Another project I started working on today. I been sharing some of my beginning stages of landscaping. And on a couple occasions I mentioned the rock ledge leading down to the river, but all that was seen is pink, and/or white plaster for a rock ledge. Well, today, I got tired of seeing that, and started to make me some rock ledges to install... Who needs commercial rock molds? I sure as heck don't, because like I always encourage, I recycle, or just use what I have. For rock molds, I used this time, old used tin foil I kept from the wife making biscuits this morning. Rock mold, FREE. I have been collecting some examples of rock from our trip down the mid west to Texas. My fictitious town is buried in the Midwest, and I love the red rock you see along the rails, and ribbons of highways. To me, it is just a rich, beautiful color to model. It contrasts the bright green spring and summer vegetation, and to me awe inspiring to look at. So, my rock will be that iron rich, red, orange, tan and brown rock formations seen across the Midwest. Here is how I ROCK.. Find the rock you want to model.. Lay it on the side you want to model on a piece of tin foil, then tightly wrap the sides up and around it, leaving the other side of the rock exposed. Press the tin foil all over the side and edges to form the foil in and around the rock face detail. Remove rock. You might have to loosen up the foil a bit to get the rock out, but that is ok, and easy to do without ruining your surface.. Take your tin foil mold, and fill it with plaster. I tint my plaster with a few drops of paint so it isn't SO white. This makes it easier to cover and paint later IMHO. I also take the fiberglass mesh tape that is normally used for sheetrock work. It can be found cheap at any hardware store. I place a piece of the fiberglass mesh in the plaster to give the rock some strength from breakage once it is cured. Once it sets up, remove your fake rock, and it is ready to paint to whatever color you want your rocks..
Paint your rock. I choose the iron rich red rock you often see in the Midwest. I used floquil rust for a base color.. Then, browns and tans dry brushed into to highlight the rock detail.. Add some moss, grass, and vegetation, and the rock is ready to work into your landscaping. This is what I am after when all said and done.. ROCK ON...
A couple of the rock pieces installed. I might mention that both of these pieces were molded using the same piece of real rock. I just flipped the rock over and molded the other side for a variation of character. So in essence this is both sides of that one rock.
While on the subject of rocks I have been searching for a product I first used about 35 years ago. The product was a waxy layered paper product that came in chunks of varying sizes up to about 1/2 inch. It was packaged in a bag. The pieces had to be individually glued in place and was time consuming, especially when doing a large outcropping or rock face but the end product was worth every minute. I haven't been able to find it and I think it went out of favor when rock molds came in. I was hoping some of the 'old timers' here might recall the product and who made it.
The legal department contacted me just a few minutes ago, to give me a word of warning. Apparently I forgot to add my disclaimer to the end of my post. My appologies for that... DISCLAIMER: No rocks of any kind were harmed in this demonstration. All rocks are kept in a cool dry place until they are returned to nature from wince they came.
One little secret I failed to mention. After installation, it helps to blend the rock into the surroundings as well as removes allot of the consistency of the color if you take a black light wash, and let some of it run down along the installed rock. It simulates weathering, and staining of the rock from heavy rains. Let it fall down and follow the natural curves and shape of the rock. I also take a dark green wash and wash it with that as well. It puts a dull, greenish hue to it as well that really looks like a million year old rock formation that stood the test of time, and has a thin growth of moss tucked in the crevises. I wish I was a better shutter bug. It really looks nice looking at it that the camera doesn't capture.
Another example of some more rock ledge I made with that same single rock. Tin foil rocks possibilities are endless, and you are not confined to just 4 or 5 rock formations you find in a commercial rock mold. In fact, you will never have two rock formations alike. Each one different than the last. Each with their unique characteristics .. Hmm.. Kinda like nature huh? Now, some vegetation, and molded into my rock wall.
Never can be too careful these days. I am sure there are some Rock Rights Activists out there somewhere.. Just being careful huh?..
You rock man! Those look really good. I wonder if I can find a rock that will simulate crumbling shale in our scale and use this method. Might be too fine detail though. I dunno, I'm thinking with my fingers again, sorry. Tudor, you should write a book or see about working for a magazine that will elt you write articles devoted to your cost cutting modeling techniques. Then you would have more money to experiment with more cost cutting techniques!:thumbs_up:
Chris, as much as I appreciate your appreciation, Im not so sure they would want me, hahhah.. I am a rebel of sorts and too far out of the box to be commercial. Many publications bread and butter are advertisements from the very sources that I get around, hahhah.. If everyone models like I do, some of those manufactures would be out of business, and they are good for our hobby. So, just sit back and enjoy my little ramblings while they are free, hahhah.. I am not that clever really, I am just old, poor and disabled, and not able to get out to the LHS much (as if there were one around), and too poor to spend allot of money on that stuff even if I could get to them. So, my resourcefulness is more out of necessity than cleverness, lol.. But thanks none the less my friend.. <grin> Oh, and another thing. I have been sometimes bashed, because I used things like used, dried coffee grounds, and real dirt in place of fake dirt you can buy. From my perspective, what looks more like dirt than, uh, well,, dirt.. hehheh.. Oh, and another medium is something we throw away like the used coffee grounds. Saw dust.. Take an old tossed out piece of wood. Just start cutting it on a table saw or radial saw. Or, a disk sander.. Look on the floor, and what do you see? Hmm.. Sift the fine powdery saw dust out, dye it with RITZ dye in various shades of green, or earth tone colors, let dry completely, and ya have grass medium, or other vegetation.. But I digress... again.. hehhe
No bashing here. I'm guilty of the same things. For the same reasons. Like what I see here it's all looking good.cool:
