Sculpture Reproduction

The material most widely used for making positive models for casting is clay. A small, compact design or a low relief can be modeled solidly in clay without any internal support. But a large clay model must be formed over a wood or metal armature. To reproduce the clay model in metal, a foundry requires a mold usually of plaster or mold rubber reinforced with plaster or fiberglass. Fiberglass and concrete sculptures are cast in either polyurethane, silicone or even plaster molds taken from the sculptor’s original model. Using the lost wax method for foundry casting, the mold is first cast in wax, and then melted out as a result of the molten metal poured into the cast. Medallions are often produced from wax originals, but because of their small size they can be solid-cast.