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Sculpture classes with Colin Fenn, a brief synopsis…

• Beginning with creating the sculpture by working directly in microcrystalline wax, (Victory Brown), a relatively soft carving/casting wax, the sculpture or model is created by removing and or adding wax to or from a basic form.
• This creative process can result in a simple ‘Brancusiesque’ style, illustrating clean abstract, sometimes rather geometrical forms or a more complex realistic animal, vegetable or human shape, which may include compound and sometimes intricate undercuts.
• The sculpture is refined in aspects of surface texture and detail and is for all intents and purposes ready to be taken to the foundry to be cast.

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  In brief, the casting process begins with the Art Foundryman preparing the wax positive by adding wax ‘sprues’ & ‘gates’ which will allow the molten bronze to enter, and the hot gases to exit the ceramic shell which encompasses the ‘negative’ of the original sculpture.
• Investing is the process of creating a rock hard ceramic shell around the wax sculpture. Later in the process when the wax has been melted out of this ceramic shell, (cire perdue), the ceramic shell forms the mould which will receive the molten bronze poured at 1200 degrees Celsius
• More on the complexities of pouring bronze at a later date.
• When the completed bronze sculptures are returned to the students, the sculpture requires refining in the form of ‘chasing and finishing’ this process amounts to each student removing any, ‘flashes’, (small protrusions, lumps bumps and unwanted dobs of bronze). And the remains of any sprues, vents or pouring gates. This process is carried out by using a variety of hand and power tools.
• The final application of a paste polishing wax is applied to a warm sculpture, (for ease of application). The sculpture is buffed when cold.



• The application of the Patina is next. At my Studio I demonstrate a process of creating our own ‘Liver of Sulphur’, combining sulphur  and potassium hydroxide at heat, then forming a liquid which is then applied with heat to the sculpture.

And finally some student comments

“This has been a really valuable exercise because the molding process has made me really look at the detail of my subject and working in three dimension has really helped my drawing.  Look forward to seeing how this will help my painting. Going from a two dimensional canvas to a three dimensional art form brings with it new awareness.”

“Creating a three dimensional science fiction being has given me the freedom to create my own rather than copy two dimensional images in pastel and charcoal. Had lots of fun molding the pieces using my hands.”

“Wonderfully stimulating – lovely to have a go at different mediums. Physically challenging – hard to work the cold wax.”

"Great satisfaction with the result. Stimulating to work in 3D. Opened a whole lot of doors to stimulate new directions."

“Was harder than I thought. Need strong hands. Interesting how different everyone’s work was. From figures to wall plaques. Getting the proportions of figures was OK because I’d done life drawing. Very interesting process”

Contact

Colin Fenn
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Merilyn Rice
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