ROY HARRIS STUDIO

Masterpiece In The Making

Roy Harris' bronze sculptures are produced using the "Lost Wax Process".

	Typically, Roy creates the original sculpture using clay or wax.
	Rubber Mold: The first mold, called the "mother mold," is made directly from the original sculpture using coates of liquid rubber or silicon backed with plaster or fiberglass. This is the mold used as the beginning of each limited addition bronze.
	Wax Casting: Molten wax is poured into the rubber "mother" mold, producing an identical copy of the original sculpture.
	Wax Chasing: This wax duplicate is carefully removed from the "mother' mold, inspected, and any flaws are painstakingly removed or "chased" by hand. Roy ofttimes performs this step to insure a flawless piece.
	Gating: Rods are inserted into the wax duplicate to channel the molten bronze into the mold during a later process.
	Investing: The second mold is formed by dipping the wax duplicate repeatedly into a vat containing liquid refractory ceramic. This ceramic mold is then allowed to dry for several days before proceeding with the next process.
	Burn-out: The dried ceramic mold is fired in a kiln, which bakes the ceramic and burns out the wax, thus the term "lost wax."
	Casting: Molten bronze is poured into the ceramic mold through the gates installed for this purpose. This molten bronze fills the space left behind by the lost wax. (The molton bronze is an alloy composed of 92% copper, 4% zinc, and 4% silicon.)
	Breakout/Sand Blasting: After the bonze cools, the ceramic mold is carefully chipped away. Fine glass particles are shot under air pressure to remove the last traces of ceramic that adhere to the bronze surface.
	Chasing: The pouring gates and sprues are cut away from the raw casting and these areas are blended into the casting. All components are welded together and all welds are camouflaged. The casting goes through a "chasing" process to remove any imperfections and to restore the original texture.
	Patination: The final step treats the finished bronze with chemicals and heat. This produces a permanent color and finish called "patina" which is now a permanent part of the sculpture. This completes the transformation of the original clay sculpture into a finished piece of lasting fine art.

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