Creating Bronzes

The Lost Wax process is an ancient method of producing bronze castings. The basic process is still unchanged from that developed by the Chinese in the 2 millennium BC.

Casting First, the artist must create the sculpture that can be made from almost any material from clay to wood. The image is then coated with a silicone rubber material that is cured and split, usually in halves. The exterior of the rubber mold is encased in a rigid shell that helps to retain the mold’s original shape during subsequent use.

Casting When the mold is finished, the halves are bound together. Hot liquid wax is poured into the mold to form a thin layer and additional layers of wax are added for rigidity. After cooling, the image, a wax duplicate of the original structure, is removed from the mold. The image is inspected to correct any flaws from the wax casting process.

Next, the artist adds a sprue to the finished wax sculpture. A solid wax tubing (the sprue) is connected to various points on the wax sculpture to allow for the proper Casting flow of molten bronze. The sprue and wax sculpture are coated with 10 layers or more of a ceramic casting material and allowed to harden. Finally, the cast is heated to allow the wax to liquefy and flow from the ceramic mold.

The bronze, an amalgam of copper and tin, is heated until liquified and poured into the ceramic mold. Once cooled, the ceramic cast is broken away to reveal the bronze sculpture, which is then cleaned, corrected for any casting flaws, sand blasted and polished. To finish the piece, the Casting artist and the foundry work together to select the proper patina to best compliment the finished work.


	Creating Bronzes The Lost Wax process is an ancient method of producing bronze castings. The basic process is still unchanged from that developed by the Chinese in the 2 millennium BC. First, the artist must create the sculpture that can be made from almost any material from clay to wood. The image is then coated with a silicone rubber material that is cured and split, usually in halves. The exterior of the rubber mold is encased in a rigid shell that helps to retain the mold’s original shape during subsequent use. When the mold is finished, the halves are bound together. Hot liquid wax is poured into the mold to form a thin layer and additional layers of wax are added for rigidity. After cooling, the image, a wax duplicate of the original structure, is removed from the mold. The image is inspected to correct any flaws from the wax casting process. Next, the artist adds a sprue to the finished wax sculpture. A solid wax tubing (the sprue) is connected to various points on the wax sculpture to allow for the proper flow of molten bronze. The sprue and wax sculpture are coated with 10 layers or more of a ceramic casting material and allowed to harden. Finally, the cast is heated to allow the wax to liquefy and flow from the ceramic mold. The bronze, an amalgam of copper and tin, is heated until liquified and poured into the ceramic mold. Once cooled, the ceramic cast is broken away to reveal the bronze sculpture, which is then cleaned, corrected for any casting flaws, sand blasted and polished. To finish the piece, the artist and the foundry work together to select the proper patina to best compliment the finished work.