Prince of Peace College, Inc.

Balete, Poblacion, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro

princeofpeacecollege@gmail.com
Tel. No.: (043)287-3012

GE11: Arts and Humanities

MODULE 2

The Mediums of Sculpture

There are a number of materials available for a sculpture to work with according to the artist’s interest
in the subject — stone marble, jade, and granite, to name a few. Each of them presents an interesting
motivation to challenge the sculptor’s creativity.
Stone is the hard substance formed from mineral and earth material. The finish is granular and dull in
appearance. These are normally used for gravestones in cemeteries.
Granite is a granular igneous rock composed of feldopars an (quartz, usually combined with other
minerals and is quite difficult to ciiic1. This is good for large works with only a few designs. The Egyptian
cultures of Pharaohs were mostly done in granite.
Marble is limestone in a more or less crystalline state and is capable taking a high polish, occurring in
many varieties. is easier to curve than granite because it is relatively softer in character. Sculptors have used
marble for detailed carving of figure. Some of the famous sculptures made of marble are the internationally
famous Pieta, David and Dying Slave by Michelangelo. In the Philippines, we have an exact copy of Pieta in
some churches.
Jade is a fine, colorful stone, usually green and used widely in Ancient China. It is highly esteemed
as an ornamental stone for carving and fashioning jewelry. Today, its use caught the fancy of women in
fashion because it carries certain social significance. It is believed to symbolize certain virtues such as
faithfulness, wisdom and charity.
Ivory, which comes from the main parts of the tusks of elephants is the hard white substance used to
make carvings and billiard balls. In the home of some well-to-do families in the Philippines, faces and hands of
images of saints are made of ivory. The bodies are made of wood, carved and painted.
Metals include any of a class of elementary substances, as gold, silver or copper all of which are
crystalline when solid and many of which are characterized by capacity, ductility, conductivity and peculiar
luster when freshly fractured. Being ductile, it can be transformed into fine wires or threads. Its main quality is
that it can be shaped into any direction or formed under great pressure without breaking. Traditionally, the
metals that have been the medium for sculpture are copper, brass, bronze, gold, silver, and lead. Aluminum is
a recent addition to the list.
Bronze is another by-product of metal consisting of copper and tin with color and is one of the most
universally popular metals for sculpture. Bronze as a material is strong, durable and resistant to any
atmospheric corrosion. It is best suited for sculptures in open or outdoor places like parks and plazas. The
sculpture may be polished to give it excellent brilliance. Brass, an alloy of copper and zinc, is not popularly
used by artists because of its limitations as a medium. Although it has many practical uses, brass does not rust
and it takes a brilliant polish.
Copper, which has a peculiar brilliance, is used as a costing medium. This is basically shaped by
hammering. It can be fashioned into relief forms. The rich reddish color and strength offer many possibilities to
the sculptor and the craftsman. One characteristic of this medium is its resistance to atmospheric corrosion.

Gold and silver are used as casting materials for small objects like medals, coins and pieces of jewelry
because they are quite expensive, they are used for either personal accessories or religious Adornments.
Lead, a bluish-gray metal, is used for casting and forging. With the help of a welding torch iron, it can
be worked into a variety of unique and exciting forms.
Plaster is a composition of lime, sand and water. Plaster is worked on an armature of metal wires and rods in
addition to various materials and fibers. This is applied on walls and ceilings and allowed to harden and dry.
The medium is used extensively (or making manikins, models, molds, architectural decorations and other
indoor sculpture.
Clay is a natural earthy material that has the nature of plasticity when wet, consisting essentially of
hydrated silicates of aluminum used for making bricks and ceramics. Clay is generally fragile so it becomes
necessary to cast it in another durable material. The surface of the finished product made of clay may be
painted or glazed. Earthenware which is ‘baked earth” is commonly referred to as terra cotta, which is cheap
compared with stone or bronze. Brilliant cloves are made possible by glazing. Like all pottery, terra cotta is
easily broken. As a medium for sculpture, it has been used during the early times.
Glass is a medium that is hard, brittle, noncrystalline, more or less transparent substances produced
by fusion, usually consisting of mutually dissolved silica and silicates and contains soda and lime. This is used
to make beautiful but fragile figurines. It can be molded in various colors and shapes.
Wood as a medium is perhaps easier to carve than any other mediums available because it can be
intricately carved and subjected into a variety of treatment not possible with stone. It is fighter and softer to
carve besides having grater tensile strength than stone; hence, it can be used in long pieces without breaking.
The character of the grain and the color of the wood are the most important qualities that the sculptor
considers. Wood should be treated to preserve its quality. Common wood used for sculpture are dapdap, white
lauan, oak, walnut, mahogany, narra and dao. They are selected for beauty and permanence.