Sculpting the light.By Don. AnAstasios+Sculptor

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Sculpting the Light One of the differences between a painting and a sculpture is that a painting has its own light while the light of a sculpture comes from an external source. There are two types of light the sculptor uses when working on the volume, the recesses and projections of a sculpture: the incoming beams of light and the light source illuminating the sculpture. We can understand this as one light source combining the Chiaro oscuro and the shadows thrown by the volume beyond the figure. So, we realize what an important factor the light is for a sculpture, that any variation could change the formal concept of the sculpture. A sculpture may seem more or less static, with more or less movement depending Îżn the light it receives. There are sculptures whose dramatic character is emphasized because of the viewpoint or the contrast between light and shadow. Fine transformations could also occur because of the light, as noticed in many sculptures, resembling pictoric elements. In the History of art two behaviors are noted: a) the sculptor who has studied the art in relation to the landscape and how the location functions; b) the sculptor who often works inside a workshop intuitively, without taking into consideration external circumstances. The contrast between the Romanesque and Gothic sculptures is an example. The Romanesque sculptures relate to a linear concept, with profile clarity, slight shadows and rounded surfaces with complete illumination. In contrast, the Gothic sculptures use Chiaro oscuro to enhance and accentuate the visibility of a sculpture on which large shadows are thrown. 1


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