This week I thought I'd try wax sculpture. I have been collecting Buddhist and Hindu images for nearly 20 years and the finest pieces are often created via the lost wax process, whereby a mould is made around a wax model, the wax melted out ("lost") and hot metal poured in. The two metal Buddhas in the photos are from my collection - the larger one is a particularly serene and beautifully crafted Nepali bronze.
Could I make my own lost wax Buddha? I soon found out that carving something beautiful in wax is quite difficult and that sadly I am not yet very skillful! Given the looming end of term, I decided just to create a recognisable meditating figure and be happy with trying the process. I started off using a harder green wax for the face, although ultimately I used the softer yellow wax for the whole figure. It is interesting to note how different and more pliable the wax becomes once it heats up due to handling.
This week I thought I'd try wax sculpture. I have been collecting Buddhist and Hindu images for nearly 20 years and the finest pieces are often created via the lost wax process, whereby a mould is made around a wax model, the wax melted out ("lost") and hot metal poured in. The two metal Buddhas in the photos are from my collection - the larger one is a particularly serene and beautifully crafted Nepali bronze.
Could I make my own lost wax Buddha? I soon found out that carving something beautiful in wax is quite difficult and that sadly I am not yet very skillful! Given the looming end of term, I decided just to create a recognisable meditating figure and be happy with trying the process. I started off using a harder green wax for the face, although ultimately I used the softer yellow wax for the whole figure. It is interesting to note how different and more pliable the wax becomes once it heats up due to handling.
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