| Lost Wax Casting is known as Cire Perdue in | | | | |
| French. It is a process in which an artist's | | | | Filling up the mold: Once the latex and |
| sculpture is used to cast bronze. The Lost | | | | plaster mold is complete and finished, molten |
| Wax Casting method is also known as | | | | wax is poured into the mold till it gets an |
| Investment Casting in the modern industrial | | | | even coating all around the mold. The |
| world. This is a very ancient method used for | | | | thickness of the wax coating is around 1/8 |
| casting small bronze sculptures, but today it | | | | inch. This process is then repeated until the |
| is used to make many different artifacts and | | | | desired thickness is achieved. |
| the process varies from foundry to foundry. | | | | |
| Today this developed method of Lost Wax | | | | Removal of wax replica: The hollow wax |
| Casting is used to make articles like fine | | | | replica of the original art work is then |
| jewelery, show pieces, dental restoration, a | | | | removed from the mold. The original mold can |
| few specific industrial parts and also some | | | | be used for making more wax replicas, but due |
| machine tools. | | | | to the wear and tear of the original mold the |
| | | | reuse of the mold is limited. |
| Process of Lost Wax Casting: | | | | |
| | | | Softening: Each wax mold is then chased or |
| Rough Sculptor making: A creative artist | | | | softened using heated metal tools. The metal |
| makes an original sculptor or mold or an | | | | tools are rubbed around portions that show |
| artwork by using raw material like wax, | | | | cracks or the joining line of the mold, where |
| plaster of Paris or clay. A mixture of oil | | | | the pieces have come together. Separately |
| based clay and wax is preferred as these | | | | molded wax pieces are then heated and |
| materials retain their softness. | | | | attached. The finished mold is then dressed |
| | | | in order to hide any imperfections. The final |
| Final Mold Making: A mold is then made as per | | | | piece then looks like a bronze sculpture. |
| the original sculptor. The mold is made up of | | | | |
| two pieces and a key with shim is placed | | | | Making paths for molten bronze: It is also |
| between the two pieces during construction so | | | | known as "spuring", in short the wax copy is |
| the mold can be put accurately back together. | | | | then branched with treelike wax, so that the |
| Molds are generally made using plaster or | | | | molten bronze reaches the right parts and |
| fiberglass or any other material that may be | | | | also it helps the air to escape. The critical |
| suitable. An inner mold of latex or vinyl or | | | | and careful spuring begins from the top of |
| silicone is put pup preserve the details of | | | | the wax copy. The top of the copy is attached |
| the original art work. Generally, the | | | | to by wax cylinders to different points on |
| original art work made of plaster mold cracks | | | | the wax copy. |
| and breaks during the initial phase of | | | | |
| deconstruction. Many a times, numerable molds | | | | Slurry, burnout, testing, pouring, release, |
| are required to get the exact replica of the | | | | metal-chasing, and painting are the final |
| original art work. | | | | steps in the process of Lost Wax Casting. |