The Compleat Sculptor
" You supply the talent, we'll supply the rest!" Since 1995
Back to Book Index

General Sculpting Books

The Sculpture Reference
By Lorne Peterson From the producers of the acclaimed Dressing a Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars comes an inside look at the secrets behind the saga’s artful models and sculptures. Lorne Peterson, model and sculpture designer for the entire Star Wars saga, takes us on a journey through the intricate process of crafting and sculpting the models from sketch to screen and the artistry behind the dazzling results.
Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Model Shop features more than 300 full-color photographs and illustrations from the Lucasfilm archives, models from all six films, interviews, images and text with concept sculptors, an overview of the ILM model shop from 1976 through today and numerous gatefolds of the most loved models.
ILM virtually redefined visual effects and blazed a trail into the digital realm, follow behind the camera and into the rarely seen workshops and an amazing look at the creation of movie magic. Sculpting a Galaxy: Inside the Star Wars Modelshop takes readers behind-the-scenes for the first in-depth look at these amazing models and the process behind their creation, punctuated by Lorne Peterson’s exuberance and dedication to craft.
This unique visual treat is a must-have for any Star Wars fan. Hardcover, 216 pages. size: 13.1 x 9.7 x 1.2
Order #
Price
Buy Me
42032157
$50.00
The Sculpture Reference
By Arthur Williams Announcing the publication of a new completely illustrated and unabridged sculpture reference. The Sculpture Reference has 1,187 color images selected from more than 16,000 submitted, representing 288 contemporary living sculptors. Printed on high quality paper, this 5 1/2 lb (2.5 kg) hardbound book alphabetically defines and illustrates sculpture terms, tools, techniques and materials without being overly technical. It is the most complete and diverse pictorial contemporary sculpture reference assembled. All measurements are in English and metric terms.
"It was by chance that I ventured into a sculpture classroom. As the students worked on three-dimensional structures, I was transfixed, riveted to art forms without knowing anything about them... but of certainty, it was me, what I was meant to do. Now, years later, I am still in awe of the process and the product... a passion for touch, something that sculptors inherently live for. Always investigating information about sculpture, invariably other sculptors exchange thoughts with me about their works. Completing this book has allowed me to visit uncharted studios, to discover and photograph new techniques, new materials, new artists and inspiring works from these artists of our day. I want to share this with you." Arthur Williams
Arthur Williams has more than 300 sculptures in collections in twenty-five states, D. C., Canada and Mexico. He holds five degrees including the Doctor of Arts from Carnegie-Mellon University and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Mississippi. He is a full Professor of Art, a holder of an Endowed Chair of Art and an Artist-in-Residence as well as a professional sculptor. He has been selected for Who's Who Among America's Teachers in 1996, 1998 and 2004. He is the author of Sculpture: Technique-Form-Content and Beginning Sculpture. NOW AVAILABLE !!!!!!
Order #
Price
Buy Me
4216001
$75.00

Concrete Handbook for Artists - Technical Notes for Small-scale Objects
By Andrew Goss From the introduction to the book: In writing this book I have imagined the reader as a creative person, perhaps an artist, who would like to try concrete and needs technical information. I have tried to write the book that I wished I had when I started working in this extraordinary material.

Most of the engineering, research and practical development in this area has been done in the construction industry. Suppliers of basic materials and additives are geared to that market as well. Hopefully I have made some connections between these two worlds.

Concrete is a vast subject. My intent is to explain the theory and principles of concrete, to give you the tools to understand what is happening, rather than the details in making a particular object. The book is about working directly with concrete, not about casting multiples. I have also intentionally set limitations of scale: jeweler, sculpture and small functional objects. It will not cover large outdoor works, such as cast-in-place sculpture.

Beyond the basic principles of concrete, the book explains mixes and additives and how these mixes must be changed for different uses. It explains several methods of forming concrete. Most of the techniques and mixes I have tried, and for those I haven't I have given basic information from reputable sources along with leads for more research.

