The casting process known as ‘Lost Wax’ or ‘Investment Casting’ dates back to 3000 years B.C. where beeswax covered with liquid clay was used.

Belinda uses a mixed material to sculpt the original sculpture... from this image she takes a silicon rubber mould and from this a hollow casting wax. This wax is dipped into a ceramic shell. The shell is then heated to melt the wax out of it and the shell is then cooked to a very high temperature. The molten bronze is poured into the hot shell.

After the bronze has cooled the ceramic shell is shattered and broken away from the bronze. The colouration of the bronze is the final stage of this very time consuming process. The colourisation is achieved by heating the bronze and applying different chemicals to produce the required colours on the bronze. In effect this is what a patina is and once finished this is sealed with a bee wax; completed whilst the bronze is still warm.

Belinda is an expert in both the coloured patina you see in her work and also the traditional bronze patina (the golden browns you see on most bronze sculptures).

To find out more contact Belinda today.