11.Release.The shell is hammered or sand-blasted away, releasing the rough bronze. The spruing, which are also faithfully recreated in metal, are cut off, to be reused in another casting.

12. Metal-chasing. Just as the wax copies were "chased," the bronze copies are worked until the telltale signs of casting are removed, and the sculptures again look like the original artwork. Pits left by air bubbles in the molten bronze are filled, and the stubs of spruing filed down and polished.

13.Patinating. The bronze is colored to the artist's preference, using chemicals applied to heated or cooled metal. Using heat is probably the most predictable method, and allows the artist to have the most control over the process. This coloring is called patina, and is often green, black, white or brownish to simulate the surfaces of ancient bronze sculptures. (Ancient bronzes gained their patinas from oxidisation and other effects of being on Earth for many years.) However, with current artistic trends in the United States, many artists prefer that their bronzes have brighter, more stylized patinas. Patinas can be applied to replicate marble or stone. Depending on how the metal is prepared, either sandblasted or polished, the finish can be either opaque or transparent. After the patina is applied, a coating of wax, which is the most traditional type of sealer is usually applied to protect the surface. Many artists prefer to use lacquer as a sealer on some of the more unstable patinas.

This protects the piece more from ultraviolet rays. Some patinas change color over time because of oxidiation, and the wax layer slows this down somewhat.