art like clay sculpture but there are cultures and countries in which clay sculpture is typical. For example clay, and consequently clay sculpture, is essential to the Indian culture. It was in the past and still is now. In India clay sculpture is available, accessible and affordable everywhere since it is done with very little effort and the fact that is so fragile, makes it necessary to renew it all the time.

In India and everywhere else where it is done, clay sculpture is a medium through which the individual’s as well as the whole people, where is the case, thoughts and emotions are expressed and circulated. No matter in what culture they are made, no matter whether they are clay sculpture items or other types of clay creations, the styles and shapes differ greatly. Both fired and unfired clay sculpture items come in amazingly numerous and various shapes. When you produce clay sculpture pieces of art you do not have to follow certain sizes and patterns but let your imagination and creativity to roam freely and come up with new and beautiful ideas to put into clay for the others to see what you were thinking.

Generally items made within the clay sculpture perimeter vary from tiny little statues meant as collectibles to huge creations meant for display and decorating large areas, like public places (gardens, parks, etc). The themes present in clay sculpture are as varied as there are things, people, animals and plants around us. Thus, sculptors have created clay sculpture items depicting humans, human heads or busts, animals, plants, birds, fantastic creatures, scenes from every day life, etc. The beauty of a well-made clay sculpture , irrespective of its outdoor or indoor settings, is preserved through many decades, even generations, particularly with a material like stoneware clay that has a well-established record of durability. Actually some of the oldest sculptures on earth are made of clay.

Just think of the Terracotta Army that was buried with the Emperor of Qin (Qin Shi Huangdi) in 210-209 BC or the Minoan Snake Goddess c. 1600 BC. Although in time the use of clay in sculpting, has had ups and downs, it is still used nowadays to create wonderful clay sculpture items for decorative purposes. If in the past clay was mostly molded into functional items like plates, mugs or pots, nowadays it is molded in a myriad of patterns and styles just for the sake of art.  

Check out these clay sculpture news items from around the Web:

Daily routine of life: Me and a piece of clay

I asked her about it and she told me about this place that she goes to work with clay and makes sculpture and she started it couple of months ago following the whole ordeal of her breast cancer and all that she went through. …   Read more…

WAYWARD MUSIC SERIES: Paul Rucker: solo cello + clay sculpture

Paul Rucker performs improvised cello solos inspired by original clay sculptures created by the audience. Non-toxic/non-staining clay will be provided. Paul Rucker is a composer, musician, and visual artist who has made …   Read more…

Wildlife Fine Art Sculpture of M C Shinnick: Peace on Earth

In my sculpture I am portraying an alignment to the elements and to elemental forces. Clay itself is an elemental force. It is earth and water that brings our relationship to nature directly to our fingertips. …   Read more…

capucha: This is the favorite clay sculpture I’ve made so…

capucha:. This is the favorite clay sculpture I’ve made so far. This is so beautiful!   Read more…

Bronze is considered among the best alloys used for molding, since it has a very fine property of expanding in the tiniest details of the mold. Bronze sculpture has a great reputation in terms of strength and resistance, particularly if we compare it with stone and ceramic materials. The best preserved bronze sculpture representations from the antiquity are a relevant proof of just to what extent bronze as a material was used in the arts. Nevertheless, preservation is a problem for this material since it does not survive the passage of time very well. Bronze sculpture includes very extensive statuary groups with figures, equestrian statues and all sorts of sections in the complex artistic representation.

The main technique for the creation of a large bronze sculpture is the preparation of study models that allow the artist to come to the right pose and proportions. Before the final details are established, there could also be an intermediary bronze sculpture to allow scaling, modeling and measuring. Then, in case the size of the bronze sculpture is pretty large, a study for the armature and structural support are necessary so that the complete work may stand in place and fit in the background. Presently, welding has opened the door for a whole range of bronze sculpture applications.

By means of welding techniques, a bronze sculpture can be cast in pieces that are afterwards joined together. This method is highly valuable for the creation of extensive projects. Bronze sculpture also requires special polishing, and the application of this patina will prevent the decay process, protecting the color and the finish at the same time. More special bronze sculpture design includes gold coating, a method known as Ormolu. Popular in the 18th century France, this practice consisted in the use of a gold layer over a soft bronze alloy. The gold actually played the role of the finish, preventing corrosion or time deterioration.

