Casting OiBs: the process

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1. Just poured first the half of an OiB and opened the sand mold whilst it’s still smoking. The lines and knob you see are the channels the liquid bronze pours into to get to the actual center of the mold where the sculpture is formed.

1. Just poured first the half of an OiB and opened the sand mold whilst it’s still smoking. The lines and knob you see are the channels the liquid bronze pours into to get to the actual center of the mold where the sculpture is formed.

2. Here are both halves of the future OiB. You can see how deep the resin-bonded sand mold has to be to make sure that the sculpture can be cast safely.

2. Here are both halves of the future OiB. You can see how deep the resin-bonded sand mold has to be to make sure that the sculpture can be cast safely.

3. One mold has been removed to show the actual sculpture inside. Now all the gates and channels on the outside have to be removed, the whole things cleaned up (yes, there is bronze beneath that charred surface) and both halves put together, fi

3. One mold has been removed to show the actual sculpture inside. Now all the gates and channels on the outside have to be removed, the whole things cleaned up (yes, there is bronze beneath that charred surface) and both halves put together, finished and patinaed.