Wing Form One, 2 of 25

What is an Edition? Simply put, editions are multiple duplicates. Variations, such as color changes, may or may not be introduced in the process to create uniqueness. Limited editions have a set number to be produced, which may be made all at once, or over a period of time, sometimes years. It is incumbent on the artist to keep accurate records of the numbers produced, both for archival records and for the acquirer’s confidence. Typically a sculpture or print will be inscribed with the artist’s signature, date and the number over the edition, such as 3/100. The most familiar examples of editions in the art world are found in the fields of printmaking and bronze casting. Depending on the process, print editions can have as few as two, or thousands. With certain methods the quality of the print degrades as the number increases. The other well known example of editions in art is in the bronze foundry and casting specialty. This is quite similar to glass casting with some very notable exceptions. Casting Processes To understand about editions, it is first necessary to have a rough idea of the casting processes. There are two main types of casting: sand casting and lost wax, or cire perdue, if you’re Italian. Sand casting basically consists of making an impression with a reusable pattern into a damp sand and clay mix. The cavity created is then filled with the molten medium of choice, such as bronze or chocolate. This method is frequently used industrially for iron parts that will later be machined, as the surface is rather granular. It is quick, but limited in its ability to pick up fine detail. Add to this the fact that there can be no undercuts on the pattern and it becomes apparent that another method is preferable for creating museum quality sculpture. Lost Wax Lost wax casting has been practiced for centuries. A wax model is invested, or encased, in a reinforced plaster shell, with various vents and funnels built in. The wax is melted out, leaving a cavity in the exact shape of the pattern within the plaster mold. Then hot metal or glass is poured into the mold, allowed to solidify and, in the case of the glass, cooled very, very slowly over a period of weeks to relieve stresses. Then the plaster mold is carefully removed and discarded. The salient features of lost wax casting: each finished sculpture requires an exact wax model, which will be melted out, or lost; the mold is only used one time. With proper technique highly detailed works in the round can be made. The Master Mold The key to making editions using lost wax casting is to be able to make multiple identical wax models, since for every casting there must be a corresponding wax. Typically, the original sculpture is created directly in wax, clay, wood, metal or plaster. Then a master mold is built around the sculpture. This can be made of plaster or a combination of flexible urethane rubber and plaster. After removal from the original, this master mold is then filled with molten wax. When it cools, the wax is the exact shape of the original! With some clean up, it is ready it to be invested in the casting mold material. Studio Practices In my studio, nearly all of the original shapes for ultimately casting in glass are made directly in wax. It is easily worked, very flexible and immediate. Most of my works are unique pieces in which the original wax is invested directly in the casting mold, and melted out, therefore lost. If something goes awry in the glass casting process, the original can be gone forever. This means that the risk is much greater and consequently the value of the finished work is higher. Why Make Editions? The reasons for making editions are both economic and aesthetic. With multiples, the risk of a catastrophic failure causing the total loss of the creative work is virtually eliminated. The time spent creating the original, usually dozens of hours, days, sometimes weeks, can be amortized over the entire edition, rather than just one piece. This leads to the ultimate benefit to the art lover and collector: Limited editions can be sold for less than unique works. This allows more people to share in the enjoyment of a cast glass sculpture. The benefits to me as an artist are that I can try variations on technique in a more scientific way, vary the colors in each piece, and make alterations to the metal components of the sculpture. Working on editions this way allows a thorough and mature exploration of the form. It is important to note that the color patterns in castings with more than one color are always unique. The swirls and eddies of the interaction of the various colors are what add a distinctive element of surprise to cast glass sculpture and keep the outcome fresh. So even though a limited edition cast glass sculpture is born from the same mother mold, it develops its own personality. Art imitates life…

Contact Brian Russell 901.867.7300, info@brianrussellstudio.com.