THE CREATIVE PROCESS

An original sculpture is first created using a material such as wax or clay. 

A silicone rubber mould is made from the original sculpture in order to create duplicates of the original design. The mould precisely captures every detail from the original sculpture. 

Molten wax is poured into the rubber mould to form a wax copy of the original sculpture. Once the hot wax cools and hardens, the wax casting is removed from the mould and further work performed by hand to produce an exact replica of the original sculpture. 

The wax is then coated with several layers of a liquid refectory ceramic ("investment") and allowed to cure for several days The hard heat-resistant shell with the wax inside is fired in a kiln. The ceramic shell is baked and the wax melts away to leave a cavity (hence the term "lost wax").

Molten bronze is heated to a temperature of 700 degrees centigrade and then poured into the cavity. Once cooled, the ceramic shell is broken away to reveal a bronze sculpture. Any traces of ceramic shell are removed from the bronze. The sculpture is then further worked by the artist, chasing, sanding and polishing to achieve an exact copy of the original sculpture. 

To complete the sculpture, a patina finish is created by the artist on the bronze surface. Colour is applied using chemicals that are heated with a flame torch to add colour and shading to the sculpture. Once the artist is happy with the patina, it is sealed under a wax coating. This process usually takes six to eight weeks to complete, and is carried out individually for each sculpture to create a unique finished piece.