The most intensive hands on finishing by an Artist I've witnessed! Absolutely a pleasure to witness. I'm 50 and finally setting my own home casting studio, mainly because I live off-grid in NZ so very limited around haha.
Just amazing. I knew a lot of painstaking work goes into bronze casting and sculpting, but I never realised how much! Thank you for posting this video.
Stunning quality bust and work. Whomever sculpted the original bust is a truly gifted individual. You need to upload more of these videos. An absolute pleasure to watch. Most of the bronzes I've encountered here in Ireland are grimey looking affairs, that do not lend themselves well to certain sculptures. Being a a sculptor myself I would rather see better variations.
@@nealsart in the 80s. Amazing work which aged like fine wine the last 50 years. Well done. I’m here after I saw the new MLK Embrace bronze statue. It’s amazing how much work goes into this.
Do you use the fine coat gravel with plaster to coat the wax model before, instead of smearing it in with the normal plaster gravel mix, the fine method works perfectly, for say leather shoes youd still see the pores of the cow.
Interesting the foundry used a plaster mix instead of the ceramic/dipping shell method. I made a number of bronze standing dogs back in the early 1990s, I did the models out of plasticene clay, about 7-8" tall. But I was not confident in making a silicone rubber mold of such complexity or a standing dog with a tail, I also didn't want to have to attach wax legs etc and get it all perfect. So, instead of a rubber mold I made a multi-piece plaster mold, usually they took two pieces between front and rear legs, the front of the dog was another piece, the rear with the tail a 4th piece, two halves for the sides, and a couple of smaller pieces, so the molds were around 7 pieces. I then made rubber and plaster master molds of each of those plaster mold pieces, those were used to simply cast waste plaster piece molds. When the molds were poured with plaster, and the plaster casts cleaned up, soaped and assembled, I could pour wax in. The two halves and a couple of other pieces usually came right off the wax cast inside, the pieces that wouldn't come off I drilled holes thru them carefully, and broke small bits off to remove it from the wax cast. So the wax casts were made in one piece with no attachments, after some cleaning up on the wax I shipped them to Parks Bronze in Oregon. I usually had them cast the dogs completely SOLID because I wanted the weight and didn't want hollow casts that to me felt cheap, like chocolate bunnys. Parks charged $110 for the casting, I did the patina and mounting. My German Shepherd when it was done weighed as I recall- 18 pounds! I used a patina recipe from Ron's patina book, and further developed it by burning used motor oil and newspapers with a torch on it to get it dark, and then waxing, mounting on a 1" thick marble base. I stopped making them after about 1993, as it was I couldnt afford my own work so I never kept any, they were cast to order, but I kept all those master molds with the idea that some day Id make more, well, that day came recently and I dug out the German Shepherd molds, cleaned them up and cast my paster in them, the molds mde with Polytek rubber were in perfect condition even after 32 years! zero shrinkage or deterioration. .It did take THREE tries to get a wax, the first time I forgot the soap and the second time the wax broke trying to get the plaster mold pieces off, and the third time was the charm. WHile cleaning that wax up I decided to get out one of the other dogs, I found 5 of the 6 molds and spent 2 days hunting down the last piece, finally found it last night and now I have the plaster mold for that soaped up and ready to pour wax in to-morrow! Parks is gone, but Valley Bronze also in Oregon is where I'll be going, turned out that Steve Parks was originally trained at Valley bronze.
You are starting the right way….watch UA-cam videos about clay or wax sculpting, then casting in plaster or silicone rubber. You will learn you can cast in plastic ie. Epoxy and other materials…not to mention sculpt in clay and fire it. Sculpt fast life is short…thank you for watching my video..
Hi Ken, I retouch the wax and the casting I leave to the professionals. I get the casts back and always chase the bronzes myself, so I have very little idea what is the mix of the investment. But be careful because some investment may have silica in it, try not to breath.
Really awesome. The secret ingredient of all artists : patience. However I still don't get how the investment in taken out from the inside of the bronze casting. I don't think it melts. What happens to it ?
There are three ways that I know of.. one, is picking it out, two is sandblasting and the third is by chemically melting it out, this one maybe and an old technique not used anymore.
I work in Beatles tribute bands. Do you think you could make a silicone mask based on your design? I’d be interested if it could happen. Incredible work sorry for the off topic question but there are no suitable silicones of this design.
