Sculpture Definition

Understanding sculpture begins with getting the various definitions from reliable
sources and understanding them. Sculpture according to its basic definition by
Oxford dictionary is the art of making two- or three-dimensional representative or
abstract forms, especially by carving stone or wood or by casting metal or
plaster. However, sculpture goes beyond this definition. The British Council of
Arts challenges this notion emphasizing that the term can now be said to
encompass installation, land art, body art, performance art, text-based work,
photography and video, as well as the three-dimensional art object.
Kinds of Sculpture
There are various kinds of sculpture, to these are free standing, and relief which
has three different types, high, low and sunken.
Free Standing Sculpture (All pictures from courtesy of Google Images)
Free standing sculpture is a type of sculpture that is surrounded on all sides by
space. It is also called sculpture in-the-round. This type of sculpture can be seen
from all sides. Free standing is the opposite of Relief.
Below are examples of Free Standing sculpture:

UP Oblation by Guillermo Tolentino

Relief Sculpture

Pieta by Michaelangelo

Relief sculpture consists of shapes carved on a surface so as to stand out from

the surrounding background. According to Global Britannica, Relief, is also called

relievo, (from Italian relievare, to raise). In sculpture, any work in which the
figures project from a supporting background, usually a plane surface. Reliefs are
classified according to the height of the figures projection or detachment from
the background. In a low relief, or bas-relief (basso-relievo), the design projects
only slightly from the ground and there is little or no undercutting of outlines. In a
high relief, or alto-relievo, the forms project at least half or more of their natural
circumference from the background and may in parts be completely disengaged
from the ground, thus approximating sculpture in the round. A variation of relief
carving, found almost exclusively in ancient Egyptian sculpture, is Sunken relief
(also called incised relief), in which the carving is sunk below the level of the
surrounding surface and is contained within a sharply incised contour line that
frames it with a powerful line of light and shade.
Below are images of Relief Sculptures:

Low Relief: Ancient Egyptian Boat

Low Relief: Homenheb

High Relief The Annunciation

High Relief: Masked Roman Actors

Sunken Relief: Philae Temple(Egytpt)

Sunken Relief on Walls of Egypt

Sunken Relief: Stones of Egypt

References:
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/sculpture
http://www.britishcouncil.org/arts-art-sculpture.htm
http://www.artlex.com/ArtLex/Fm.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblation_%28University_of_the_Philippines%29
http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/m/michelan/1sculptu/pieta/1pieta1.html
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/sculptural+relief
http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/media/141409/Fragment-from-TheMocking-of-Christ-marble-relief-from-the
http://www.123rf.com/photo_11172329_stone-relief-from-egypt.html