Learn how to transform your ZBrush sculpt into a monumental bronze work
📅 Originally Presented September 2023
(AFA Foundry & FORM’s digital sculpting workflow is evergreen—its lessons still resonate in 2025.)
🎨 Who We Are
American Fine Arts Foundry, located in Southern California, continues to be a cornerstone of monumental bronze sculpture. Since its 2002 rebranding, AFA has produced landmark works—from the Leonardo da Vinci Horse and Rider to sculptures by Erté, Richard MacDonald, Bill Mack, and more opens in a new windowYouTube+4Maxon+4NOVEDGE+4 opens in a new windowYouTube+1YouTube+1.
FORM studio in Portland, active since 2005, remains dedicated to merging industrial design, engineering, and fine art, producing monumental figures on tight timelines opens in a new windowMaxon.
🧠 Why ZBrush Still Matters in 2025
ZBrush offers unmatched creative freedom at the conceptual stage—whether you’re crafting textures, refining anatomy, or working through revisions.
Its integration with digital foundry techniques—3D‑printing for mold making, lost‑print casting, and 3D scanning—continues to revolutionize bronze sculpture, enabling unprecedented detail and scale.
🛠️ The 2025 Digital-to-Bronze Blueprint
Concept & Sculpt in ZBrush
Start with clay-like digital sculpting, explore forms freely, and rapidly iterate.
Digitally Prepare for Casting
Use optimized meshes, layered detail, and prepare molds via 3D printing or CNC.
Advanced Scan & CAD Prep
Employ modern 3D‑scanning tools to ensure fidelity and fit across multiple cast pieces.
Mixed Production Workflows
Combine traditional lost‑wax techniques with “lost‑print” and sand‑ 3D‑printed molds.
Assembly, Welding & Patination
Seamlessly weld cast sections, finish surfaces, and apply specialist patinas—skills still essential in 2025.
🏆 Why It Still Matters
This workflow is more relevant than ever:
Efficiency: ZBrush dramatically cuts down iteration time.
Scale & Precision: Digital tooling enables larger, more detailed work.
Hybrid Innovation: Combining classic casting with digital molds expands creative possibilities.
📺 Want to See It in Action?
This presentation originally ran at ZBrush Summit 2023. The video breaks down each stage—from sculpt to final bronze—and remains an essential guide in 2025
🔗 Explore Further
Discover FORM’s methods and AFA’s projects on their respective websites.
Watch AFA Foundry’s Summit sessions to dive deeper into digital-to-bronze pipelines: the concepts are timeless.
✅ Bottom Line
ZBrush remains central to monumental bronze sculpture—even in 2025. While new tools and refinements have emerged since the presentation, the AFA + FORM process—from ZBrush sculpting, digital mold making, to final casting—is still a foundational roadmap for artists working at scale.
Interested in turning your ZBrush sculpt into bronze?
Let’s talk about 3D‑printing options, mold workflows, patina choices—or how to integrate AI‑assisted tools into your sculpting process in 2025.
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AFA's ZBrush Summit 2023 Presentation
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