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Reproducing Sculpture

Making Sculpture More Affordable

Modern Methods for Reproducing Sculptures

If you are interested in adding sculptures to your art collection, you may prefer to buy reproductions rather than originals.

There are many reasons for purchasing reproductions, including lower cost, unavailability of the original work, size considerations and material preference.

However, not all reproductions are the same.

The price that you pay for a reproduction will be partially based on the materials and methods used in reproduction.

Here is a brief guide to some of the more popular methods of sculpture reproduction.

Lost Wax Casting

Lost wax is the traditional method for reproducing sculptures in metal.

A rubber mold is made of the original sculpture and then lightly coated inside with hot wax.

The mold is then removed from the hollow wax figure, which is cleaned up and covered with a network of small wax tubes.

The wax piece is covered in a shell made of silica stucco, then allowed to dry.

The piece is then kiln-fired and the melted wax drained out. Finally, the ceramic shell is reheated and filled with molten bronze. The finished bronze piece is removed from the mold and perfected to remove seams and imperfections.

Lost wax casting is still popular, but is highly labor-intensive. Other casting techniques are often used today, particularly for pieces that are mass-reproduced.

Sand Casting

Sand casting is a popular technique for reproducing sculptures that are simpler in design. The invention of lost pattern techniques has greatly increased the usefulness of sand casting.

Basic sand casting is performed by building up a mold of sand mixed with a binding material on a rigid original sculpture.

The mold is generally created in several sections and held together with metal boxes. The mold is then gently removed from the original piece. When performed correctly, the process does not damage the original piece.

For lost pattern casting, a form made of polystyrene is created and dressed with tubes to create a path for the hot metal.

The metal is then poured directly over the foam, causing it to vaporize and the metal to fully fill the mold. As in lost wax casting, the finished piece is sanded and perfected after it is removed from the mold.

Pointing

Casting techniques are perfect for reproducing sculptures in metal. However, it is also possible to reproduce sculptures in marble and other stones. This is generally done through the process of pointing.

In pointing, a special mechanical device is used to measure points all over the surface of the original sculpture.

The device can then be used to match any point on the original sculpture to the same point on the copy. That point is drilled to the appropriate depth. As more points are measured, matched and drilled, the stone will be cut away.

This is a very slow process and must be approached carefully and gradually. However, it will yield stunning results.

Resins

Less expensive reproductions can be made using resins.

Obviously not many people can afford an original Rodan or Remington bronze or a Michelangelo marble work.

Many museum reproductions are made of marble or bronze resins or bonded stone. This makes the acquisition of museum quality pieces affordable to all.

A photo of the original artwork is digitalized so that an accurate model can be made. Size is often manipulated since the originals can be very large pieces.

A plaster mold is then made and the resin is pour in. After a suitable drying period the mold is released. The piece is then sanded to remove imperfections and polished, giving the reproduction the necessary patina. Some bronze works are plated with bronze to make the reproduction indistinguishable from the original piece of sculpture.

Because the methods used are not as complex and the materials are less expensive, these pieces tend to be very affordable.

Nor are they something to be looked down upon. Contemporary artists are making new original pieces using these same techniques.

This ensures a wider market for their artwork.

These are just a few of the methods that are commonly to create sculpture reproductions today.

Before purchasing a reproduction it is wise to inquire about the reproduction method that was used. Keep in mind that the more involved the process, the higher the price is likely to be.

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