Welding in stainless steel anchors and fixing any flaws. Next up, xylene off wax in preparation for sandblasting.







Early steps to Resculpt "Grace"


I lost molds in a foundry fire. A Physicist in Virginia bought this casting of "Grace". I must make a mold of it, then repatinate before she goes to her new home. I will cast a positive in the mold and then begin resculpting. There is shrinkage throughout the lost wax bronze casting process, so I will use the positive as an armature and resculpt it bigger than the bronze in order to allow for the shrinkage.

















Continued work on the Greg Norman Bust

The bust I sent for Greg Norman's birthday party (first photo) was cast in plastic. I was able to get it done faster than the bronze. The next step was to cast waxes in the rubber molds. The Deep In The Heart Art Foundry​ used the waxes to cast the sections of the bust in bronze. I've got them in my studio now and will begin welding, chasing, and finally patina.




















After grinding & sandblasting, beginning to weld sections together.















































Greg Norman enlargement process at Deep in the Heart Art Foundry

The original pattern was scanned into the computer with a laser beam. Once in the computer, a layer is removed to allow for the addition of oil clay and the final scale it set for output. Then the computer drives a milling machine that cuts the armature out of foam at the desired size.
On the computer


Beginning to mill the armature

continuing to mill

put together

Next up; sculpting in oil clay.

Continued work on Greg Norman Bust

We did not cast Greg's ears or nostrils during the main body cast. He breathed through his nostrils while his mouth was covered up. After removing the main body cast, we did his ears and nose while he could breath through his mouth. I try to not cover the ear canal while doing the main cast because sometimes it creates too much of a feeling of isolation. Enlargement is the next step.

First layer of silicon rubber on ears & nose. 
Troweling on final layer of thickened rubber.

Ready for mother mold

Mold boards waxed and ready to pour.

Hydrostone poured.

A light tap removes the waxed mold boards.

Beveling the edges removes sharpness.

Rigid urethane parts pulled from the mold.

Ready for enlargement.

Continued work on the Greg Norman bust

I cast rigid urethane plastic into the plaster bandage body cast of Greg Norman. The following images show the process. I will use this as reference to sculpt a bust 1.7 times larger than life.
Back at the studio, casting into the plaster bandages

Brushing in urethane plastic



I cast the ears and nose separately to make the body casting more comfortable

Soaking in very hot water to soften the bandages

Beginning to remove softened bandages




Christie Hackler cleaning up the positive 

Steps in sculpting a larger than life bust of Greg Norman

We took a lot of reference photos before we started

Magic marker to determine parting lines. Vaseline release on skin, Bentonite  for hair.

Wetting plaster bandages 



We did his ears separately. 

Just about finished.

Ready to pull it off.
Back at the studio, casting into the plaster bandages

Brushing in urethane plastic


I cast ears and nose separately to make the body casting more comfortable
                                             
                                            
                                                          Soaking in very hot water to soften the bandages


bandages softened, beginning to remove




Christie Hackler cleaning up the positive