Hello all,
I’m usually a scale aircraft builder so I’m hear amongst the pros looking for some help. I need to build a “Mt Rushmore-like” diorama and I’m looking for help on simulating realistic stone. The end product’s going to be close to 20"W x 15"D x 15"H. It will be of a stone carving (like Rushmore) and I’m at a loss on how to simulate the texture. I was thinking that after the “mold” is finished, slathering it in adhesive and covering it with super-fine sand. Any ideas? I’m looking to find the lightest possible solution since weight is an issue.
Thanks in advance,
-O
What is your scale? Even the finest “sand” or grit sounds to be much too coarse for the dimensions you describe.
Build the rough shape out of strips of cardboard hot glued to each other…or cumple and shape some chicken wire. Then, overlay that with shop towels strips dipped in plaster of paris. When that dries as a shell over your sub-structure, you can then use spackle, grout, more plaster of paris, Sculptamold, Hydrocal,…all sorts of things to create what you want. Some people make aluminum foil molds and pour plaster of paris into them. When the PoP begins to harden, it turns warm. Invert it carefully, and in one smoothe delivery (like inverting a water bottle onto a cooler), place the mold against the area at which it is to be applied. Keep it there for several minutes as the foil warms more indicating that the chemical changes are taking place. Remove the foil when you can. You can use Sculptamold or Hydrocal to fix gaps or unnatural appearance.
At the size your looking at you may want to go with Selectors idea with the shop towels dipped in Plaster of Paris.
A solid mold at 20x15x15 would be very heavy.
bill