Even the most ordinary garden can be turned into a unique corner of comfort. You can do this yourself if you are realizing your creative ideas. Among other ideas, you can highlight a mushroom from gypsum.
With these crafts, you can decorate the space near the fence, paths or flower beds. Children can be involved in the creation process. This activity is very interesting, it is able to develop creative thinking and provide an entertaining pastime.
Preparatory work
In order to make a mushroom from gypsum, you must prepare:
- PVA glue;
- acrylic paints;
- compass;
- set of incisors;
- stationery knife;
- two cups;
- waterproof glue;
- soap;
- varnish;
- brushes;
- pencil;
- cellophane film;
- an empty plastic bottle;
- decorative elements;
- water.
The basis will be sculpted gypsum, which will need about 500 g. You can replace it with a cement mixture, in which case the figure will turn out to be more durable. As an adhesive, construction PVA is used. When choosing paints, you should prefer acrylic, designed to work with ceramics or glass.
For registration you will need:
- beads;
- figurines;
- flowers
- artificial leaves;
- molds for creating figures.
To securely fix wooden elements, waterproof glue is required.
Making legs
If you want to decorate the garden with a plaster mushroom, then you can do it yourself. At the first stage, you should perform the leg. To do this, cut off the neck of the plastic bottle, which will serve as a form for the legs. The walls can be covered with a solution of grated soap, water and vegetable oil. To do this, the soap is rubbed on a fine grater and poured into a jar. Water and vegetable oil are poured there. The composition is well mixed and applied with a brush to the inner walls of the bottle.
When making mushroom from gypsum, you must adhere to technology. In the next step, you need to dilute the gypsum. It will take only that part of it that will be used to make the legs. The solution is poured into the mold and left until solidified. To reduce material costs, gypsum can be poured into a hollow mold. To do this, select a smaller bottle and insert it into the curing material. The diameter of its neck should be less than the diameter of the neck of the shape itself.
In order to prevent the bottle from floating in the cast, it can be pressed with a press. Material will grasp after 6 minutes. After 40 minutes, you can continue to work with the figure.
Hat making
If you decide to make a mushroom of gypsum with your own hands, then at the next stage you can do a hat. To do this, a suitable cup is used, the surface of which is covered with cling film. It should be laid as tightly as possible and leave less wrinkles. Now you can start breeding another portion of gypsum. It is poured into a cup. The foot is inserted into the uncured material and left for 40 minutes.
The manufacture of the base
Before you make a mushroom from gypsum, you should consider its features. Among other elements, the base should be highlighted. To do this, choose a cup that will fit in size and shape. It is also covered with cling film or lubricated with an emulsion prepared according to the above recipe. Now you can dilute another portion of gypsum and pour it into a cup.
The leg is immersed there, however, it is better to make it removable, it will be more convenient to work with the design of the mushroom. The leg is closed with cling film and immersed. After 40 minutes, the product is removed. If desired, you can use figurines, leaves or flowers for decoration. They are easily made of gypsum, poured into molds and left to solidify. Before you make a mushroom of gypsum with your own hands, you should consider the nuances of technology. It provides for drying the figures before staining. She is left in a warm place for 2 days.
Mushroom decoration
The decoration of the figurine can be spontaneous. Instances may appear during the process. However, it is recommended to think over the drawing in advance by depicting it on paper. When the sketch is ready, you can start drawing the pattern. With a simple pencil, you can draw on the mushroom everything that you later want to see on it.
Having looked at the photo of the gypsum mushrooms, you can understand that their outer surface can be made embossed. A large needle or woodworking tool is usually used for this. In order for the paint to lay down better and spend less, the mushroom is first primed. This can be done using special mixtures. An alternative solution is construction glue diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 2.
Using a brush, the primer is applied to the surface. It is left for 2 hours until the mixture dries. Then the mushroom can be painted with paints according to the intended and cut out pattern. The paint is left until it dries, and after the figure can be varnished. It is imposed in several layers, without leaving unpainted areas. The figure is left for some time, and then the details of the design can be fixed in the right places with glue. Use a composition that is resistant to moisture.
Mushroom Making Recommendations
If you decide to make mushrooms from gypsum for the garden with your own hands, then you can purchase material for the base in any store of the corresponding goods. The figurine will turn out to be fragile, so during decoration you should try not to damage it. You can also get the form in the store. However, gypsum can have such a structure that it can be sculpted with hands.
The mushroom can be supplemented with artificial caterpillars, which are made from flattened circles. It is better to make them of different diameters, combining the elements together. The head is made round. From above, eyes are placed in the form of small balls. If everything is done correctly, then the figures will cope well with increased humidity and precipitation, as well as temperature changes. However, statuettes cannot be dropped.
For the cultivation of gypsum, it is better to use plastic dishes. PVA glue is added to the composition. Its volume should be equal to 1% of the total mass of the mixture. Silicone forms are very convenient in work. They are easy to get. To make a large sculpture, you will need a reinforced frame. To do this, pre-cut reinforcement, which is connected into a single structure. She must repeat the skeleton of the future product.
Fill Features
Protruding parts are made near the foot to ensure fastening. At this stage, you can start pouring gypsum mortar. Material is poured to half the mold. She is shaken vigorously by tapping the walls. All air should come out of the solution, because otherwise, holes will form in the place of the bubbles, which will ruin the appearance of the sculpture and reduce its strength.
Finally
Gypsum makes excellent figures for decorating the garden. If you want to execute them yourself, then you must follow the rules. One of them is to level the surface of the poured solution. Use a spatula for this.
Apply for coloring can be acrylic paint. Gouache also lies perfectly on the mushroom, but it is afraid of moisture, so the product can only be used indoors. As a primer, PVA glue is excellent. And you can decorate the craft with colored mosaics, which are made from fragments of ceramic tiles or colored glass.