A sculptor is an artist who creates three-dimensional artwork, usually by carving, molding, or assembling materials like stone, clay, metal, wood, or even ice. While a painter works on a flat canvas, a sculptor makes art you can walk around and see from every angle.

Ancient sculptors carved enormous statues from marble using only hammers and chisels. Michelangelo spent years sculpting his famous statue of David from a single massive block of stone. Modern sculptors might weld together pieces of steel, mold clay into figures, or even create installations from found objects. Some sculptors work on tiny, detailed pieces you could hold in your hand, while others create monuments that tower overhead.

The process of creating sculpture is called sculpting, and the finished artwork is called a sculpture. When you build a sandcastle at the beach or shape a snowman, you're doing a simple form of sculpting. Professional sculptors spend years mastering their materials, learning how stone breaks, how metal bends, or how clay holds its shape. Their finished works might end up in museums, public parks, or building lobbies where people can experience art in a completely different way than looking at a painting on a wall.