OtterKnow Kids Encyclopedia

A sculpture is a special kind of art that you can walk around and see from all sides. Unlike a drawing or a painting, a sculpture is not flat. It sticks up and has shape, just like the things around you. You can touch many sculptures and feel their bumps and curves.

People have been making sculptures for thousands and thousands of years. Some sculptures are tiny enough to hold in your hand. Others are so big that you have to look way up to see the top! Sculptures can be found in parks, museums, playgrounds, and even in your own home. A clay pot or a snowman is a sculpture too!

Sculptures can be made from many different materials. Clay is one of the most popular because it is soft and easy to shape with your hands. Stone sculptures are made by chipping away at a big rock until a shape appears. Metal sculptures are made by bending, welding, or pouring hot metal into molds.

Some sculptures are made from surprising things! Ice sculptors carve beautiful shapes out of giant blocks of ice. Sand sculptors build amazing castles and animals at the beach. Some artists even make sculptures out of recycled materials like old bottles, cardboard boxes, and bottle caps. Wood is another popular material — artists carve it with special tools to make animals, people, and other shapes.