item1a
item2a
martina brouns artwork pythagoras
Auchengeich miner statue silhouette by john mckenna sculpture studio ayrshire scotland

Lost wax Ceramic Shell

Bronze Casting

Gallery slideshow of courses

item3
item3a
item3b
item3c
item3d
item3e
item3f
item3g
item3h
item3i
item3j
item3k
item3l

Site design by John McKenna, last update Jan 15th 2012, ©copyright of John McKenna sculpture Ltd

A4A Art for Architecture & JohnMcKenna Sculpture Ltd, High McGowanston Studio, Turnberry, Girvan, Ayrshire, Scotland KA26 9JT Tel 01655 332215 http://www.a4a.com

John McKenna adjusting the gas and air on a small furnace
John McKenna adjusting the gas and air on a small furnace
  • John McKenna adjusting the gas and air on a small furnace
  • De moulding a wax cast model with Martina
  • Martina and her Pythagoras wax portrait
  • Students pouring bronze from a lift out crucible furnace
  • Martina's Pythagoras heads cast in bronze
  • Pythagoras head after Martina patinated
  • Beware of wild animals
  • 'Cartipel' cast bronze bowl
  • Audrey working on her wax mask
  • Audrey de-greasing her wax max
  • Audrey shelling her wax mask
  • A portrait head being shelled
  • Small shell investments ready for de-waxing
  • De-waxing investment shells
  • Some students get to pour the big tilting furnace
  • Sunny lunchtimes on sunny McGowanston farm
  • Audrey with her bronze cast mask after knockout
  • 'Bark' bronze cast bowl
  • Judith and Michael making a mould
  • Going through the motions with a cold empty crucible.
  • Judith de-waxing her shell investment
  • Michael burning out his wax cups
  • Judith and Michael dressed for casting
  • Simple furnace in operation
  • Judith working on her casting
  • Patination in progress
  • Finished cupric patination
  • Examples of students work, patinated green
  • Evenings spent walking with the farm Shire horse and foal
  • A casting just after 'knockout' of the shell investment
  • A casting after futher 'knockout' of the shell investment
  • 'Emmental' bronze cast bowl
  • Bette working on her wax bowl
  • Bette dipping  her wax bowl into ceramic slurry
  • Bette shelling her wax bowl with ceramic stucco
  • Hot shells in the de-waxing kiln
  • Bette preparing her shell investment for dewax
  • Bette burning out the shell cup
  • Students relief sculpture ready for moulding
  • A foal is born unto us at McGowanston
  • 'Broderie Anglaise' bronze cast bowl
  • Carole working on her head mould
  • The foundry casts lifes size statues for artists
  • "Will it bite me?"
  • Gunther at work on his Antelope relief sculpture
  • Gunther on a 'cold' run of the bronze pouring sequence
  • Gunther at work making a pair of small lift out tongs
  • Gunther still making the lift out tongs
  • Shells being preheated prior to casting into them
  • Pouring bronze with a single pouring ring shank
  • A farm horse surveys a bronze antelope
  • Drinking champagne with the French bronze cast students
  • John McKenna adjusting the gas and air on a small furnace
  • A student loading the crucible with a bronze ingot
  • Amanda working on her wax ivy leaves
  • Amanda's Ivy leaves cast in bronze
  • John McKenna showing Chris various patina recipes
  • Working with various patina recipes
  • Patina recipes being tested on bronze alloys
  • Students work
  • John McKenna with the Auchengeich miner
  • All students wear appropriate Health & Safety equipment
  • 'Nereid' bronze cast bowl
  • Mother & daughter