My First Bronze Casting

In addition to Sculpture 1 I am also taking another studio class called Casting and Carving; focusing on metal casting as of this semester. Our first assignment is to create a small wax sculpture of what you would like to cast in bronze. The process is rather lengthy lending to my new found respect for metal casts. I had always thought that somehow the mold was made by some sort of machine, yet to truly believe that is naïve; perhaps I really just didn't give it much thought at all.

So for my first cast, I chose to do a spider. It should be something relatively easy to cast. As the probability of faulty fabrication inevitably ending in destruction is rather intimidating Petro suggested we start with something simple to test the capabilities of the media. The spider shouldn't prove to propose any difficulties at the pour stage. Although the pour should go smoothly the carving of the figure took at least a good 12 hours, so there was nothing simple there. I usually spend at the very least 20hrs on a project, 12hrs was as simplified as I was willing to get.

The spider most resembles a tarantula stretching out at about 9 inches in diameter. Once the spider is cast I will then begin the fabrication of a copper wire web fit for in any 90 degree angle, to give it vesatility in its location of installation. The spider will connect to the web. I can always create a new web custom to fit in a specific space, but as for now I may just install it in one of the door ways of my aunt’s home. Perhaps with a little persuasion I can get a bit more freedom of space if I ask her if it can be installed on the cathedral-high angled knotty pine ceiling of her lake house. Even if I get her ok I still need to judge whether the stained hue of the knotty pine will provide for optimal viewing of the spider and web. She's really just into realism and surrealism with soft and beautiful subject matter, so I will have to make the spider and web as flattering and non-threatening as possible. So far my aunt is my biggest and only collector.




To view more photos take the following link to my webshots site and select the "Casting and Carving" album. http://community.webshots.com/user/SocialAwkwardness