#16 In the Foundry: "Noble Eagle, Spirit of America" con't . . .

Foundry technicians take measurements from the maquette and enlarge to a monumental sized version of the sculpture.  This procedure is called the "point-up". Styrofoam panels are glued together and carved to create the general shape of the figure.

The artist makes necessary changes to the proportions of the shapes before the foam is covered with a membrane of clay.  The artist then models the clay surface.  Underlying the clay is the styrofoam block-in.

When the work is completed a rubber mold is made from the clay model and the lost wax bronze casting process begins.  

The powerful presence of the American bald eagle

 The massive clay figure towers above the artist in the Lander studio

The general lines and basic masses of a monument must be simple

Masses must be balanced around a central axis 

The resin cast maquette in the foreground

The overall contours are suggestive of flight