Joined
·
45 Posts
These are absolutely stunning! Cannot wait to see the progress. I dream of one day doing bronze, but I have only been sculpting in ceramics for about half a year now. Maybe one day!
Bronze Kudu sculpture, start to finish
21 - 40 of 42 Posts
I got pretty busy with other things so haven't posted progress but managed to finish my kudu clay today and am posting the pics now. I had finished (I thought) a couple days ago (first pic) but the legs were bothering me. They were a tad too short it seemed. So I tore it all apart from the knees down, sliced it at the knees, took away the base and resculpted the lower legs and hooves, made them only 1/4 inch longer but enough to make a difference. Ended up with a thinner base but it works. Hate tearing something apart when I thought it was done! Better to change it in clay, though, than to be sorry you didn't when it's in bronze! Off to the foundry it's going to go in a couple days; they'll do a mold then cast. I won't get my hands back on it until November, most likely. At that time it'll be in metal and I'll go check it out, make sure all is as it should be (rarely is it without issues that need fixing), oversee any metal work adjustments that need to be done, then instruct my desired patina, then comes the basing. I'll post foundry pics in a few months!
Attachments
Joined
·
3,691 Posts
This is totally fascinating. What a wonderful sculpture. I can see the difference in the legs after you pointed it out. You did make them better. Can't wait to see the finished product.
Joined
·
419 Posts
Woah! That's so cool...I love it.. 
I'll be watching too... Interested in techniques. You're using clay but said bronze so assuming you'll paint the bronze color. Not real metal which would require lost-wax or molding. Since you're using earth clay will you fire it? Will the pipe create a prob? Guess I'll find out, eh?
Kudu bronze, start to finish
thank you for the great comments! Yes, I'm taking it to a foundry for mold and casting, lost wax method. I use an oil based clay, never dries out and can be reworked at any time if needed. It's a commission so I'll do two, one for the buyer and one for me. The patina will be an interesting one to do..
thank you for the great comments! Yes, I'm taking it to a foundry for mold and casting, lost wax method. I use an oil based clay, never dries out and can be reworked at any time if needed. It's a commission so I'll do two, one for the buyer and one for me. The patina will be an interesting one to do..
Sorin, I provided a link a few weeks back describing the lost wax method of casting as well as the mold making. It does a good job of giving information about the whole process from clay to bronze. The link is http://www.modernsculpture.com/bronze.htm. Thank you so much for the interest! I'm going to title it Grey Ghost of Africa; the kudu is aptly referred to as the Grey Ghost because of it's remarkable ability to disappear quietly.
Joined
·
1,056 Posts
Kristi! We have missed you.. good to see you back. Excellent work here.. I love it
kudu bronze, start to finish
Thank you Bushcraftonfire! Good to be back; it's been a busy summer so far. Just got back from the foundry, kudu is now in their capable hands. Due to their work load it won't be in bronze until late January! Oh well, I have another sculpture idea swimming around in my head and hope to start on it soon. I'll post progress on that one, too, but I feel like taking a few days off....I hope to post something next month!
Thank you Bushcraftonfire! Good to be back; it's been a busy summer so far. Just got back from the foundry, kudu is now in their capable hands. Due to their work load it won't be in bronze until late January! Oh well, I have another sculpture idea swimming around in my head and hope to start on it soon. I'll post progress on that one, too, but I feel like taking a few days off....I hope to post something next month!
Joined
·
45 Posts
Probably a dumb question, but with oil clay and sculpy, does it get fired before heading to the foundry? I am used to working with high fire ceramic clay so I am trying to wrap my head around the process.
karliejaye, oil based clay will melt if too warm; as a matter of fact, I soften it up by putting it in an electric skillet on the warm setting. When it's cooled off, it hardens and detail can be applied. So my sculptures aren't fired, they're molded at the foundry. I used Sculpy on the horns because I knew I had to do lots of detail while handling them. Excessive warmth from my hands destroys detail with my oil based clay so Sculpy was a better option. I made the horns starting with a wire then added the Sculpy clay, being sure to leave over an inch exposed at the bottom for mounting purposes. I then baked the horns in my oven at a low temperature for several minutes which made them hard enough to carve and even use my dremmel. After I finished with the detail on the horns I mounted them by sticking the exposed wire into the skull. There are no dumb questions, by the way! Lol! One can't know unless they ask!
21 - 40 of 42 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!