Information about casting
Cold Cast Bronze Casting
Also referred to as bronze resin, this technique involves blending bronze powder with resin to produce a material which is applied to the interior of the silicone mould. Subsequent applications of this will produce a shell into which an armature (wire frame) can be constructed. The mould is then filled with a blend of resin and metal powders which are left to set.
The mould is dismantled, and the casting removed. The finishing process reveals the bronze surface which can then be polished. A fine application of pure beeswax results in a lustrous finish.
The lead time on cold cast bronze is around one to three months.
Hot Cast Bronze Casting
This ancient process dates back many thousands of years. It involves producing a hollow wax image of the sculpture which is then coated in a thick ceramic coating which is allowed to dry thoroughly.
The wax is burned away leaving a ceramic shell into which molten bronze is poured. Once cooled, the shell is smashed away to reveal the casting which is then cleaned, tooled and patinated by heating the bronze with a blow torch and applying a variety of chemicals. This is then left to cool and wax polished.
The lead time on hot cast bronze casting is three months after which the sculptor decides what sort of patination they would prefer.
Castings in general
In order to achieve either of the casting methods detailed above, a mould is taken of the original clay or wax sculpture. This mould can be then be used for either the cold or hot bronze casting processes. In hot casting, a wax copy is cast and in cold casting, the mould is used to cast bronze resin directly into it. The mould is thoroughly cleaned in between so there is no residue left from either process. Patination is then used in either process to achieve the desired finish.
N.B.
Both cold cast and hot cast sculptures are suitable for both indoor and outdoor display.