I. The lost wax casting of metal icons

As the name denotes, the principal rule of this method of casting is : preparing a wax model, covering it with varieties of clay, heating the piece so that the wax melts, extracting the liquid wax so that a cavity is created, pouring melted metal into the cavity, and cooling it so that the original wax model is translated into the metal image. But, unlike the simplicity of the rule, getting a perfect cast is a very complicated job. A lot of care is needed for preparing raw wax to the final stage of gilding. Roughly, the whole process of metal image making is:

 

a. Initial wax casting The bee wax is melted in a pot and shale powder is mixed with the bee wax so as to make it more tensile. The wax is molded into a rough shape by hand and all the parts of a body, ornaments etc. are gradually added. Thus, finally a wax model is ready.

b. Cover the wax mold with mud The wax mold is first dipped into a mixture of fine clay, rice bran and cowdung. Then the piece is dried in some airy space where there is no direct sunlight. The same process is repeated again. Then a paste of another type of fine clay, rice bran and cowdung is pasted onto the mold. Depending upon the size of the image, this process is repeated (after drying) two to three times. c. The lost wax process The mold, covered with layers of mud, is heated under weak heat so that the wax inside melts. The melted wax is extracted through a hole. Thus a hollow space is created inside.

d. Pouring of Metal Melted metal is poured into the cavity created by the lost wax process and when it is cooled off, a metal image is created. e. Engraving The metal image out of the casting is very rough. The surface has to be made smooth, chiselling is to be done to bring precision. f. Gilding When the image is ready, gold or silver is gilded onto it. Mercury and pieces of gold/silver are mixed in such a proportion that the gold or silver is ready for gilding.