Bas-relief is a French term meaning "low-raised work." This ancient technique dates back to Classical Greece and even earlier in some Mesopotamian civilizations. This type of artwork, along with high relief (above, left), is known collectively as relief sculpture—meant to be seen primarily from one direction—as opposed to sculpture which is in the round or full round.

Bas relief in its most refined state, is not simply three-dimensional. Detailed attention must be paid as to where light falls on the contours and planes of the work. Angles cut at varying degrees capture and reflect varying amounts of light relative to each other and their light source. In this sense bas relief sculpting resembles painting more than sculpting in that while the traditional sculptor "captures" the true 3-dimensional form of the subject, the bas relief sculptor must "trap" light in such a way that it "mimics" 3-dimensional form.

Janice Trimpe creates bas relief portraits for commemorative purposes, such as medallions, for awards such as plaques, and for personal gifts. The bas reliefs begin with a photograph of the subject which is then modeled in clay. After making a mold, the final product is cast in bronze or other appropriate materials.