How is a Wax Sculpture Made?

Sculptures made in any medium have beauty of their own. Wax sculpture is no exception- it is beautiful too! Wax sculpture, in fact, carries more than one meaning with it. As the name suggests, a wax sculpture is a sculpture made in wax- the finished figures in beeswax, the same material which is used for making candles. These figures in beeswax are made by modeling or molding. Apart from finished sculptures, sometimes wax figures are also used as a form for casting metal or creating preliminary models, such as for making a bronze sculpture.


Historical and Modern Wax Figures
Wax figures have been popular among many ancient cultures. Ancient Egyptians used to place wax god statues with the dead people in their graves during the funeral rites. Greeks used wax figures as dolls for children. The Romans preserved the masks, effigies, or imagines of their ancestors which were displayed on ceremonial occasions and carried in funeral processions. Renaissance in Italy gave wax modeling a high place of importance in the art circle which was practiced by some great masters. The great sculptors like Michelangelo and Giovanni da Bologna used wax models for making preliminary sketches for their statues.

In the modern times, wax-work is one of the popular attractions for art lovers. The images of historical and famous contemporary personalities are made up of waxen masks on lay figures. Sometimes, the value of these wax figures is enhanced by fitting mechanism to give motion to the figures. The popularity of wax figures can be judged by the famous permanent modern waxwork exhibition of Madame Tussaud, where the technology of robotics and audio-animatronics are also used to bring life to wax figures.


The Making of a Wax Figure
The process of making a life-like wax figure is very interesting and, of course, requires great skill, dexterity and patience. There are a number of steps that have to be followed while making a wax figure. The steps for making a wax figure have been described here for general understanding of the process.  

1. Creation of a Clay Sculpture: The wax sculptor first of all makes a clay sculpture with the help of photographs, actual measurements, and scanned images of the person whose figure has to be made in wax. This clay sculpture contains minutest details including facial expressions, mole, wrinkle, and any other marks. The perfection with which the clay head and face are created goes to decide the fineness of the finished wax figure.

2. Forming a Mold: An alginate mold is made from the clay sculpture. Then, a molten mixture of natural and petroleum-based wax is poured carefully in it. The wax is moved around in a whirling motion in layers until the mold is evenly coated with a 2inch thick wax. The mixture is then left to harden. This gives shape to a rough waxen image.

3. Carving the Wax Image: excess wax from the nostrils, ears and mouth are cut, trimmed and shaped with the help of specifically designed tools such as special knives. Detailed features like wrinkles, fine lines and markings in forehead and face along with eyes, ears, nose and lips are also created with fine tools and of course, great workmanship.

4. Adding Colors and Other Details: Colored wax and oil paints are mixed to make an exact skin tone matching with the live model. This color is then gently applied along with other details such as blemishes, birthmarks, age marks etc. Hair is then inserted with the help of special needle. It is done with great care, inserting one strand at a time. Hair, Eyebrows, lashes, facial hair, all are done in this way. Glass eyes and porcelain teeth are also attached according to the person's actual qualities.

5. Making of Other Body Parts: Other body parts like hands and legs are also created with the help of same techniques of sculpting, molding, carving and painting. However, they have to be done with more care so as to match the person's mannerisms.

6. Costumes of the Figure: The costumes can either be the original dresses of the person or tailored according to the figure's measurement. Care is taken to embellish the clothes with decorative trims and accessories like buckles, beads, and sequin trims to bring a touch of life to the figure. Mostly Velcro closures are used to conceal the seams or openings of the clothes. Sometimes props are also used such as sports accessories for sportsman's figure or musical instruments for the musician's figure.