Below is a brief overview into the process of creating and casting fine art bronze statues.

This process of the lost wax investment shell casting can take up to three to six months, depending on the size of the sculpture - and then another three or four months to cast (which employs 13 full time workers / artisans). By using the almost lost procedures of sculpting from the inside out along with a high attention to detail in both sculpting and casting, De L'Esprie's results are world class, high quality, fine art statues. As a studied "anatomist" De L'Esprie states, "If it is not correct on the inside, it cannot possibly be correct on the outside." This means she will undertake the laborious task of sculpting in the bones and muscle groups before sculpting any clothing. All statues are at one point nude and anatomically correct. Without this process, statues look stiff, lifeless, and void of emotion. Employing such techniques as "the Baroque Spiral" and "Privileged Perspective" her works are in a class of their own. These various methods create sculptures that are stunning focal points for viewers to admire and appreciate for generations to come.

• De L'Esprie starts by welding a steel armature in the form of a stick pose that acts as a skeleton. On top of this frame she adds a rib cage, knees, pelvis, shoulders, and main bones.
• Next she applies clay in the old classical approach by sculpting from the inside out. To do this she blocks in the statue and then sculpts all muscle groups as a nude before sculpting exterior features such as face, clothing, hands, hair, etc. This time consuming and detailed approach breathes life into a statue, creating emotion, movement, and a sense of realness. Sculpting a life-size statue takes at least 3 months for a child and 6 months for an adult. For a portraiture, it can take much longer.
• Once the bones and muscles are added to the clay, De L'Esprie then adds a fine layer of clay and smooths it out to form skin.
• Clothing is added next.
• Fine details are added.
• Once the process is completed, the sculpture is divided into sections.
• A mold is made with rubber, fiberglass, or plaster backing.
• Wax is poured into the mold and then the fine detail is re-sculpted into the wax using dental tools.
• The investment shell casting process begins with the wax image being dipped into sand. This step takes weeks to form a "rock like" substance able to withstand the temperature of poured bronze, which ranges from 2000 to 3200 degrees F. The piece is then put into a large crucible.
• The internal wax melts away, leaving behind the shell that can handle the heat of the molten bronze which is then poured into the mold.
• The secondary (or investment shell) mold is hammered and chiseled away to reveal the rough bronze form.
• All parts of the statue are welded back together.
• Detail is re-sculpted into the bronze using pneumatic tools.
• The bronze is then sandblasted and glassblasted.
• A finish patina is applied to the surface of the sculpture to create different colours/textures on various parts of the bronze statue.
• The colors are achieved by using acid and heat. The bronze is heated with a blow torch and acid is applied. Different colors will be created by varying the type of acid used and how much heat is applied.

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The photos above show the clay model both in full and then in sections prior to the casting process.