SANDING & WARPING

An important step in creating a beautiful faux stone, and the one that seems to me to be skipped the most,is sanding. I have seen some beautifully designed tombstones that just seemed to miss the mark only because the edges looked too sharp and clean. Sanding does not take much time and adds so much to the overall look. I use a foam sanding block I picked up from Walmart for about a dollar. Don't forget to sand down the edges of designs or layers you may have added. Nicks and chips from the foam make the stone look all the older so I generally leave them in and paint appropriately.

CREATING TEXTURES

Now this is one of those things that may seem a bit "over the top" to some people, but a wise man once said to me "anything worth doing is worth over-doing. I cannot help but agree. I love finding new ways of creating weatherworn looks for my stones and it seems each year I come across a new or better way. Two of my favorite techniques are Dry Warping and Wet Warping.

Dry Warping

To dry warp your stone, simply run a lighter, candle or butane torch VERY quickly over the whole tombstone to "warp" it. Try to run the flame over the tombstone at a steep angle, instead of directly at it. You are not trying to melt the foam as much as you are gently distorting the surface.

This is my butane torch from Walmart. I love my butane torch from Walmart. It stands on its own and has an electronic ignition. It's also good for lighting incense and charcoal tablets.

I love my butane torch from Walmart.


Wet Warping

I have to admit, I discovered the Wet Warping technique quite by accident when I tried to continue working on tombstones after a quick summer rainstorm. I have used the technique ever since. Before you warp your stone, try wetting it down with a garden hose first. Run your lighter or butane torch over it quickly. Wet areas warp more slowly than dry areas. The effect varies depending on several factors.



Sanding or routing foam opens the foam cells, creating tiny open "cups" that fill with water, so it takes longer to warp that area. If the foam is lying flat, the water beads up and creates more spotting. Angled or standing, it will create a more streaked effect. The amount of time between wetting and warping will also create different effects. Try waiting 60-90 seconds after wetting the foam. Try warping immediately after wetting. This is an excellent way to texture stones cheaply. You can paint and age directly over this and skip effect sprays if you want.

You'll have to experiment. Below are a few examples. Click on them for a larger view.

This is also a great excuse to play with your garden hose on a hot summer day.
Play with your garden hoses, my friends. Life is short.




NEXT: DECORATIONS and ODDS & ENDS