Form is one of the most important tools a sculptor has to create emphasis. In art, form refers to any three-dimensional shape. It is similar to two-dimensional lines and shapes, which other types of artists use more often. A sculpture's form may include broad, sweeping lines that draw the viewer's eye in a certain direction. Large, heavy forms are also more likely to draw interest than smaller forms. In abstract sculpture, forms may or may not resemble real objects, making those that have a realistic form stand out for their representational value.
Composition is an element of art that all artists employ in each piece they create. Composition is the arrangement of shapes on a canvas or forms in three-dimensional space in sculpture. A sculptor can create a sense of symmetry (or asymmetry) to draw a viewer's attention. Likewise, sculptures that appear to be off-balance may create a sense of tension that forces a viewer to look in the direction that the sculpture appears to be leaning. In kinetic sculpture, which are sculptures that physically move (like hanging mobiles), composition actually controls the motion of the art and directs the viewer's eye through the space.
Color is an important element of sculptural emphasis that is easy to overlook. A sculptor can easily include a brightly colored section in an otherwise dull or monochromatic work to provide a quick focal point. Colors can also create patterns, and wherever an artist breaks that color pattern will become a point of emphasis as well. Sculptors use the element of value, which refers to the darkness or lightness of a color, to determine the visual strength of different colors in a work, as light, bright colors are more likely to attract attention that darker colors, which typically recede.
Every three-dimensional object has a texture, and sculptors can exploit this fact when choosing materials and producing work to create emphasis. By varying textures an individual sculpture may have more than one point of emphasis. Varied textures, or those that appear soft and smooth, can attract attention and may even give viewers the desire to reach out and touch the art. On the other hand, a rough patch in the middle of a smoothly textured work will quickly stand out as a center of interest.