My husband and I made a cool dragon wyvern sterling silver pendant based off my original design that I wanted to share!

Step by step photos: Going from a 3D sculpted & printed design to lost wax casting to make an original dragon pendant.

Step 1: Zbrush

Starting with a basic sketch we put the design in Zbursh

Step 2: Step: Keep Sculpting

Sculpting in Zbrush is kind of like sculpting in "real life" with clay. You have to add & build up parts.

Step 3: Still More Sculpting

After about 20 hours or so the dragon wyvern was done.

Step 4: Mock Up

Not really a needed step but I wanted to see how it would look.

Mocked up in silver, just to get an idea of the look. The model is then set to 3D print

Step 5: 3D Print

3D printed with a Form 1+ Shown here with the supports still on. Cleaned up with rubbing alcohol.

Step 6: Clean Up

All supports have been removed and final clean up with a high count sand paper. Put on a chain to test how it would hang. We went back and made the bails bigger so a larger chain could be used.

Step 7: Make a Mold

3D printed dragon was put into a mold box and a silicone mold was made

Step 8: Cut the Mold

Cutting the mold using a jewelers cut the mold is cut open and the resin dragon is removed

Step 9: Wax for Lost Wax Casting

Mold is then injected with jewelry wax. This wax is what become the lost wax casting. After making a few in wax a "tree" is made. The wax tree is then set into a metal flask and investment (a plaster like material) is poured around it. After the investment filled flask is died it goes into a kiln until the wax is burned out. Then back in the kiln so it can become basically a ceramic like material. Sorry I forgot to take pictures of those steps.

Step 10: Pouring the Metal

Once all the wax is gone and the investment mold is nice and hard, it come out of the kiln and melted metal is poured in. In this case we're using sterling silver, but this process is the same for gold & sometimes bronze.

Step 11: Removing It From the Investment

Once the metal is cooled the flask and all is dunked in water. This breaks the investment off the silver. You can see here what it looks like out of the mold. It needs to be cut off the tree and now cleaned up.

Step 12: Clean Up & Finish

Once the investment is all cleaned up and the pendant is removed from the tree the real fun begins. After cutting and filling areas to get it just right the pendant is buffed and polished to a nice shine. A chain is added and now a dragon is ready to take flight, I mean wear.