The Casting Process

My bronzes are cast using the lost wax method which gives each piece it’s own character.

Firstly the sculpture is created in wax ,clay or other pliable medium. A rubber mould is taken of the original and this rubber backed with a supportive mould made of plaster or fibreglass. This is taken off original and then used to make replica waxes. The number of waxes depends on the number in the edition.

These wax copies are then set up on wax sprues and a wax pouring cup and coated alternatively with a ceramic slurry and refractory sand until it is to a satisfactory thickness. This process takes a few days allowing shell to dry between coats.

The top of the pouring cup is left uncoated so that when the piece is inverted in furnace the melted wax is able to flow out. This leaves a hollow hardened shell to pour the molten metal in. Once the metal cools, the ceramic shell is smashed off revealing a raw sculpture or piece of. This will now be attached to a metal pouring cup and sprues which have to be cut off.

Most statues are cast in sections and also hollow so in the finishing process, there is quite a deal of welding to be done. Chasing is the sanding, polishing and the correcting of imperfections and this can be a time consuming process.

Finally comes the Pertina which is the colouring of the metal . This is done with various chemicals and heat. The sculpture is then sealed with a clear wax designed to preserve the finished colour from oxidation.