Do you love creating something with your own hands? Do you have a natural feel for shapes, bodies and expression? Then a career as a sculptor could be just right for you. In an increasingly digitalised world, crafting with materials such as clay, wood or stone remains a timeless expression of creativity – an antithesis to the virtual world that is deeply rooted in human culture.
What is sculpture anyway?
Sculpture – or plastic art – is one of the oldest forms of artistic expression known to mankind. Since the Stone Age, people have been moulding objects, figures of gods, reliefs and statues from natural materials. Sculpture encompasses all artistic techniques with which a work is carved out of a solid material or built up into a sculptural form. Even in ancient times, sculpture was one of the three classical genres of fine art alongside painting and architecture.
A modern sculptor takes up this millennia-old tradition – and at the same time transforms it into contemporary forms. The spectrum ranges from classical sculpture to free sculptural objects and multimedia works in public spaces. You can create lifelike representations or develop abstract forms, take up social themes or work purely aesthetically.
What exactly does a sculptor do?
Sculptors create three-dimensional works, known as sculptures, using a wide variety of materials: clay, plaster, wax, wood, metal or natural stone. The design can be built up (additive technique, e.g. with clay) or reduced (subtractive technique, e.g. by stonemasons) – both require precise craftsmanship and a pronounced spatial imagination.
The work of sculptors can be found not only in museums or at exhibitions, but also in urban spaces, parks, architectural projects, film and theatre productions or as design objects in residential and commercial spaces. Creative ideas, design sensibility and the ability to communicate with material are always in demand – in other words, not just to work with it, but to “make it speak”.
Training to become a state-recognised sculptor
In Germany, training to become a state-recognised sculptor is a full-time school-based course that usually lasts three years full-time or up to six years part-time. It concludes with a state recognised qualification and is certified by the respective state education authority. Many of these courses are offered at private art academies or state-recognised vocational schools.
The training programme imparts the necessary artistic and technical know-how step by step. It usually begins with the basics of realistic drawing and modelling and develops through sculptural design in clay, plaster and wax to working with more solid materials such as wood, stone or metal. Body studies, proportion theory and anatomy are just as much a part of the course as materials and tools, art history, design theory and aspects of the art market. The focus is not just on learning techniques, but above all on developing an individual artistic style. Further information on training and registration can be found here
What comes after graduation?
With a state-recognised qualification as a sculptor, there are numerous paths open to you. You can
work as a freelance artist, set up your own studio or work in specific areas – for example in the advertising industry, in stage design, in the film or gaming industry, in product or industrial design or in arts and crafts businesses.
Jobs in art education, at art academies, adult education centres or in the workshop sector are also possible. For many graduates, the training is also an extension of their existing professional qualifications – for example for designers, carpenters, model makers or architects.
Why sculpting is more than a profession
Sculpting combines precision craftsmanship with emotional expression, technical knowledge with artistic vision. In a world that is increasingly characterised by fast-paced, superficiality, this profession enables a deep, tangible form of communication – with yourself, with the world and with the space you are creating.
Dealing with the material, developing form, volume and ideas – all of this is a creative process that goes far beyond pure technique. Sculpture not only makes visible what is thought – it makes it physical. In this sense, it is an art form with lasting social and cultural relevance, just as it was in ancient times.
Source
https://web.arbeitsagentur.de/berufenet/beruf/8428
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bildhauerkunst
https://www.artist-ritual.com/de/bildhauerei-kunsthandwerk#erlernen