2027-03-20 - Casting a Bronze Medallion
Class Details
- Schedule: March 20-21 (9:00-3:00 pm CT)
- Location: This is an in-person class held at Vesterheim Folk Art School.
-
Instructor: Kelly Ludeking
- Level of Instruction: Beginner Friendly
Description
In this class you will have the opportunity to create your own 3” bronze medallion with your original design on both sides.
The first day will be an introduction to the metal casting process so you will understand what it takes to create cast metal objects. We will discuss the history of casting and how the ancient cultures were able to do this complex process with no electricity, just ingenuity.
After the introduction, you will get your 3” medallion made of high density foam that is easily carved. We will sketch our ideas on it in pencil, and then we will carve into the pieces with our sharp knives. If you have done woodcarving this will be very easy for you, if you haven't, it is still easy.
The medallions have to be finished by the end of class time. Then, the instructor takes them and casts them into a silica sand mold with a binder agent that holds the sand together and captures every detail of your design in reverse. The next day, we will cast the metal – the exciting part!
We will start with an overview of the foundry, so you will have an understanding of how it all works together to melt metal. We will also take a detailed look at a finished sand mold so we understand how it will help create your medallions. When the metal is at 2100 degrees F, the instructor's team will pour the molten bronze into all the molds filling in the voids left by your foam medallions.
Once this is done, we wait a half hour to open the molds up and see what happened! Then we will grind away all the excess metal and wire brush away the sand. This will be mostly led by the instructor. Now, you have a finished piece of cast bronze art that you personally created.
Kelly guarantees you will have a great time and learn a lot!
Supplies
There will be a materials fee of $75 paid directly to the instructor.
Students need to supply:
- Safety glasses
- Whatever carving knives or tools you wish to bring
Enrollment Deadline
February 26, 2027