French Sculpture Vocabulary

30 French Sculpting Words

1. Une sculpture : sculpture
2. Sculpter : sculpting
3. Un sculpteur : sculptor (m)
4. Une sculptrice : sculptor (f)
5. Une statue : statue
6. Un modèle : model
7. Un socle : pedestal
8. Un bas-relief : low relief
9. Un buste : bust
10. Les proportions : dimensions, size
11. Sculpter : to sculpt
12. Tailler : to carve
13. Un maillet : mallet
14. Ébaucher : to draft
15. Une ébauche : a draft
16. Modeler : to shape, to mould
17. Un modelage : modelling
18. Mouler : to cast
19. Un moulage : casting
20. Fondre : to found
21. La fonte : melting
22. Assembler : to assemble
23. Un assemblage : assembling
24. Un matériau : material
25. Le plâtre : plaster
26. La terre cuite : terracotta
27. Le bois : wood
28. Le métal : metal
29. Le bronze : bronze
30. Le marbre : marble

Note from Camille: I’m having a hard time finding the names of sculpting tools in French and English! My dictionary is not very helpful with these very precise terms –  If you’d like to contribute to this free resource, please add the sculpting tools / sculpture related vocabulary words in French and English to the comments below, and I’ll gladly add them to the article! Thanks!
You can find pictures and sculpting related French vocabulary words on wikipedia.

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How do you Pronounce “Sculpture” in French?

In French the P in “sculpture” and derived words is silent.
And the U is… well, a French U, like in “tu”. [scultur]

1. Sculpture – scul tur
2. Sculpter – scul té
3. un sculpteur – scul teur
4. une sculptrice – scul triss

You have to be particularly careful with these words that are similar in English and in French. They may seem easier to learn, but actually, they are more difficult because it’s so easy to say them the English way.
So you really need to train so the French pronunciation comes out naturally.

You may also be interested in my live video interview of metal sculptor Sigrid whom I met in the Breton town of Saint-Quay Pontrieux.

Live Interview With a French Metal Sculptor

Use the CC & gear options located to the bottom right of the YouTube video to turn on/off the subtitles in French and English.

Leave me a comment: could you understand us?