Just Wow! I’ve always wondered how bigger pieces were cast and finished. You just opened up another world for me. Thanks so much for your very generous share! (BTW I’m waving to you from across the sound here in CT 👋🏻)
Hi Jenn, I am now making Jimi Hendrix from clay to plaster part 1 then part 2 plaster to rubber mold for bronze...i hope you would like these also...stay tuned
@@jenwhitedesigns Yes i teach college in Tokyo....ps I try to teach on line, in fact I just put out a new UA-cam video " Jimi Hendrix rubber mold making
Wow! Have you tried copper nails or brass wire instead of iron nail? One way is to add little ball of wax next to nail hole and then hammer that bronze ball in hole.
There are a few different color waxes…I’m not sure if it is standardized but each color has a different hardness and melting point. For the colors they will use pigments and dyes. If you wanted to color wax the easy way , add crayons. Ps melt to wax and crayon
yes but i did not try to find a picture of the necklace until after they were cast...i was surprised to see a picture of the actual necklace so then i had to change it.
Dear Chris...I casted my Bob Marley sculpture in silicone bronze not so great on my files and bits either....but tig welding was easy and patina was dark...so no problem
There are other minerals maybe silica, but I have the foundry do my casting so I'm not sure. The casting is an art onto itself. PS Try not to breath any investment,
Its called investment...the exact minerals and proportions you would have to ask a foundry...sorry, i wish i could tell you but i have no interest in casting bronze. I leave that to the professionals.
Are you working with monumental bronze? Or silica bronze? I had one of my first sculptures cast at the same foundry I think back in mid 90’s in monumental bronze (most foundries dont cast in this) but I loved the softer qualities of the redder bronze just for the fact I could hand chase it. The push and pull of the softer bronze is so awesome to work with! I live out in Colorado and AZ and they only cast in silica bronze here...just not as hands on .
I'm still struggling to get anything done with plaster-casting. i can only dream of having one of my sculptures cast in bronze, but i have neither the equipment, nor the money to have it done for me... it seems i will remain in raw-clay-mediocrity-land. :( anyways, great work!
Investment( looks almost like plaster ) is but on the outside the wax and is also poured inside the wax...that’s why nails are but in the wax to keep inside investment and outside investment from shifting
Did you have to chase every casting to this degree? Seems like a hell of a lot of work and therefore difficult to make a good profit from your art. Great skills you exhibit.
Hi Neal, Is it true you used to work with Esco Statues? I'd be fascinated to speak to you and share contact info about this is you're available? Incredible work
Dear Marko, I did freelance work for Esco Company, gave them the rights to produce John Lennon, Dracula, Frankenstein and bride of Frankenstein. As far as i know they are out of business. Thank you for the complement, Neal
Moshizle Very very nice work,,am Moshi Mkong'ondo,from Tanzania,,artist of painting.please help me for doing bronze work,does not happen this in my country.moshimkongon¬do_06@ymail.com
I think there are metal casting company's in your country, you could ask if they would cast bronze. Of coarse you can cast in epoxy resin, a product called bonded bronze.
The most intensive hands on finishing by an Artist I've witnessed! Absolutely a pleasure to witness. I'm 50 and finally setting my own home casting studio, mainly because I live off-grid in NZ so very limited around haha.
Thank you ..You would be surprised of what you can sculpt in.
But seriously -- awesome sculpture. It's the detail in the eyes in the finished product that blew my mind.
Just amazing. I knew a lot of painstaking work goes into bronze casting and sculpting, but I never realised how much! Thank you for posting this video.
That’s neat how all that work gives you the big reward. Looks amazing 🤩
Remarkable process and amazing result. Thank you for sharing.
Stunning quality bust and work. Whomever sculpted the original bust is a truly gifted individual. You need to upload more of these videos. An absolute pleasure to watch. Most of the bronzes I've encountered here in Ireland are grimey looking affairs, that do not lend themselves well to certain sculptures. Being a a sculptor myself I would rather see better variations.
I sculpted the original
@@nealsart in the 80s. Amazing work which aged like fine wine the last 50 years. Well done. I’m here after I saw the new MLK Embrace bronze statue. It’s amazing how much work goes into this.
@@patse4976 I can not believe its been about 43 years...wow
i sculpted the original
Extraordinary. Great playlist too
Incredible artistry - great video. Thanks
Love the sculpture and love the music
Thank you, but its getting hard to put in music because of copyright even if its three verses
Do you use the fine coat gravel with plaster to coat the wax model before, instead of smearing it in with the normal plaster gravel mix, the fine method works perfectly, for say leather shoes youd still see the pores of the cow.
Interesting the foundry used a plaster mix instead of the ceramic/dipping shell method.
I made a number of bronze standing dogs back in the early 1990s, I did the models out of plasticene clay, about 7-8" tall. But I was not confident in making a silicone rubber mold of such complexity or a standing dog with a tail, I also didn't want to have to attach wax legs etc and get it all perfect.
