I have often wondered how a bronze sculpture is made. Unlike Michelangelo’s statue of David, which is made of marble, you cannot carve bronze. But you do carve or create your sculpture in other material and then cast it in bronze. This takes multiple steps, and you have to make a mold without ruining the original. Here are the basics of the process, in 9 simple to understand steps.
A sculpture has to be made out of clay. This can be done, like David, by carving the piece out of the clay. Or it can be done, like pottery, where the clay built up and formed. Each sculptor creates work that is unique. The clay sculpture is sent to the foundry so that an exact replica can be made in bronze. The first thing they do at the foundry is make a mold of the outside of the sculpture. This is done by applying multiple layers of liquid rubber over the clay which creates a flexible mold. The rubber is then coated in liquid fiberglass, which will harden into a supportive shell.
Once the fiberglass hardens, it is carefully removed from the sculpture, usually in two or four main pieces. The fiberglass mold is then put back together and turned upside down. So, you think, simple, just fill with molten bronze and you’re done. But bronze is hot, so a mold out of a different material is needed. To do this, you start by filling the fiber glass mold with melted wax. This is called wax casting. The next step is gating. The fiberglass and rubber molds are gently removed from the wax mold, leaving an exact wax replica of the clay sculpture. Wax rods, called gates, are attached to the sculpture. These gates will create channels in the final mold, which allows for the molten bronze to be poured into the mold. The wax replica is then dipped into a vat of ceramic slurry.
Art galleries feature a variety of bronze sculptures. From whimsical animal and fruit sculptures, to moving pieces that represent the best of the human spirit, you will find a bronze that speaks to you.
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