A few words about reining horse gifts and bronze reining horse sculptures.

Reining horse bronze horse sculpture - Lady Reiner

I love sculpting a reining horse in action. They are so amazing and athlethic to ride.
I have been showing reining horses for over 20 years, and yet I still learn more about the balance and movement of a reining horse when I sculpt them.
The best reining horses and riders operate together to the point that the curve of the spine and roll of the pelvis of both horse and rider match in a good sliding stop.
The movement of the reining horse and rider are synchronized to the point that if I see the form in which the rider sits the sliding stop, I can have a pretty darn accurate idea of how hard that rider's horse will be stopping.This also works the other way around. If I can observe the form and body of the

Reining horse bronze horse sculpture and door knocker horse, I know what the matching form of the rider must be in order for the horse to slide stop with that intensity
I really enjoyed spending time with this beautiful champion reining horse as I sculpted his likeness for this bronze reining horse door knocker. The slide plate horse shoe that is a part of this door knocker is a direct bronze copy of one of this wonderful horse's horse shoes.

This bronze reining horse door knocker makes a wonderful gift for the reining horse rider in your life.

See more of my bronze horse sculptures at:
www.corpany.com

Building a one and one half life size bronze horse and rider Part Two

This larger than life size bronze horse statue was sculpted in clay.  A mold was then made from the clay model and wax was poured into that mold.  The wax was then "invested" or dipped in a liquid ceramic slurry and coated with sand to create a thick, hard ceramic shell surrounding the wax.  That ceramic shell was then heated to remove the wax and molten bronze was poured into the hot shell.  The pieces of the cast bronze were then welded together and textured to erase any seam lines from the welding.

Kim then traveled a team of two master foundrymen, Dan Snarr and Trevor McEntire from Atlas Bronze Casting in Kearns, Utah to Abu Dhabi, UAE where they reassembled the bronze horse and rider, sandblasted, applied patina, and installed the Arabian bronze monument on site. 

We left off with the pieces of the monumental heroic size bronze being welded together... 

The bronze horse and rider are welded together, the welds blended away and textured and it is ready for sandblasting in order to make an even finish over the entire piece.

Sandblasting the entire giant bronze horse.

Adding the patina to the bronze horse.

The sculpture process - from drawing to bronze sculpture. The jumping horse.

The finished jumping horse bronze sculpture with multi-tonal patina which highlights this intricately detailed bronze sculpture of a leaping horse as she leaves the ground to clear a tall jump. 

The double reins and martingale of this bronze horse were added after the sculpture is cast in bronze.

See more bronze horse sculptures at www.corpany.com 

The finished clay sculpture is photographed and the photos are sent to the client for approval. Upon approval of the clay model, the bronze horse sculpture is ready to go to the foundry for the mold and lost wax bronze casting.

Hand drawn sketch for the jumping horse bronze sculpture, "Liftoff!"

This original sketch was done as a composite of a number of good photos supplied by the client. None of the photos captured the horse and rider in exactly the position I wanted, but I was able to get enough information from the measurements and photos to create this sketch. Once it was approved by the client, I went to work on the clay model. 

The clay model is formed by first building a metal armature, and then adding wire to the armature to support the legs, head and neck, and the tail of the horse. Then clay is added to the armature, shaped by hand and using various sculpting tools to create the form and detail of the bronze.

The difference an amazing patina makes on a bronze sculpture

I find the different patinas that are possible in bronze sculpture to be amazing. The appropriate application of heat and chemicals to the surface of a bronze sculpture cause chemical reactions in the metal which can bring out a myriad of gorgeous colors. The patina helps to bring a bronze horse sculpture to life. It also serves to seal and protect the surface of the metal.

Above is a Silver Nitrate patina on an Arabian horse bust. Patinas on this page are created by patina artist Laurie Tidwell.

It may well surprise you to learn that the patina on this pinto Arabian bust is not paint, but layers of different chemical reactions which change the color of the actual metal itself.

Patination is the process of applying layers of color to the surface of a bronze sculpture. The patina artist creates this color by applying chemicals on the sculpture with heat. Patina is also the natural reaction of bronze to atmospheric conditions, such as chemicals and humidity and even man made environmental conditions such as water from sprinklers. The artist or the foundry will protect the patina with coats of wax or a lacquer to deter change in the patina. Because atmospheric elements constantly work on bronze surfaces after leaving the foundry, certain steps can be taken by the art collector to help preserve the original patina of the bronze sculpture. 

Bronze is a very durable metal. Your bronze sculpture can last for centuries! The patina is the most delicate part of your bronze. Regular application of a wax coating to a bronze sculpture will help to keep the elements sealed out and prevent color changes in the patina.

Many bronze collectors prefer to let the wax coating wear thin and enjoy the natural reaction and aging process of the patina especially on outdoor bronze sculptures. 

Wise collectors consult with a patina artist, foundry, or art conservator regarding any major changes in your bronze sculpture's patina.

Liftoff! Bronze jumping horse sculpture by Kim Corpany

I am thrilled to share the bronze sculpture "Liftoff!" in it's finished form.

 I was even more excited to receive the response from the client for whom this bronze was created as a surprise anniversary present for his wife. His very skilled wife and one of her awesomely talented show jumping horses were the subject of the bronze sculpture.
His note to me:

Kim,

The sculpture arrived today and is absolutely beautiful. What a work of art! It brought my wife tears of joy, and was admired all evening by our 2-year old daughter.

Thank you for all of your hard work; it will be cherished for years to come.

Patrick

So pleased that they now have this bronze sculpture!

To see more of my bronze horse sculptures, visit www.corpany.com  

George Washington at his new home in Valley Forge, PA

George Washington bronze equestrian monument located at Freedom's Foundation Valley Forge. PA.

After the bronze horse was initially placed on the cement footing, We were able to get funding to have a taller pedestal created.