Order #
Price
Buy Me
4207001

$33.95


Encyclopedia of Sculptural Techniques

By John Mills The soft cover edition of this key reference work on sculpture. The Encyclopedia of Sculpture Techniques, was written in 1990, and this second edition broadens the scope of sculpture practice to include information on the latest techniques and materials. The author John William Mills has written the book with the working sculptor in mind.
As well as details on techniques, information is provided on a wide selection of materials, from bronze and concrete to polystyrene and glass. The author also gives hints on adapting tools and how to produce unusual finishes, all of which allows a sculptor greater versatility in their craft.
The definitive guide to studio practice in sculpture from one of Britain's leading sculptors. Arranged alphabetically for easy reference, detailed explanations are given for a range of traditional, contemporary and experimental approaches to sculpting in a range of materials including clay, concrete, glass, metal, polystyrene, plaster of Paris, resin ( polyester) and wax. Every aspect of sculpture is covered, from studio equipment and preparation to handling the materials and surface finishes. Hardcover: 240 pages; 10.2 in x 7.5 in

Order #
Price
Buy Me
1943942
$19.95

The Acrylic Sculpture of Michael Wilkinson

By Michael Wilkinson, Mitchell Meisner The acrylic Sculpture Of Michael Wilkinson is a detailed look at the works of Sculptor Michael Wilkinson from 1985 to 2003. The book included a forward by Mitchell Meisner, and text by Constance Schwartz the director of the Nassau County Museum of Art. As well as sculptural descriptions by Michael Wilkinson. 100pp.

Order #
Price
Buy Me
0845678
$70.00

Sculpting 101: A Primer for the Self Taught Artist

By Lynda Sappington Includes how-to's on: three types of clay; armatures; bases; style points; finishing techniques; foundry terminology; suppliers; etc. Also includes a sample horse measurement chart, a comparative measurement chart for horses, and information on how to make measurement charts that meet your particular needs. Intended for the novice through the experienced sculptor.

See Clay Sculpting Books


Living Materials: A Sculptor's Handbook

By Oliver Andrews. Every material has an active presence and every material is susceptible to change. The task of the sculptor is to understand the natural properties of a chosen material, to know in the process of creation how best to work with, or against, its characteristics. In this generously illustrated studio manual, sculptor Oliver Andrews takes a new approach to sculpture, focusing on how the innate assertiveness of materials affects the complex act of making a sculpture. 349 pp.

Order #
Price
Buy Me
08K526
$34.95

Introduction To Lapidary

By Pansy D. Kraus. 8.25 in x 11 in 208 pages · 16-page color section

Order #
Price
Buy Me
08418516
$21.95

Sculpture in the Age of Doubt

By Thomas McEvilley. Sculpture in the Age of Doubt is a revelatory exploration of the course of twentieth-century sculpture framed in a lucid discussion of the major issues surrounding the post- Modern movement. It traces the evolution of Modern sculpture from its earliest break with representation and illusion to the unconstrained independence it has achieved in contemporary art. Beginning with the Readymades of Marcel Duchamp and continuing into the 1990's with the anti-illusion statements of Pop Art, New Realism, Minimalism, Conceptualism, and Performance Art, McEvilley unearths the significance of post-Modern theories and attitudes in the works of twenty-five preeminent sculptors. A ground-breaking work in the realm of twentieth-century art history and criticism, this is a fundamental text for anyone following the development of art into the new century. 349 pp

Order #
Price
Buy Me
082237
$24.95

Methods for Modern Sculptors

by Ronald D. Young. This is a "how to" book for hands-on sculptors who want to learn to cast their own metal. It covers waxes, sprues, mold-making, ceramic shell casting, dewaxing, melting and pouring metal, welding, chasing, cleaning & polishing. It also presents complete details on the formulation and handling of ceramic shell slurries as well as on how to build kilns & furnaces. 294 pp.

Order #
Price
Buy Me
08802
$18.95

Sculpture, Principles and Practice

By L. Slobodkin. A step-by-step approach to sculpture in clay, plaster, metal and stone. A well rounded text that covers both classical and modem styles. 255pp.

Order #
Price
Buy Me
08111
$14.95

The Materials and Methods of Sculpture

By Jack C. Rich. Exhaustive, profusely illustrated guide to the technical aspects of sculpting in stone, metal, wood & clay. Tools, techniques, modeling, casting and firing are just some of the topics covered in this volume. 512pp.

Order #
Price
Buy Me
08113
$16.95

From Clay To Bronze

By Tuck Langland. Going beyond theory straight to hands-on practice, this studio workbook is devoted to the creation of a large, realistic bronze figure, from initial studies through the complex processes of enlarging, modeling, molding, casting, and finishing. First the book deals with preparing the clay, building the armature, developing the figure study, and enlarging it. Then casting is explored, plaster waste, flexible molds, systems of lost-wax casting, metal chasing, welding, mounting, and patinas. Tips on the maintenance and restoration of bronze sculpture are included. 240pp.

