Direct Stone Sculpture: A Guide to Technique and Creativity [Hardcover]

Milt Liebson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1991

The ancient and wonderful art of direct stone sculpture is brought to life in this comprehensive new book by the noted sculptor, Milt Liebson. After a brief, informative historical overview of stone sculpture, he leads the reader through the hands-on experience of sculpting in stone. This is the book that artists, and would-be artists in stone have been seeking for many years. The types of stone used in sculpture are covered, as well as the basic tools for hand sculpting and the techniques for their use. For the advanced sculptor there is detailed information on power tools and their use, the methods of lamination and repair, the business side of stone sculpture, and other helpful information gleaned from years of experience. Detailed photographs take the readers from the rough stone to the polished and mounted piece. Direct Stone Sculpture promises to be the standard reference work in the field for years to come.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Milt Liebson is a professional sculptor who maintains an active studio and home near the historic and picturesque village of Cranbury, New Jersey. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Pub Ltd; First Edition edition (July 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0887403050
• ISBN-13: 978-0887403057
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,003,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

104 of 105 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on direct stone sculpture, July 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Direct Stone Sculpture: A Guide to Technique and Creativity (Hardcover)

This book has aroused in me a great deal of enthuiasm for the process of shaping stone and the creation of art forms out of stone. Liebson is an authority on the subject and he writes extremely well. Manufacturers and suppliers of tools and stone are listed in an index. A list of recommended tools is provided as well as a fairly comprehensive description of how to best utilize these tools. The photographs are interesting and informative. An inspirational book. Of the three books on stone sculpture which I've read, this is by far the best.

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible, September 30, 2002

By 

James C Bassett (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Direct Stone Sculpture (Hardcover)

Every sculptor should own this book, and it's really the only one you need. Meilach's volume makes a good supplement, but really that's all it is; Liebson's book easily stands on it's own as the standard reference.

Why? Almost the entire book is devoted to the craft and mechanics of carving stone. Liebson looks like someone's dad, and writes like it, too -- this book eschews all discussion of "art" in favor of simple, practical advice on "how to do it." From selecting a stone and tools to using and caring for those tools to finishing, polishing, mounting, and displaying your sculpture, even to gaining exhibitions and marketing your work, Liebson covers absolutely everything you need to know to get started, and to keep going. I've been carving for over five years now, and I still refer constantly to this book.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Direct Stone Sculpture, November 18, 2006

By 

Anthony Bedford "the O.G." (Modesto, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Direct Stone Sculpture (Hardcover)

After reading the two previous reviews, I purchased this book on sculpture and was surprised to find that "soapstone" carving was dismissed from the very beginning of the book. Liebson makes clear that he does not even allow "soapstone" in his classroom--on the grounds that (his opinion)it is dangerous to the sculpter's health, and also crumbles when worked.

Since I am new to sculpture, this was disappointing because "soapstone" was the only material I had worked with, and hoped this book was going to give me some valuable advise. Beyond Liebson's dismisal of "soapstone" the book is everything that those other reviews said it was. Tools, methods and merchandising are all covered with ample illustrations. I hope to take full advantage of Liebson's valuable lessons once I have graduated up to limestone and the like.

A.B.