Bronze statue of an owl

At first glance, this owl is not a large statue , but quite a lot of work has been done to create it.

It was originally created from clay. What movement it would have, what position in relation to the pedestal, and what purpose. It all takes thought and inspiration. Only then does the sculpting begin from the clay. It takes time and hard work.

Sculpting process

After starting the work, pauses are needed for a few days to see the sculpture with a relaxed eye, which will lead to corrections based on taste and, in the opinion of the artist, will lead the work to perfection. Only after completing all this, when the sculptor is convinced that the composition is complete, does the performance part begin.

Casting in plaster

First of all the clay owl should be moved to the so-called. In the temporary material. In this case plaster. Casting in plaster is a time consuming process that requires some elementary knowledge to take shape. After casting in plaster, the author cleans the sculpture from unnecessary imperfections. If desired, it is possible to straighten, transform. Only then is the sculpture ready to be cast into a solid final material. In our case in bronze.

Casting and safety in bronze

Here begins a long and quite responsible process that requires some specific knowledge and skills, as any mistake made can be very costly. Not to mention the waste of water, the loss of expensive materials, the unprofessional approach can even cause serious health problems, because in addition to the relationship with chemicals, the metal melts at high temperatures. This requires a high standard of safety. Therefore, in order to perform such work, in addition to mastery and experience, a pedantic attitude towards the sequence of the process is required, and most importantly, patience is required. Speed can have disastrous consequences.

After completing the long casting process, the sculptor again cleans the sculpture of excess grime or imperfections, which is typical of casting and is not considered a defect.

Oxidation

Finally, the sculpture is installed on a pedestal and the so-called Oxidation. Of course the bronze oxidizes naturally, but it may take years, so for a quick effect the sculpture is artificially oxidized using the master’s taste and discretion to get the desired result.

So the performance part is not a hand-made process that lasts for days, weeks, or even months depending on the shape and size of the sculpture.