Once the mold is cool enough it's time for 'Break Out'. There is unfortunately no easy way to do this. The 20 parts which have taken so long to carefully sculpt and mold have to be released from the silica which has fused with the bronze at very high temperatures somehow so, it's out with the hammer! This is the heavy engineering phase of fine art that is seldom seen!
Once the majority of the shell is removed, they go through the sandblaster, only when all this is complete can the parts start to be assembled into the finished piece.
After all the parts are welded together, fine dentist-type drills are used to clean all of the seams and welds, and to ensure the finish is exactly the same as the artist's proof.
The sculptor inspects each statuette before he is happy and signs off the stage as complete.
The next and final stage is Patination.