The Bear in Process ~ or ~ Process of a Bear
There exists only two basic types of sculpture when considering the process– Additive and Subtractive. These terms are fairly straightforward in meaning. Welding metal together to “build” a sculpture would be a good example of a “additive” sculpture. Reducing a block of wood or stone by cutting or grinding away the volume to form a sculpture would be a good example of the subtractive type of sculpture. Of course you could consider the incorporation of both methods, as you might do were you building a snowman, as third type, but your still only using two methods in the process. These two processes though. are fundamentally different, and the differences belie the simplicity of the superficial terms used to represent them.
Finite vs. Infinite
The limitations imposed upon the sculptor, should be the important thing to considered between the two processes. And these are twofold. They amount to infinite, and the finite extent, of their respective canvasses.
The Additive – In the case of the Additive method, and using welded metal as an example, it doesn’t take much imagination to see that the artist working with this material, has a nearly limitless canvass. He/she can add metal at will and expand the sculpture in any direction, accomplishing any scale. The sky is virtually the limit. Secondly, this type of sculpture is very forgiving of mistakes encountered along the way, or even after the fact. Any misjudgment may be easily corrected.
The Subtractive – With the Subtractive process the sculptor works from the confinement of the volume or mass of the block of material originally selected. He/she must be able to visualize the entirety of the end result within that block, and reveal it by only removing the material that is not to be of consequence to the final object imagined therein. No mistakes can be corrected. If too much material is removed through miscalculation…. then the integrity of the entire work is compromised. The subtractive type of sculpture, is therefore, generally much more time consuming to produce. For the most part because each determined piece of material has to be so carefully deliberated upon before removal.
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