< PLASTICS & RESIN
HOW TO PREPARE A MASTER PATTERN FOR CASTING
Once the sculptor has finished a sculpture (MASTER PATTERN) in the studio, there is often little more to be done other than to dispatch the pattern to the foundry. The pattern will usually need to be securely packed and the foundry will need to know if there are any special circumstances concerning the work. Examples of this can include notification of insurance conditions for valuable designs, materials content (especially if potentially hazardous substances are used anywhere in the pattern), and the positioning of internal armatures in cases where the founder is going to cut the pattern into smaller sections.
In some cases the sculptor will need to take additional considerations into account whilst preparing their pattern, and in this next section we will look at a few of the potential circumstances that can arise.
STRUCTURE
As previously stressed, it is always preferable to ensure that any master pattern destined for the foundry is constructed to the highest possible standard. Careful preparation makes the pattern easier to process, reduces the opportunity for errors to creep in, and therefore lead to a much better outcome.
Sculptors also need to take account of less obvious issues, one of which is weight distribution. The materials used for making master patterns may not always reflect the distribution of weight in the finished casting. This is especially the case if you have weighed your pattern down at the base, and then used a lightweight material to sculpt any extended reaches of the design. Unless the founder makes allowance by similarly loading the base of the cast, the finished artwork may be inclined to unbalance.
The weight of the finished cast is also likely to be substantially greater than that of the pattern. When creating a large scale artwork, it may be essential to have a structural engineer undertake a preliminary survey to approve the placement and loading the proposed cast places on other structures when mounted in position.
An engineer may decide that the balance or weight of a proposed cast is such, that it is necessary to incorporate a structural armature into the finished casting, and/or reinforce footings etc. If this is the case, the artist will need to ensure that their master pattern is designed and constructed in a way that allows the founder to insert a support to the engineers specification. This usually means simply discussing the matter with the founder, and allowing sufficient space within the pattern design for a support to be placed in the cast (see also FINISHING).
FIXING & LIFTING POINTS >
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