Bronze Pour. Close up view of molten bronze, poured from the crucible at about 2,000 F. Photo courtesy of Schaefer Art Bronze.

Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez, MOH - Right profile, original life size clay bust, photographed just prior to creating the rubber mold from which the bronze was cast by the lost wax casting method. Jenelle Armstrong Byrd, Sculptor. MABS photo.

Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez, MOH - Left quarter view, original life size clay bust, photographed just prior to creating the rubber mold from which the bronze was cast by the lost wax casting method. Jenelle Armstrong Byrd, Sculptor. MABS photo.

Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez, MOH - Front view, original life size clay bust, photographed just prior to creating the rubber mold from which the bronze was cast by the lost wax casting method. Jenelle Armstrong Byrd, Sculptor. MABS photo.

Print Coat. The first layer of liquid mold rubber has been painted over the surface of the clay sculpture, capturing the fine detail of the surface. Multiple layers of rubber will now be painted on to build up the necessary thickness. MABS photo.

Mother Mold. After the rubber mold was completed a clay dam was built up around the back half of the sculpture as a form to define the separation line of the plaster mother mold. MABS photo.

Mold Storage Room. Sculptor Mark Byrd checking some of his molds in storage at Schaefer Art Bronze where the Roy Benavidez bronze bust was cast. MABS photo.

Bronze Pour. The Benavidez bust was poured in this manner, from a crucible of molten bronze glowing with a blinding hot orange glow. The ceramic bronze casting mold can be seen beneath the crucible with the molten bronze flowing into the pouring cup. Photo courtesy of Schaefer Art Bronze.

Rough Chasing. Chasing is the preparation of the rough casting for finishing. The first step is the removal of the sprus, gates and pouring cup by cutting them away with a torch or saws. MABS photo.

Rough Chasing. Chasing is the preparation of the rough casting for finishing. The metal worker in this photo has just cut away the sprues, gates, and pouring cup with a plasma torch. MABS photo

Medal of Honor Installation. The metal worker expressed great pride in installing the Medal of Honor and he approached the work with great reverence. MABS photo.

Adjusting the Medal of Honor. MABS photo.

Medal of Honor Sculpture. This is an artistic interpretation of the Medal of Honor by sculptor Mark Austin Byrd. Federal law prohibits creating a replica of the Medal of Honor and in recent years a number of people, including a company that manufactures medals for the government has been prosecuted for creating accurate replicas of the MOH. MABS photo.

Fine Chasing. Skilled metal workers grind on all exposed surfaces of the sculpture with manual and power tools to achieve the desired finish. In this view the metal worker is chasing the bronze Medal of Honor which he is about to weld to the bronze bust. MABS photo.

Welding the Medal of Honor. MABS photo.

Bead Blasting. After the metal chasing is completed the sculpture is cleaned and the surface opened up for the patina by blasting with fine glass beads in a sand blasting cabinet. MABS photo.

Ready for Patina. Sculptor Mark Byrd supervised the completion Jenelle Byrd's bust of Roy Benavidez. At this point the surface of the bronze has a straw color and a matt finish due to the fine bead blasting. MABS photo.

Buffing. MABS photo.

Patination. The statue is heated with a gas torch and then various chemicals are painted and sprayed over the surfact to induce the desired color and level of contrast between highlights and shadows. MABS photo.

Highlighting. After applying the chemicals to darken the sculpture the surface is rubbed with a wet abrasive pad to selectively remove the patina from the surface. MABS photo.

Highlighting. The foundry's patina artist completes the highlighting of the sculpture. MABS photo.

Waxing. The final major step in the finishing of the bronze is the application of a coat of hot wax to protect the patina and to bring light into the surface. MABS photo.

Finished sculpture. The wax coating was buffed to a warm satin finish. MABS photo.

Finished sculpture. MABS photo.