The sculptor is engaged in the creation of volumetric compositions of wood, metal, clay, stone and other materials. This is one of the most ancient creative professions. The works of sculptors who lived long before our era still delight the audience, since the masters of sculpture use strong and durable materials. To become a sculptor, you need to get an art education.
Start on your own
The basis of the sculptor's profession is modeling. Even if you are going to cast a sculpture out of metal or carve them out of stone, it is better to first make a scaled-down model in plasticine. For the first lessons, you can buy ordinary children's plasticine, but it is better to immediately sculpt from a sculptural one. Its advantage is that you will not be distracted by the color. In addition, sculptural plasticine is harder and softens less from heat, and this develops the muscles and motor skills of the hands. You can also try woodcutting at the same time.
Sign up for a school or studio
It is better to master the craft under the guidance of an experienced craftsman. Many art schools have sections for adults. As a rule, classes in them are paid. Studying at an art school is also useful in that upon graduation you will receive a government-issued document. It in itself is a sufficient reason for you to be hired in any workshop of monumental art, and in addition, it is an advantage when entering secondary specialized and some higher art educational institutions. However, in each such educational institution, a creative competition is held, for which an art school graduation document is not required. So you can master the basics of the profession in the studio of a good master, apply for a creative competition and enter the educational institution that interests you.
Upon graduation from university or college
There is no distribution after graduation, so you will have to get a job on your own. But studying at a specialized university or college is useful because you can participate in exhibitions attended by famous sculptors, authors of art projects, managers of art galleries, heads of museums, etc. You have a chance to attract attention and get an invitation to an interesting job or to various projects. In addition, graduation from a specialized educational institution gives the right to teach at an art school, and pedagogical activity can be quite combined with creative, this is usually encouraged.
Individual entrepreneur
A sculptor doesn't have to work for an organization. You can register as a sole trader. You will have to take care of the orders yourself. Modern means of communication make the process much easier. First, you can create your own website where you can display photographs of your work. You can even limit yourself to a personal page on social networks. Project managers constantly browse these sites in search of promising artists and sculptors. In addition, various competitions are held on the Internet, including those for sculptors. You can try looking for orders for making souvenirs or even making monumental sculptures. As a rule, monuments are ordered on a competitive basis - several projects are presented, and the commission chooses the best one and determines the funding. If you are going to be engaged in small plastic - participate in trade shows and fairs. There is no creative competition for them, the participant simply pays a small amount for a place, exhibits his works and sells them.
