lost Wax Method-Step 1

From sketch to clay model. This is only the beginning.

lost Wax Method-Step 2

A reusable silicone mold is made from the clay model. Plaster helps support the flexible silicone.

lost Wax Method-Step 3

A hollow wax copy of the clay master is made.

Lost Wax Method-Step 4

A ceramic shell mold is developed over the hollow wax copy.

Lost Wax Method-Step 5

The wax is burned out (lost wax) leaving a ceramic shell mold with pouring and venting systems for the molten bronze.

Lost Wax Method-Step 6

The ceramic shell is filled with molten bronze and then cooled.

Lost Wax Method-Step 7

When the bronze cools it is removed from the mold and welded back together, filed and smoothed, and then finished with a patina.

Beginning Sculpture-Session 3

In session three, Roberto Garcia helped sculpture students create armatures for their unique projects: labrador retrievers, bas reliefs, ravens, figures. Garcia also gave an extensive lecture on the mold making process.

Sculptors continue to work on their heads and the details of facial expression, lips, eyes, nose, hair. Everyone seems to have mastered creating their head at 3/4 size of the original and all the heads are now similar in dimension, which makes instructor Garcia very happy.

Beginning Sculpture-Session 2

The second session of Beginning Sculpture was a rousing success. In spite of some trepidation about lopping off the extra clay and exposing the copper armature wires and reshaping it with a hammer, everyone is making tremendous progress. This is an awesome experience for new sculptors, learning the incredible amount of detail that goes into creating the human head in clay.

Students brought along their sketches for a second sculpture of their imagining, and Roberto provided them with instructions for making their own armature to begin the next project.

Images of Model for Sculpture Class

Sculpting Class Begins

Photos (clockwise left to right): Lori and Cheryl working on their sculptures. After three hours immense progress is made. (Some sculptures actually look like the sculptor). The model. Roberto helps Dagomar. Michael and the rest of the students busy at work.

A dozen students joined sculptor Roberto Garcia at Shy Rabbit tonight for their first sculpting class in the six week session. After three hours amazing progress was made! Using a female head originally sculpted by Garcia as a model, students formed their own armature and built up the structure of a face.

Over the next five weeks they will have the opportunity to continue to refine the features and structure, adding detail and then taking it away. The most common phrases heard tonight were: "You need more mass." More clay, more muscle, more bones!

At 9:15 everyone was still working and no one wanted to go home!