With the help of 3d printing technology, Oscar statues now utilize technology to create the coveted awards with precision accuracy.
In 2016 designers utilized an original 1929 Oscar statuette were originally designed by Cedric Gibbons and sculpted by George Stanley. The vintage figure was first 3d scanned to create an accurate 3d CAD file that easily allowed then engineer to modify and alter the original in order to create the statue they hand out today.
Once the final drawing was created and approved, one 3d wax print for each statue was built and used to create molds. A ceramic shell coated the wax figure, then was heated up to burn out (or melt) the wax, leaving a hollow cavity that is then used to pour the molten bronze metal into.
This process commonly referred to as Lost Wax Casting, Investment Casting or Precision Casting has been used for thousands of years (excluding the 3d printing step of course) to create various metal objects including jewelry, master plates for mass production, and now The Oscar Statuette.
On a side bar note… my Dad was a pattern maker by trade who owned his own business years before 3d printing was available. I remember him many evenings sitting on the sofa and carving out various figures including hundreds of the original design of wax ‘Gummie Bear Candy’ bear figures. Those figures were then used to make the Dare Foods matchplates that were used for mass production for many years!
Back to the Oscars though… I actually discovered the use of 3d printing to create the Oscars in an amazing article on ‘if it’s hip it’s here’, with step-by-step details and instructions as to how they are now created. Check it out, it’s pretty cool!