The popularity of bronze sculpture has somehow decayed with the appearance of newer and more challenging alloys. Artists still use it but only for very special projects. Due to the existence of a larger range of tools, materials and work methods, sculpture as an art has reached a turning point that also marked a revolution in its development. Progress has actually helped sculpture move forward and reinvent itself; yet, bronze sculpture for instance will remain trapped in the past due to its history and material limitations.  

The dragon sculpture is still made nowadays in different colors, shapes and sizes and from different materials; with various purposes. Why do people keep making dragon sculpture pieces even to the present day? Probably because the old myths and stories about dragons still arouse their interest and curiosity as well as their wish to exhibit their passions and feelings for such old legends. The dragon sculpture pieces developed probably from the times when the stories about dragons were circulated and believed.  In the beginning the dragon sculpture illustrated the myth but nowadays it is just a matter of art for the sake of art.

The dragon appeared in countless shapes and gave birth to many local traditions. The myth of the dragon occurred from stories that told of who/what had power over the waters of the earth. In the past some peoples believed that the dragon used to live at the bottom of the sea, where they were the guardians of huge treasures. The dragon was thought to produce clouds, thunder, and lightning; consequently, many of the dragons appear in dragon sculpture as well as painting as fire-breathing monsters. The typical dragon, whether depicted in a dragon sculpture or other art forms, is depicted as a creature with the feet and wings of an eagle, the forelimbs and head of a lion, a fish’s scales, an antelope’s horns and a serpentine form of the trunk and tail. In many myths and legends, and also reflected in the dragon sculpture or paintings, the dragon is presented as an evil force, which results from the union of an eagle and a she wolf. Beowulf and Hercules are only two examples of old literature characters that had to face dragons, in the Western culture.

A totaly different perception of the dragon occurs in the Oriental civilizations, where the dragon stands for the supreme spiritual power. A dragon sculpture, actually more than just one were used, and still are, to decorate the castles and palaces as a royal/imperial sign of wisdom and power. The dragon sculpture motif also represents the emblem of mystical beliefs and is very common in Oriental architecture, park decorating and public places decorating. So the Oriental dragon sculpture is believed to bring wealth and good fortune as the dragon has great powers, both celestial and terrestrial; the other positive connotations of the dragon are wisdom and strength.

The old myths and legends about dragons, whether they come from the West or the East still make people dream about heroic times of fights and knights, and sacrificed young men and kidnapped ladies. They can show their interest in and passion for the stories of those times by acquiring and displaying the dragon sculpture items they buy or make themselves. Thus if you are interesting in having your own dragon sculpture, you can either shop for one or look for it on websites. The internet actually offers you more information than the clerk in a store, about a dragon sculpture. Besides you can also learn a lot about dragons in general and their stories.

Check out these dragon sculpture newsitems from around the Web:

Runcorn schoolboy wins chance to name dragon sculpture - Runcorn …

A RUNCORN schoolboy will leave a lasting legacy by naming a sculpture which is to make its home in Palacefields moat.   Read more…

Brooklyn Metal Sculptor’s Work to be Featured at Bergdorf Goodman …

Alexandra Limpert is a Brooklyn artist whose metal dragon sculpture is featured in the Bergdorf Goodman Holiday Windows. This year’s theme is an homage to Tony Duquette, an American design icon.   Read more…

Bash Quote: [Advocate] N00bface, In Other Words, Die A…

[Advocate] rofl Bwautiful Franklin Mint Dragon Sculpture Franklin Mint Beautiful Franklin Mint Dragon Sculpture,Juicy Couture Black Hard Woven Ruffle Dress Juicy Couture Black Hard Woven Ruffle Dress Juicy Couture Black Hard Woven …   Read more…

Art sculptures are nearly limitless in options and design possibilities. There are people who can give life to clay, marble, wood, metal, glass and even ice, creating true masterpieces and wonderful expressions of the creative spirit. There is a magic of the art sculptures that one can get the feel of in the galleries of a museum, in front of the exhibits in a private collection or by simply staring at a statuary group somewhere in an open area. Techniques, motivations and work challenges are inherent to every creative process, and they make the very essence of art sculptures. From the miniatures to bas-relief art sculptures mounted on walls, everything seems possible.

