Atlantic Spotted Dolphins

There are many steps that take place after the initial small wax dolphin seen above.

I suspend the small wax dolphins on wire to explore the composition. Then I create the 1/4 life-size sculpture in clay. Then we reproduce the 1/4 life into full life-size by the use of styrofoam and plaster. After the dolphins are suspended to see where they touch, we take them down and make outer rubber molds in sections of the dolphin, such as the head, the flukes etc… From the rubber molds we make wax castings. The waxes are then dipped in a heat resisting ceramic shell, many layers, before curing in a hot oven. The wax melts away. Then they are ready for bronze casting  – Bellow are pictures of the Patina process for this particular sculpture.

This whole process is illustrated in the movie 3 BEARS