So, instead of a rubber mold I made a multi-piece plaster mold, usually they took two pieces between front and rear legs, the front of the dog was another piece, the rear with the tail a 4th piece, two halves for the sides, and a couple of smaller pieces, so the molds were around 7 pieces.
I then made rubber and plaster master molds of each of those plaster mold pieces, those were used to simply cast waste plaster piece molds.
When the molds were poured with plaster, and the plaster casts cleaned up, soaped and assembled, I could pour wax in. The two halves and a couple of other pieces usually came right off the wax cast inside, the pieces that wouldn't come off I drilled holes thru them carefully, and broke small bits off to remove it from the wax cast.
So the wax casts were made in one piece with no attachments, after some cleaning up on the wax I shipped them to Parks Bronze in Oregon. I usually had them cast the dogs completely SOLID because I wanted the weight and didn't want hollow casts that to me felt cheap, like chocolate bunnys.
Parks charged $110 for the casting, I did the patina and mounting.
My German Shepherd when it was done weighed as I recall- 18 pounds!
I used a patina recipe from Ron's patina book, and further developed it by burning used motor oil and newspapers with a torch on it to get it dark, and then waxing, mounting on a 1" thick marble base.
I stopped making them after about 1993, as it was I couldnt afford my own work so I never kept any, they were cast to order, but I kept all those master molds with the idea that some day Id make more, well, that day came recently and I dug out the German Shepherd molds, cleaned them up and cast my paster in them, the molds mde with Polytek rubber were in perfect condition even after 32 years! zero shrinkage or deterioration.
.It did take THREE tries to get a wax, the first time I forgot the soap and the second time the wax broke trying to get the plaster mold pieces off, and the third time was the charm.
WHile cleaning that wax up I decided to get out one of the other dogs, I found 5 of the 6 molds and spent 2 days hunting down the last piece, finally found it last night and now I have the plaster mold for that soaped up and ready to pour wax in to-morrow!
Parks is gone, but Valley Bronze also in Oregon is where I'll be going, turned out that Steve Parks was originally trained at Valley bronze.
It was interesting to see all your hard work and the really good end result! 👍
Please post more videos of this kind of stuff. I am hungry for this kind of information.
You are starting the right way….watch UA-cam videos about clay or wax sculpting, then casting in plaster or silicone rubber. You will learn you can cast in plastic ie. Epoxy and other materials…not to mention sculpt in clay and fire it. Sculpt fast life is short…thank you for watching my video..
Very informative.I'm surprised to see the investment technique instead of the ceramic dip. Is it plaster and sand mixture?
Hi Ken, I retouch the wax and the casting I leave to the professionals. I get the casts back and always chase the bronzes myself, so I have very little idea what is the mix of the investment. But be careful because some investment may have silica in it, try not to breath.
عالیه
Really awesome. The secret ingredient of all artists : patience. However I still don't get how the investment in taken out from the inside of the bronze casting. I don't think it melts. What happens to it ?
There are three ways that I know of.. one, is picking it out, two is sandblasting and the third is by chemically melting it out, this one maybe and an old technique not used anymore.
Amazing Work , Well Done
Amazing and beautiful!
Thank you
I work in Beatles tribute bands. Do you think you could make a silicone mask based on your design? I’d be interested if it could happen. Incredible work sorry for the off topic question but there are no suitable silicones of this design.
no that's not possible ...sorry
@@nealsart cool thanks!
Wow so the channelling looks great ontl that wax model
Just Wow! I’ve always wondered how bigger pieces were cast and finished. You just opened up another world for me. Thanks so much for your very generous share! (BTW I’m waving to you from across the sound here in CT 👋🏻)
Hi Jenn, I am now making Jimi Hendrix from clay to plaster part 1 then part 2 plaster to rubber mold for bronze...i hope you would like these also...stay tuned
@@nealsart fantastic! Will do. Neil, do you teach too?
@@jenwhitedesigns Yes i teach college in Tokyo....ps I try to teach on line, in fact I just put out a new UA-cam video " Jimi Hendrix rubber mold making
Un trabajo formidable... gracias por compartir
GRACIAS
That bust is worthy of a spot near the Imagine Mosaic at Strawberry Field in Central Park or outside The Dakota.
Wow! Have you tried copper nails or brass wire instead of iron nail? One way is to add little ball of wax next to nail hole and then hammer that bronze ball in hole.
great idea... will use ... thank you
Interesting video I love it .I just wondering is the investment a plaster? Or?
Beautiful!
Hi. Good job. But why is the wax red? What did put in it?
There are a few different color waxes…I’m not sure if it is standardized but each color has a different hardness and melting point. For the colors they will use pigments and dyes. If you wanted to color wax the easy way , add crayons. Ps melt to wax and crayon
Two words>>> CERAMIC SHELL!
