bronzing my sculptures?

MASTERSHOKHAN · 04-23-2006, 03:01 PM

How could I go about bronzing my sculptures and how much would this cost?
I know about the petina sprays and washes, but I want the real thing. Can someone list some companies. All options/ suggestion are welcomed.

Thanks

Daredevil · 04-23-2006, 03:02 PM

Candice (aka Mystique) certainly has done this in the past for forum members

MASTERSHOKHAN · 04-23-2006, 03:03 PM

Damn you're fast! Did u watch me type this? I guess I should pm her?

......oh, and people can keep listing just in case she is busy

risingstar · 04-23-2006, 04:20 PM

If you're going to do this, would you mind posting pics?? Also, if you can, please post links of some of the bronzing places you found.

twedzel · 04-25-2006, 02:32 AM

I've been looking into doing the same thing, however have not yet commited to the process. Here is what I have learned.

Research foundries near to your location. You will have to put alot of trust into them to handle your artwork appropriately. It really helps if you can check out the facilities and be around at varying stages of the process to approve the work.

Research the process so that you are better equiped to talk knowledgably with the foundry about what your needs will be.

Find what foundries local artists are using. Sculptors will usually credit the foundry they use to create the sculpture, unless they have done the foundry work themselves. Reputable and reliable foundries should show up often.

It is expensive work!!! There are cheaper alternatives like cold cast bronze that look close to the real thing. But if you are committed to making bronze scupltures, then don't do it on the cheap. Your foundry will become your partner in the creation of your sculture.

Check up online for bronze foundries, and look in the local yellow pages. Make sure that they do sculpture work and are not an industrial foundry who are willing to do the odd scuplt. You want artists handling your sculpture.

Tommy Allison · 04-25-2006, 03:00 AM

I've done bronze casting, and will be doing more in my new shop.

In about 8 months I should be able to do it for clients.

It's time consuming and expensive, but when done, you have a permanent testament to whatever you produced.

I use the Lost Wax method. Making a mold, then making wax positives, then taking the wax positive, attaching sprues for the metal and air to evacuate, and then coat in a ceramic shell. After it's cured, then you bake out the wax. You now have a ceramic material mold to pour your metal into.

When the metal is poured, and cooled, you then crack away the ceramic coating, and Voila you have a bronze. You then sand, grind, and finish the surface for your patina. You apply your patina compounds to get the finish you want, and then when you've achieved your finish, you're done.

Time consuming as hell, but worth every penny.

Bill Murraye · 04-25-2006, 06:57 AM

hello MASTERSHOKHAN

i live in Paris and here i know a very good foundriy who help to make some of my projcts! it was very hard for me to find this artist! and my advice would be to take your time to find someone who knows what you need, not an undustrial foundry!
I have sent him a kabuki statue in order to have a TRUE heavy and eternal bronze kabuki version: i had this idea months ago , before that we could see the new kabuki bronze project of clayburn moore on its site!
I just finished a huge 26 inches alien resin and i will make it into bronze statue with a silver nanometric deposit in some angles just to give it a metallic and biomechanical side.The teeth will be made in massive silver, and it would weight around 32 kilos three times my Doom sideshow weight!
But yes it is a BIG but!

it costs me a huge fortune!!!

yes around $850 for the single kabuki version and more than $1600 for the alien statue (that i sculpted myself) because i was not satisfied with the mini and micro palisades... and the CM alien isn't really impressive...

MASTERSHOKHAN · 04-26-2006, 03:25 AM

Thanks er-body! I haven't sculpted the secret project yet so no photos Risingstar, sorry. I'll check into those foundaries and Tommy maybe we could do a couple projects in the future, eh?

I'm still looking for someone so keep posting info and companies. Thanx!

Jerseydevil · 04-27-2006, 12:12 AM

Tommy, you should bronze that sweet DV you sculpted.

Ceramicus · 04-27-2006, 03:45 PM

Mastershoken,

Where are you located? There's a great foundry in the SF Bay Area by the name of Artworks.

Great folks to work with and they do quality work. Same guys who do a lot of Richard MacDonald's work.

Costs will vary on the size of the piece and what you want done, but I cast up a 17" bronze figure a couple of months ago and the mold cost $900 and the casting was $1000. I had some other stuff done as well, including a black marble base and they were terrific.

If you're interested, let me know and I'll shoot you their number.

Take care,

Will