Dennis Collier Studios creates stunning designs in hand carved wood, and has been commissioned to sculpt pieces for prestigious architectural design firms such as Allan Greenberg, Johnson and Wanzenberg and Robert A.M. Stern. His work is prominently on display in numerous United States Government buildings including the State Deptartment and White House.
Many times Collier's shop is called upon to reproduce the wooden sculptures in resin and or bronze as well. The gallery below documents molding and casting of a highly detailed wooden sculpture, featuring an American Bald Eagle catching a fish. Since the wood sculpture could not be harmed in any way, it had to be molded with a very soft, yet strong rubber in multiple pieces.
After consulting with Smooth-On, the mold material choices were to use Mold Max® 10 silicone rubber thickened with Thi-Vex® II, and to use Plasti-Paste® for the support shell. After the mold is completed, it is then slush cast using Smooth Cast Roto® liquid urethane plastic on a custom made pivot-jig designed to accomodate this large mold.
1 - Original wooden sculpture by Dennis O. Collier.
2 - First layer of Mold Max® 10 is brushed on.
3 - The entire surface is evenly coated with a very thin layer of the Mold Max® 10 silicone rubber.
4 - Another view of the very important 'detail' or 'print' coat.
5 - The second layer is pigmented with SilcPig® silicone pigments.
6 - The finished second layer.
7 - A third layer of Mold Max® 10 is applied.
8 - Using Thivex® II to thicken, and SicPig® pigments to color the rubber, the fourth layer is applied, filling undercuts, and adding support to the entire mold.
9 - The mold with the multi-piece Plasti-Paste® II support shell is placed onto the custom pivot-jig via an engine hoist. This will enable the mold to be slush cast.
10 - The pivot-jig is tilted into position to apply the resin.
11 - Smooth Cast Roto® liquid resin is poured over the inside surface of the mold.
12 - The liquid resin is brushed into the fine details to ensure thorough coverage.
13 - The pivot-jig is positioned to allow application of liquid resin in all quadrants of the mold.
14 - The process is repeated several more times until a sturdy hollow resin skin of adequate thickness is built-up.
15 - After the resin has fully cures, the support shell is disassembled.
16 - This view, with the top of the wings and half of the bottom shell removed, shows the complexity of this mold.
17 - The support shell is removed from half of the Eagle's head.
18 - The mold is removed from half of the head. The casting reflects perfect detail from the original sculpture.
19 - Close-up of the mold of the left side of the Eagle head displays the high level of detail captured by the Mold Max® 10 rubber from the original.
20 - The shell was well thought out. Multiple pieces are designed to eliminate 'locking' of the support shell.
21 - A good view of the casting in the mold surrounded by the support shell.
22 - Detail of the wings.
23 - Even the mold of the wings is interesting to look at !
24 - Top view - Demonstates how the bottom half of the wings and the sides fit together.
25 - A 'plug' was created as part of the mold under the wing sections.
26 - View of the rubber 'plug' with the rigid inside support removed.
27 - The finished Smooth Cast® Roto resin casting is hollow yet strong, and is only a fraction of the weight of bronze, plaster or even the wooden original.
28 - Close-up of the Smooth Cast Roto® resin casting.
29 - The client also commissioned Collier Studios to produce a bronze version of the Eagle sculpture.
30 - The wax master used to cast the bronze version was generated from this same mold.
31 - Close-up of the bronze casting displays all the detail of the original.
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