See Clay Sculpting Books



Leonardo on Art and the Artist

By Leonardo da Vinci Here is a complete picture of the techniques and working philosophy of one of the greatest artistic geniuses of the Renaissance. Assembled by a brilliant scholar from Leonardo's own writings--Notebooks and The Treatise on Painting--as well as his artistic production, the book offers a carefully balanced view of the artists intellectual growth. Drawing on all the relevant writings, and rectifying many errors made by previous scholars, this work differs from earlier studies in its systematic grouping of the passages of Leonardo's writings concerning painting. In organizing the materials, the editor focuses on problems of interpretation; the result is the direct opposite of a simple anthology, offering instead a reconstruction of the underlying meaning of Leonardo's words. For each section, noted French art scholar André Chastel has provided an informative introduction and notes, and substantial bibliographic and reference materials for the book as a whole. More than 125 painstakingly reproduced illustrations are found throughout the text, further enhancing this rich and accessible resources sure to be welcomed by scholars, lay readers, and any admirer of the incomparable Leonardo. Unabridged republication of The Genius of Leonardo da Vinci, originally published by The Orion Press, New York, 1961. Notes. Printed Editions of Leonardo's Writings. Table of Manuscripts. Table of Paintings. Chronological Table. List of Illustrations. References to Entries. Over 125 black-and-white illustrations. 288pp softcover dimensions: 9 1/4 x 7 5/8

Order #
Price
Buy Me
081421667
$19.95

Rodin on Art and Artists

By Auguste Rodin Great sculptor’s candid, wide-ranging comments on meaning of art; great artists; relation of sculpture to poetry, painting, music; philosophy of life, more. 76 superb black-and-white illustrations of Rodin’s sculpture, drawings and prints. 119pp softcover dimensions: 8 3/8 x 11 1/4

Order #
Price
Buy Me
0814244873
$11.95

The Sculptor's Way: A Guide to Modeling and Sculpture

By: Brenda Putnam All the information a student of sculpture needs in the early stages of training appears here, in a convenient single volume that also offers professional sculptors an invaluable reference. Three years in the preparation, this book synthesizes the author's 30 years of teaching and practicing sculpture. In her clear, conversational, and highly readable manner, she encourages readers to develop their own styles rather than imitate others, insisting only that they build a sound foundation. Her topics include modelling from life, comparative anatomy, modelling and casting a portrait head, drapery, ceramic sculpture, stone and marble carving, wood carving, and bronze casting. Students and other art lovers will find a vast range of inspiring sculpture depicted in these pages, ranging from classic to modern. Unabridged republication of the edition originally published by Watson-Guptill Publications, Inc., New York, 1948. Introduction. Suggested Reading. Index. 196 halftones. 96 diagrams.Page Count: 384 Dimensions: 8 3/8 x 11

Order #
Price
Buy Me
081423131
$24.95

Vasari on Technique

By Giorgio Vasari Great craftsman and biographer’s full, readable discussions of architecture—orders, pavements, planning and design, etc.; sculpture—modelling in wax and clay, tools and materials used in marble carving, reliefs, bronze figures, etc.; painting— foreshortening, coloring, fresco, tempera, gilding, stained glass windows, niello work, etc. Written in a very pleasant style. Introduction and notes by G. Baldwin Brown. 29 illustrations. 328pp softcover dimensions: 5 3/8 x 8 1/2

Order #
Price
Buy Me
081207179
$15.95

Figure Sculpture in Wax & Plaster

By Richard McDermott Miller.   Step-by-step guide to materials and tools, modeling in wax and plaster, hollow wax modeling, plaster molds, and much more. Introduction. "The beginning artist will find the step-by-step instructions . . . to be like having a personal tutor."—Enchantment. 281 photographs. Paperback 176pgs. 8-3/8in x 11in.

Order #
Price
Buy Me
08116
$12.95

Salvador Dali - 50 Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship

By Salvador Dali, Translated by Haakon M. Chevalier.   Rare, important volume in which famed Surrealist expounds (in his inimitably eccentric fashion) on what painting should be, the history of painting, what is good and bad painting, the merits of specific artists, and more. Includes his 50 "secrets" for mastering the craft, including "the secret of the painter’s pointed mustaches." Filled with sensible artistic advice, lively personal anecdotes, academic craftsmanship and the artist’s own marginal drawings. Paperback 192 pgs. 9-1/4in x 12-1/8in.

Order #
Price
Buy Me
08119
$12.95

Books, DVDs and Videos are not returnable.

Although we try to keep the most updated prices on our website, all prices are subject to change.
1-800-9-SCULPT