A look at the process of making a bronze sculpture by Roger Smith, bronze wildlife sculptor

Every sculpture begins with an armature that is as simple as a wire stick figure or as complex as this wood and wire one for this life-size Deer.
Non- hardening clay is modeled over the armature. Wax is used for some parts such as antlers on this Deer.
A flexible rubber mold is made over the clay model and a rigid plaster mother mold over the rubber to hold it’s shape.
Hot wax is poured in the rubber mold to produce a hollow wax duplicate. One wax duplicate is required for each Bronze.
The wax is then "chased" to remove mold flashing and correct any irregularities.
This shows a chased wax with sprews attached.
The wax is then dipped in liquid silica…
…and dusted with powdered silica…
…alternately up to seven times to build the proper thickness. After drying this is put in a kiln to melt out the wax and leave a hollow silica mold.
Molten Bronze (1960-1980 degrees F.) is poured into the silica mold.
After cooling the silica is chipped off the Bronze.
The sprews are cut off…
…and the metal chaser then welds the parts together and chases the seams to match the original texture.
After metal chasing, the Bronze is sandblasted to prepare it for the final step.
The Patina (color) is created by applying different chemicals to heated Bronze.

A look at the process