CHRIS DAVIS

Lost wax casting has been used for sculptures for many thousands of years.

Recorded history tells us that the Sumarians and Chinese used it and who knows before them?

The steps of creating my sculptures are as follows.

An idea forms in my mind, often triggered by a visit to a car museum, attending a race, or reading a book.

I draw rough sketches of the idea and try to see and photograph the actual car if it still exists.

The idea slowly takes shape in modeling clay (Plasticine) and is refined as the idea materializes.

This takes from three months to a year depending on the size of the sculpture.

A flexible rubber mould is then made from the clay original.

Wax is poured into this mould thus providing a copy of the original sculpture.

The wax is cleaned and detailed by hand, then covered by a 'shell' of many coats of a ceramic material.

This 'shell' is put in an oven at 710°C and the wax is melted out, hence the term 'lost wax'.

Bronze is then melted and brought to a temperature of 1100°C.

This is poured into the 'shell' and allowed to cool.

The 'shell' is then carefully broken away revealing a 'raw' bronze sculpture.

This is detailed by hand using special tools. This is often a very long process to make sure the sculptures are just as I want them.

A chemical is applied to give the bronze a rich patina.

The sculpture is then given a coating of wax to preserve the patina.

The finished sculpture is then numbered and mounted on a wood, granite or marble base.

N.B. Some sculptures are made in separate pieces. Each piece has its own mould and waxes made. These are then welded together after they are cast in bronze.