Turn Your 2D Dreams into 3D Sculptures

Part III

In Part I we showed how any artist can take an idea, make a two dimensional drawing, and create a small clay sculpture of that idea. This small version, called a maquette, allows us to test out our ideas and feel our way into the realm of 3D sculpture for a small investment of time and materials and no risk whatsoever. In Part II we showed how the small maquette can be enlarged into foam, covered in clay, and made into a full-size sculpture, ready to be molded before casting in bronze.

Now we take you through the bronze casting process, fabrication, patination and on to a completely finished sculpture. We will be following the production steps involved in casting both the maquettes and the life-size bronze versions of John’s fawn, doe and cougar.

Bronze was discovered through trial and error around 2500 B.C. People were trying to make copper stronger and more useful in tools and weapons and they discovered that by mixing a little of the brittle metal tin with it, (around 10%), the res…