The Process of Lost Wax

detail of face of wax model
detail of face of wax model
a wax model of a woman standing in a dress
a wax model of a woman standing in a dress
detail of wax face on model
detail of wax face on model
wax model of woman from side view
wax model of woman from side view
detail of wax model upper torso, hair and face
detail of wax model upper torso, hair and face
a clay model of a woman standing in a dress
a clay model of a woman standing in a dress
a clay model of a woman standing in a dress
a clay model of a woman standing in a dress
a clay model of a woman standing in a dress
a clay model of a woman standing in a dress
detail of wax model upper torso, hair and face
detail of wax model upper torso, hair and face
a clay model of a woman standing in a dress
a clay model of a woman standing in a dress

The clay armature is shaped to provide a core for the wax to be worked on.

The wax is shaped into the form of the figure.

completed wax model of sculpture rear view
completed wax model of sculpture rear view
completed wax model of sculpture front view
completed wax model of sculpture front view
detail of wax models face
detail of wax models face
detail of carafe and hands of model
detail of carafe and hands of model
detail of wax hands
detail of wax hands
detail of wax face
detail of wax face
completed wax model of sculpture front view
completed wax model of sculpture front view
completed wax model of sculpture side view
completed wax model of sculpture side view
the wax model cut in half
the wax model cut in half

The details are worked into the wax until the from is complete and ready for casting.

the wax pieces having runners and risers attached
the wax pieces having runners and risers attached
the wax pieces having runners and risers attached
the wax pieces having runners and risers attached
the wax carafe fillled with plaster in the sand bed ready for encasement
the wax carafe fillled with plaster in the sand bed ready for encasement
the wax carafe in the sand bed ready for encasement
the wax carafe in the sand bed ready for encasement
the wax carafe buried in plaster to create the mould
the wax carafe buried in plaster to create the mould
the mould covered in chicken wire to maintain it's shape in the heat of the kiln
the mould covered in chicken wire to maintain it's shape in the heat of the kiln

At some mysterious point in time, the figure is complete in its wax incarnation.

The next step is breaking down the whole wax into pieces that will have runners and risers of wax connected to them so the bronze can flow in where the wax burns out.

The waxes are then buried in plaster to create a mold for the pour. Each plaster mould is wrapped in chicken wire to maintain its structural integrity.

2 more moulds ready for the kiln
2 more moulds ready for the kiln
A kiln packed with the moulds
A kiln packed with the moulds

The plaster casts are then packed in a kiln and heated for the wax to burn from them.

While they are slowly heating and burning out the wax (too fast and the plaster could crack and destroy the mould), the furnace is lit with to begin melting the metal in the crucible.

a container full of gunmetal odds and ends
a container full of gunmetal odds and ends
Waiting for the bronze to be the right temperature and consistency
Waiting for the bronze to be the right temperature and consistency
Close up of the bronze in the crucible being stirred
Close up of the bronze in the crucible being stirred
Matt stirring the bronze in the crucible
Matt stirring the bronze in the crucible
A glowing crucible full of bronze ready to pour
A glowing crucible full of bronze ready to pour
Positioning the tongs to lift the crucible of bronze for pouring
Positioning the tongs to lift the crucible of bronze for pouring

Pure grade silicon bronze as a raw material was pretty expensive, so Matt was creative in his process. He would use gunmetal that had been salvaged off old boats and add copper to it to create the colour he wanted. So everything old was new again.

Below is a tub of the rescued gunmetal he purchased from the scrap metal merchants.

Shiny bronze sculpture of a woman pouring from a carafe front view
Shiny bronze sculpture of a woman pouring from a carafe front view
Shiny bronze sculpture of a woman pouring from a carafe rear view
Shiny bronze sculpture of a woman pouring from a carafe rear view
Shiny bronze sculpture of a woman pouring from a carafe side view
Shiny bronze sculpture of a woman pouring from a carafe side view
Shiny bronze sculpture of a woman pouring from a carafe face detail
Shiny bronze sculpture of a woman pouring from a carafe face detail

And after countless hours of grinding, welding and polishing she is complete.