Dump that solid block method and you'll cut your finish work by 90%. Chaplets wouldn't have been needed either.
Amazing!
thank you
Well done, probably not as fun, but wouldn't it be easier to rework the jewelry in the wax?
yes but i did not try to find a picture of the necklace until after they were cast...i was surprised to see a picture of the actual necklace so then i had to change it.
I need that playlist
Yes you are right but this was less expensive
Dear Chris...I casted my Bob Marley sculpture in silicone bronze not so great on my files and bits either....but tig welding was easy and patina was dark...so no problem
Can’t wait to see future videos
Thank you
Neal art what was the investment only plaster ?
There are other minerals maybe silica, but I have the foundry do my casting so I'm not sure. The casting is an art onto itself. PS Try not to breath any investment,
Thank You
What is used as the investment? I've been searching for a answer for weeks. Is it a secret?
2:44 What is the substance applied on top of the wax.. What is the name of that white substance. Please tell me
Its called investment...the exact minerals and proportions you would have to ask a foundry...sorry, i wish i could tell you but i have no interest in casting bronze. I leave that to the professionals.
great video
Thank You ...You should check out my "Color for Everyone" video, Hopefully you will like that one also.
Are you working with monumental bronze? Or silica bronze? I had one of my first sculptures cast at the same foundry I think back in mid 90’s in monumental bronze (most foundries dont cast in this) but I loved the softer qualities of the redder bronze just for the fact I could hand chase it. The push and pull of the softer bronze is so awesome to work with! I live out in Colorado and AZ and they only cast in silica bronze here...just not as hands on .
I'm still struggling to get anything done with plaster-casting. i can only dream of having one of my sculptures cast in bronze, but i have neither the equipment, nor the money to have it done for me... it seems i will remain in raw-clay-mediocrity-land. :( anyways, great work!
Try casting in pewter,it’s a lower temperature and you can do it yourself ...many good videos to learn from.
Investment( looks almost like plaster ) is but on the outside the wax and is also poured inside the wax...that’s why nails are but in the wax to keep inside investment and outside investment from shifting
WOW ! Amazing !
Did you have to chase every casting to this degree? Seems like a hell of a lot of work and therefore difficult to make a good profit from your art. Great skills you exhibit.
Thank you William, someday if I sell one of my bronzes ….we will see… I do give some sculptures to family and dear friends
@@nealsart It's an excellent portrait. I'm a sculptor myself for over thirty years and appreciate great work when I see it.
Thank you Ron...soon BobMarley will be finnised
Great work!
Thank you
Thank you beautiful
What type of investment are you using?
I do not cast the sculptures in bring my molds to the foundry. But thank you for watching my videos, i hope you learned something.
Thats wonderfull
Keep it up 👍🏻
Do you sculpt or what is your interest
how is teh proces that only the wax is replaced by metal... cos there is nothing inside wax to stop metal to fill all...????????????
Hi Neal, Is it true you used to work with Esco Statues? I'd be fascinated to speak to you and share contact info about this is you're available? Incredible work
Dear Marko, I did freelance work for Esco Company, gave them the rights to produce John Lennon, Dracula, Frankenstein and bride of Frankenstein. As far as i know they are out of business. Thank you for the complement, Neal
👏👏👏👍
спасибо
Good taste in Music
NIce work but you skipped over the actual pouring of the bronze and the "lost wax."
1:20 -- that one stage where John Lennon looks like a voodoo candle cenobite
wait a second, we don't get to know how much you clipped for that>?
I do not understand what you mean by clipped? Do you mean edited.
@@nealsart how much you charged. ...
Its my sculpture so I did not charge myself for the chasing but I did pay for the casting at the foundry.@@MikeG-js1jt
I find none of the music you work with offensive. That's a first! I don't mind a single one of those tracks! 😊
Hey thanks, but with my new videos they now flag all the songs and say i can not use them because of copyright.
Why didn’t you just fix the necklace when it was wax...?
That would have been a good idea....never thought of it at the time.
you just cut the most important part sir, like how they make the wax melt, and the way they pure the bronze
Тамаша👍
Neal art excellent.
Thank You
Класс!
Moshizle
Very very nice work,,am Moshi Mkong'ondo,from Tanzania,,artist of painting.please help me for doing bronze work,does not happen this in my country.moshimkongon¬do_06@ymail.com
I think there are metal casting company's in your country, you could ask if they would cast bronze. Of coarse you can cast in epoxy resin, a product called bonded bronze.
Not really with much likeness... why ? ´cause the face is too symmetrical... !!!!
Obnoxious
Thank you