In this series, we are going to take an in-depth look at the bronze sculpture process, detailing every aspect of what happens at the different stages. I am going to outline the practical steps involved, along with the historical context of each stage when necessary and then explain my personal philosophy behind my approach to each.
The goal is to give you a comprehensive understanding of what goes into creating a finished bronze sculpture, whether you are an artist trying to learn about the steps beyond the creative process, a collector or potential client interested in commissioning a sculpture, or an enthusiast who is simply curious. I am approaching this subject from extensive firsthand experience.
Creating a bronze sculpture involves much more than simply shaping clay or casting metal. Every stage, from the initial idea to the final sculpture, plays an important role in determining the quality and meaning of the finished work. This is especially true when creating narrative sculpture, historical figures, sacred art, or classically inspired works, where the story behind the subject is just as important as its physical form.
Let's dive in!
1. The Idea: Research and Reference
We can begin with a bit of symbolism. Let's think of the “idea” as a seed. This is the starting point for everything in life, and sculpture (or art in general) is no different.
The first question an artist must ask themselves before beginning the creative process is, "What am I going to create?" A dog? A sports player? What about a creature or monster? These are all seeds.
But for a seed to grow, it needs a couple of things. Good soil is a necessary start. An artist is responsible for developing that “good soil” by collecting the appropriate tools and skills needed to manifest an idea in tangible, physical space. We also need to tend to that seed, especially in its early stages, much like pulling weeds and watering. We have to clarify what kind of dog we are creating and what pose it will take, for example, and nourish that idea with the appropriate reference material and research.
I hope this paints a pretty clear picture of the importance of these early steps in the sculpture process.
Too often, inexperienced artists become overly excited about an idea. They see the seed as if it were already fully grown and want to rush toward the finish line without allowing for the slow beginnings. This is where research becomes vital.
When creating a sculpture, we are aiming to represent a story in three-dimensional space, so we must first understand our story. Whether we are creating a historical figure, a sacred subject, a classical composition, or something more whimsical, we need to understand what we are trying to communicate before we can effectively bring it to life.
The internet is an extremely powerful tool here, especially when dealing with subjects that are more distant from our personal experience. However, there is nothing better than working from real life. This has been a standard practice throughout the history of art. The research process can involve everything from online searches to having a live model pose for you, and I always try to incorporate both, but lean as heavily as I can on real life references.
Another helpful skill is learning how to create your own reference material. This is especially useful when it comes to clothing. Sometimes, I will drape cloth over an armature or even a roughly sculpted figure to see how the fabric hangs and folds. This allows me to study the relationship between the material and the body in a way that photographs alone cannot always communicate.
I like comparing this process to watering your plants because research is something I continually return to throughout every stage of sculpting. It is not simply something we do at the beginning and then forget about later. As a sculpture develops, new questions arise, and further research helps us make better decisions.
For a commissioned sculpture, this early research can be particularly important. A client may come to me with a specific person or story, or even an idea that is symbolic and needs interpreting. Taking the time to understand the subject and gather the right reference material helps establish a strong foundation for the sculpture and ensures that the important details are considered before moving forward.
2. Sketching: Developing the Composition
Before we actually begin sculpting, we must first clear away any confusion. Sketches help us identify exactly what we are going to make.
Let's take, for example, a recent commission in which the client wanted a sculpture of Calamity Jane. We worked through a few ideas using pencil sketches, focusing on an action pose with her standing on the ground.
Pencil sketches are great, but they only show us one angle at a time. This is not always the best way to plan a sculpture, since a sculpture exists in three-dimensional space and must work from multiple viewpoints.
When we finally decided to move on to a clay sketch, we had also decided to incorporate a horse into the composition. This introduced another element to the sculpture and created new opportunities to explore the relationship between the figure and the animal. We were able to work through the composition in three dimensions, refine the pose, and begin developing the final sculpture, which was planned at half life-size.
The key point here is that the sketch is meant to be "quick and dirty." We are not trying to create a finished work of art at this stage. Instead, we want to explore ideas, work through different possibilities, and make decisions in a relatively short amount of time. There is usual only a “suggestion” of a face, proportions may be slightly off, and there will be a “looseness” or roughness, but the “flow” or movement is clear, balance and placement of elements are identified, and we can successfully visualize what we are aiming for.
This planning stage becomes successful because we are able to work through multiple ideas in a short period of time, helping us understand exactly what we want before committing to the final composition. We cleared away the weeds, so to speak.
Sketching is once again a vital and foundational element of art. It is always praised as the starting point and yet is often neglected (myself included) by artists. You will hear professional artists make this point time and time again, and now you are hearing it once more here.
A plant can only grow as well as it is tended to and prepared for success. Here, we see the same principle applied to art. The time we invest in research, reference gathering, and sketching helps establish the foundation for everything that follows.
This is especially important in narrative sculpture, where the pose, composition, and relationship between figures all contribute to the story being told. The same is true regardless of the subject matter being depicted in sculptural form. Understanding the subject and working through the composition early on helps ensure that the finished sculpture communicates the intended idea.
For me, these early stages are about more than simply deciding what a sculpture will look like. They are about discovering how best to bring an idea into physical form while preserving the meaning and character behind it. Whether I am working on a commissioned sculpture with a specific story to tell or developing a more imaginative subject, the process begins with the same principles: research, observation, and thoughtful planning.
In the next installment, we will continue our in-depth look at the bronze sculpture process and explore the next stage of transforming an initial idea into a three-dimensional form.