Making molten metal into art
Bronze casting courses
Have you ever wanted to create in bronze? Learn how to harness molten metal for art? Or just fancy a creative and unique weekend?
Join us, where we will walk you through the ancient process of lost wax bronze casting. Come with or without skills. We will work with you from the beginning and over the two days, you will create your very own cast bronze sculpture.
Bronze casting courses
Course information
This workshop involves 2 or 3 consecutive days to learn an introduction to lost wax bronze casting, using the ceramic shell casting technique. The weekend is taught in small groups to allow as much contact time as possible. You'll learn an overview of the foundry process while creating your own sculpture.
The course is geared so that all people and levels of skills can participate, learn, and come away with knowledge as well as a bronze sculpture at the end. You may have never picked up any sculpting tools or be an advanced metal worker, you will learn and create on this course.
All materials will be provided from wax tools to PPE and the metal for the sculpture. If you do have any of your own casting tools, or PPE do bring them along but don’t fret if you don’t. A vegetarian lunch will be included, with teas and coffees as well. If you have specific needs get in contact ahead of time.
If you are on low income or benefits, get in contact about discount rates.
Wax working
In the first part, you will learn how to waxwork for the lost wax process. Having accomplished that you will learn how to use the ceramic shell in the first phase.
Bronze casting
In the second part of the lost wax process, you will begin with burning out the mould, this is the 'lost wax' part of the process. Then you will learn about pouring bronze and finishing techniques.
Taught by David Snoo Wilson
Previous students
“I took part in one of David's weekend bronze casting courses earlier this year, and thought it was massively inspiring. Having done a small amount of bronze casting in a university setting it was refreshing to have such a close 1 to 1 experience with the process, and with an instructor as knowledgeable as David.”
— Rhodri Nichols
“I thoroughly enjoyed the course. I have attended only a few art courses, On this one David provided excellent company and guidance, somehow managing to help without intervening, and gave us the opportunity to create and get the best out of us.”
— Nigel Brown
“David is a great host, a lovely Chap and very knowledgeable. I had three days of excellent bronze learning and practical hands on experience. He answered all my questions and I came home with some brilliant ideas and some lovely bronze pieces!.”
— Matthew wade
Wanting something more bespoke?
Do you already have experience in casting and foundry? Or maybe you have a project that might not fit into a short course. Get in contact and we can discuss more. We have run one to one learning to enable artistic projects and learning the skills to start up an art foundry.
We also regularly have drop-in days for ex-students, this allows them to carry on with their newly learned skills and to pursue their metal casting ambitions.
Images Nick Caro, Asia Werbel, Paul Blakemore