Carolina Bronze Sculpture

LOST WAX CASTING

Simply put, lost wax casting is the best, most detailed and most accurate method to make great bronze fine art. The method requires numerous steps, but if done properly, the detail of a finger print will telegraph from the model to the finished bronze. Typical steps are:

creating a mold
using a mold to make a wax copy of the pattern
dipping the wax in a slurry and creating a ceramic shell around the wax
firing the ceramic shell and burning out the wax
pouring molten bronze into the ceramic shell, in the void left by the burnt out wax
once the bronze is cool, knocking the ceramic off the bronze
assembling bronze elements, welding, chasing, metal finishing until the piece is seamlessly perfect
applying a patina to the metal
final waxing of the surface

It's a lot of detailed, skilled work where every step matters and where experience is critical to each and every step, but the result is worth all the effort, bronze is a material that carries a story throughout generations and generations.