Based on the role, position and theme of stone carving and custom sculptures, the selection of materials is the first step of stone carving creation. There are many materials for stone carving, mainly including white marble, blue white stone, granite, sandstone, soft jade and so on.

White marble is crystal clear stone material with delicate, durable and soft texture as one of the finest grain materials, which is easy to carve, mostly used for the palace building decoration carving, fountain sculpture or outdoor garden statues. There are a large number of decoration walls, stone animal statues and stone railings in the famous relic of Forbidden City in China are carved with white marble, as well as many western sculptures or Hellenistic sculptures. These carvings are solemn and elegant, woozing noble and royal taste.

The color and pattern of the green and white stone varies differently. It is mostly used in palace, buildings and stone work with carving. While granite features hard texture, but its rough grain is not easy to carve, which is only suitable for platform base, step stone, ground built and so on.

As to material selection, one way is to select the stone based on the size, shape, softness or hardness, color and stone desity and particle. Another is based on the theme according to the needs. The first way is relatively easy, and will not waste stone, and the second way is relatively difficult with higher demands for stone conditions, such as cracks can not be chosed, too much color or uneven patterns can not be used and so on. To choose a piece of ideal stone, especially the large one, artisan often needs a few days, a few months, or even a few years of time.