I. The Original Sculpture
For most works, the artist will create an actual size sculpture, typically in clay, plaster or wax, but almost any material can work. For large pieces, the artist generally starts with a maquette (a small scale model). We can give a ball park Estimate of the finished full-size sculpture by viewing the maquette, or the actual sculpture or even a photo with dimensions. Estimates made from Maquettes or photos are subject to verification upon later seeing the completed piece.

II. Rubber Mold
Lost-wax casting generally requires that we make a rubber mold of the original sculpture. Large or complex pieces require several molds for different sections of the work. We brush on a first ("detail") coat of rubber, and use a spatula for subsequent coats. After we achieve the desired rubber thickness, we will make a plaster "mother mold" over the rubber, which will hold the rubber in its proper shape. The mother mold is then removed and the rubber mold is cut along its parting line to remove the original piece. The completed mold is ready to go to the wax department. The rubber mold is an exact "negative " impression of the "positive" original sculpture.

III. Wax Model
Melted wax is poured into the rubber mold and the mold is rotated so that the wax evenly coats the inner surface of the rubber. The remaining wax is poured out. This is done several times, to achieve the desired thickness. The mother mold is opened and the hollow wax is removed from the rubber mold. At this point, the artist has an opportunity to correct flaws or make any changes in the sculpture. We then "sprue" (attach wax feeders) and attach a wax pouring cup to the wax model. The sprues and pouring cup become the pathway through which molten metal will flow into the form. Everything now in wax will later become bronze.

IV. Ceramic Shell
Next, we make a ceramic-shell investment mold over the sprued wax model. The whole thing is dipped in a liquid ceramic slurry, then coated with a special sand. When this coat dries, another layer is added. This sequence is repeated to create 8-12 layers, forming a completed shell-mold. The weight of the metal to be poured in determines the number of layers. We apply a final seal coat of liquid ceramic slurry. Finally, the wax is melted out (and reclaimed) in an oven - hence the name "lost-wax" process. The now empty ceramic shell is fired (like pottery) at 1600 ° F. The ceramic shell is now ready to receive the molten metal

V. Bronze Pouring
We melt silicon bronze ingots in a graphite-ceramic crucible in a gas-fired crucible furnace. Our crucible holds 250 lbs. of molten bronze. We remove the hot, still glowing ceramic shell molds from the kiln, place them in a sand pit and pour molten bronze into the shells. Everything that was wax now becomes bronze. When the mold and bronze have cooled, we break off the ceramic shell.

VI. Bronze Chasing
The original sculpture is now in bronze, but far from finished. We cut off the pouring cup and sprues (all now bronze) and chase the points of attachment (gates) with abrasive discs. We sandblast the piece to remove residual patches of ceramic shell and fire scale. We can make surface changes in the metal (chasing). We can fix imperfections with TIG welding. We use hand chasing tools of different sizes and shapes, hammers and files, along with electric and compressed-air tools. We cast large sculptures in pieces and TIG weld them together. We chase the weld lines to connect the planes and blend surface texture. We attach threaded tabs inside the bottom to allow the sculpture to be bolted to a base. A final sandblasting cleans the surface, readying it for patination.

VII. Patina
In the final step, we apply color. It is interesting that in bronze casting, even if a hundred hours have been spent on a piece dealing with form, texture, anatomy, etc. it is not until the final step that we deal with color. Bare bronze is shiny and light-reflective, making it hard to see the form. The patina is color resulting from heat and dilute acids reacting with the copper in the bronze. Patinas really pull the form together, adding a finishing touch. We often do the patina with the artist present, so he or she can react to the developing color. Finally, we wax the bronze to set the patina and protect against natural oxidation of the metal surface. The piece is now completed, ready to go.