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Process
Monumental Molds is the first stop in the stages of sculpture reproduction. Before the molding process begins, the piece is photographed and documented to assist in reassembly at the
foundry should the sculpture dictate separate part molds. A silicone rubber mold is applied to the sculpture; it is then reinforced with a plaster mother mold. Once the mold construction is done, it is then removed
from the original piece and continues on to the foundry for the next stage. The sculpture is returned to the artist.
Once at the foundry, the mold goes to the wax room where a copy is made from our mold. Dependent upon the artist's needs, a wax copy of the sculpture can be pulled from the mold
multiple times. The wax copy is then cleaned to remove the seam lines. Once the artist approves the wax copy, it continues to the next stage, the ceramic shell room. Here a silicone sand shell is gradually applied
around the wax copy. Once it is built to thickness, it is then placed in a furnace to fuse the shell and melt the wax out. It is then that the molten bronze is poured into the void of the ceramic shell. After the
shell has been removed, a raw bronze remains to be sandblasted and chased to get the bronze as close to the original as possible. In the last stage of the process, a patina is applied using heat and chemicals to
speed up the coloring process.
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 "Bronze Bangarra")
 "In this mold stage plaster is applied - click to enlarge")
 "Silicone rubber is applied for this stage - click to enlarge")
 "The original clay version of the Bangarra - click to enlarge")