Some art sculptures will seem very intriguing to view: as they could very well represent some queer assemblage of objects that stimulate the imagination of both the spectator and the artist. In the artistic process, the work is recreated every time it is viewed in public. The subtle message of the art sculptures transpires differently from one viewer to the other according to personal despondency, sensitivity, and a whole range of subjective factors in particular. Art sculptures allow special assemblages and combinations of carved and molded materials, but it all depends on the artistic vision.

Art sculptures use the combination and the juxtaposition of different materials, alternating not only colors, but patterns too. Critical decisions are made by artists every time they get involved in the artistic process. There are no clear-cut rules, there are only suggestions, and such a perspective is usually taught in art schools. Yes, they show you one technique or another, but the artistic transfiguration as such is the part of the artist. Thus, art sculptures work in the direction of individual manifestation without any limitations from the mentors or the teachers.

For anyone interested in taking up art sculptures as a form of hobby development or study, there are plenty of workshops and training programs that you could choose. Have a look on the Internet and see what institutions organize sculpture classes if you want to join a form of art sculptures studies. Nevertheless, you basically have to feel the thrill of arts, it is not a matter of decision but of personal calling. This is the case of many famous artists that remained in the history of the arts as complex personalities: they were painters, musicians and designers before practicing sculpture. 

You would think that angel sculptures are typical of churches only. Well let me tell things are not like this. Whether in the past you could see angel sculptures only on and in churches or in cemeteries, at present angel sculptures can be found in many places that have nothing to do with religion. Even in people’s homes angel sculptures have their place as Christmas decorations for the house or for the Christmas tree, as well as collectibles. Some people consider angel sculptures make very good gifts.

As angels are part of many different cultures angel sculptures have been created in many areas of the world. Depending on the area and the its cultural specific, angel sculptures come in different forms, shapes, colors and materials. The choice of creating angel sculptures also dependes on the artist’s background and inspiration as well as on the influences to which the artists is subjected.

The fact that there seems to be angel sculptures in different forms almost in any house in the world is that many cultures share the belief in these beings. Judaism has the angels, malachim, regarded as the messangers and workers of God. The angel Michael is seen as the protector of the Israeli people. Christianity also has a very strong belief in angels. As the Bible mentions, the resurrection of Jesus Christ was announced by angels. Thus in Christianity, angels are also thought to be the connection between God and people.

Islam also has this belief in angels (the four angels of each individual arte called Malaa’ika, which means messenger). The difference between the Islamic and Christian/Jewish angels is that in Islam, angels cannot fall from grace, as they do cannot commit sin. In Hindi culture the angels, called devas, are responsible for the natural elements: water, earth, fire, air.

Since human beings feel their weakness on earth facing the elements and since religions offer them the angels—the beings that guide them, protect them from harm and give them a link to God—it is comforting and reassuring to believe in angels. Therefore, in time, people have felt the need to have angel figures around them in church, at home and on their tombs for protection. The angel sculptures, initially meant for religious purposes have come to be made for artistic and decorative purposes.

You should know, in case you are interested in acquiring some angel sculptures, that they are created out of very different sculpting materials from stone, marble, limestone and cast to wood, metal, wire and others. You can find angel sculptures to buy from stores and artists’ workshops. If there aren’t any to purchase locally, you can visit the incredibly numerous websites that advertise for angel sculptures. Thus you will be able to see, get information and compare angel sculpture prices in order to buy the ones that you best like and can afford.

Here are some more interesting entries about angel sculptures:

   Keefer M 9e64 ilton: Angel’s Sculpture/My New Camera

  CHAPEL HOUSE vintage glass angel sculpture 1000 PIECES no 81 …

Angel Ice Sculpture on Flickr - Photo Sharing!