This page describe terms and jargon related to sculpture and sculpting. A armature An armature is an internal frame or skeleton which supports a modelled sculpture. A typical armature for a small sculpture is made of heavy gauge wire, bent and twisted to form the basic shape. Often the armature is designed to leave one or more pins protruding from the base of the finished sculpture to facilitate attaching it to the plinth additive Is the process by which material is shaped and built up, frequently on an armature, to create the desired image. Traditionally the material used in modeling clay, but plaster is considered a less desirable but also less expensive substitute. Frequently the sculpture created by the additive method is a temporary one, used to create a more permanent version in stone or bronze. assemblage An assemblage is a sculpture constructed from found objects. Typically an assemblage does not disguise the original objects used, rather it either tries to show them in a new light, or forms a figurative sculpture from the collection of shapes. B bozzetto (Italian) A small terracotta sketch of a sculpture: see maquette. C carving Carving is one of the oldest sculptural techniques. It is a subtractive process; starting with a solid block, the sculptor removes material using chisels and other tools to 'reveal' the finished form. Traditional carving materials include stone, especially marble, and fine grained woods. casting Casting is a method of producing one or more copies of a sculpture. Typically, the original sculpture is modeled as usual and covered with a molding material that sets hard when dry. The mold is then separated to release the original sculpture. Once the mold is reassembled, at its most simple the casting material is poured into the void and left to set. Traditionally, molten bronze is used as the casting material, but modern alternatives include resin. When the cast sculpture has cooled or cured, the mold is again separated to release it and reassembled ready to cast the next copy. When molten bronze is used, it is more typical to use a lost wax or similar process so that the finished piece is hollow rather than solid. The cast sculpture may then require some finishing work to remove mold lines and other imperfections. The sculptor may also wish to patinate the work to produce the final piece... Ciment Fondu Ciment Fondu is a proprietary