DIY plaster garden decorations. DIY plaster crafts: master class and video gallery of finished works

Inside every adult there lives a small child who wants new toys, jewelry, loves to make things with his own hands and invent something that has never happened before. Children's imagination knows no bounds; nothing is impossible for it. Over the years, we have forgotten how to see miracles in ordinary things, but a garden or a summer cottage provides us with the opportunity to show our imagination and creativity.

Garden decor

To prevent the plot from looking like an ordinary vegetable garden, it needs to be decorated. Let's start with garden paths, which, according to Feng Shui, should be winding, because evil spirits can only move straight. And we will confuse them, drive them into the bends of the paths and scare them away with garden figurines standing at the turns.

Paths in the garden do not have to be paved with tiles. You can simply fill them with concrete, and on top, until the concrete hardens, decorate with pebbles, pieces of tile, fragments of flower pots and the remains of broken bricks. All this wealth needs to be painted in bright colors and arranged in any order as you like. The concrete has hardened - the path is ready. Borders can be decorated with flowers in pots dug halfway into the ground. Even in gray autumn, multi-colored paths will look bright and elegant. You can use this method around trees by laying out patterns of flowers and leaves on them.

Stumps from cut down trees play an interesting role in garden decoration. They serve as wonderful flower beds. The combination of climbing plants that will fall like a green waterfall, with small flowers in the middle of the stump, looks very beautiful.

Another simple decoration is a small pond with animal figures for the garden around it. To create such a pond you need a regular tire. One of its edges is cut off, and it is completely dug into the ground. Cover the tire with thick polyethylene, tucking the edges of the cover under it. The pond is ready, just add water and throw colorful pebbles to the bottom. To prevent the edges from being visible, plant creeping plants and decorative moss in close proximity to the pond. You can add lighting to the pond, which will add a bit of magic to your garden, and various decorative figures for the garden will create the atmosphere of a fairy tale.

Nowadays all kinds of figurines can be bought very easily, but it is much more pleasant to make them yourself. Surely no one will have anything like this.

DIY garden sculptures

Real works of art can be made from plaster or concrete. This is a cheap material, which does not detract from its value at all.

To prepare a concrete solution, take 1 part Portland cement and 3 parts sifted sand. Water is added in such an amount that the solution acquires the consistency of cottage cheese. It should not flow, but be soft enough.

If you have burdock, rhubarb, mallow or other large-leaved plants growing in your garden, you can make stylish concrete replicas of them to decorate your garden. Birds will happily swim in them, amusing you with their sonorous chirping.

The sheet laid out on a hill of sand is poured with concrete. After the solution dries, the sheet is easily removed, and you are left with a beautiful relief sculpture. Such products can be painted with different paints, adding color to the autumn or spring garden.

Concrete mini-flower beds in the shape of a hand for small flowers are very easy to make. You can make several of them at the same time of different sizes. To do this, medical gloves are taken, filled with concrete and placed in flower pots of different sizes so that the gloves take on a concave shape. After the solution hardens, the gloves are cut off, and flowers are planted in the resulting concrete hands. Such sculptures can be placed on the ground, like small flower beds, or placed on a table or windowsill.

Large sculptures are made as a monolith or made hollow. The second option is much lighter both in weight and execution. For this you need some form, depending on what you want to sculpt. Concrete is poured into it, and then any object is placed, lubricated with something greasy, which displaces its excess. When the solution hardens until half-ready, the item is removed. The second half of the sculpture is made in the same way, then they are connected with the same concrete.

Simple shapes can be made using a frame made of wire, thin metal, onto which a fine mesh is stretched. Concrete is applied to the mesh in layers. The last layer already requires artistic processing, all the details are sculpted.

A plastic bottle can even be used as a frame. For example, it will be a good preparation for a mushroom stem. You need to place wire in the bottle to stiffen the frame and pour concrete. After the solution has dried, the bottle is cut and removed. A hat for such a mushroom is made in the same way as children make Easter cakes: any suitable bowl is greased with oil, and the solution is poured into it. After it hardens, the bowl can be easily removed. The mushroom cap can be decorated with a butterfly, leaf, or worm.

The final drying of the concrete occurs after 12 days. After this, the sculpture can be painted or varnished.

The plaster should be diluted with water as indicated in the instructions so that it is thick, like sour cream. In order to make plaster figurines, you need a mold; you can buy it ready-made, or you can make it from clay. The mold is covered with a fat layer and filled with plaster. This is half of your sculpture, the second half is done in the same way. The plaster dries for about a day at a temperature not lower than 15 degrees. After which the halves are glued together with moisture-resistant glue. All irregularities are trimmed with a regular knife and smoothed with sandpaper.

Small figures can be made on a plasticine frame. What you want to see in your garden is molded from plasticine. Then the base is covered with grease, and a gypsum solution is applied to the plasticine with a brush in several layers. Each subsequent layer must be applied to the dried previous one. After the plaster has completely dried, the plasticine is removed, and the finished product is coated with furniture varnish on the inside for strength.

When choosing sculptures for your garden, make sure that they fit harmoniously into the landscape. Each figure should have its own natural frame: swans and frogs - near the pond, mushrooms - under the tree.

Give free rein to your creativity, because it is not the gods who burn the pots.

A garden plot is a wonderful place not only for relaxation. Here you can realize your own creative potential. The landscape of a site is often developed by a specialist if the owner wants to get his idea done in a high-quality manner by a professional. However, this does not exclude his own participation in the creative process. Garden figures for a summer residence can become exactly the detail that will transform the garden and give it individuality.

It is necessary to be guided by simple principles, based on which it is easy to make your own choice error-free and logical.

• The figures should fit into the design of the garden, and not contradict it. Otherwise, their presence can ruin everything, no matter how cute they are.
• If you have doubts about choosing a place for a garden decoration, you can cut out the outline of a figurine from cardboard and try to place it in the most suitable places. This method helps you make a choice faster.
• Do not overload the area with sculptures. This can distract attention, create the impression that the picture is overloaded and the area as a whole is complicated. The purpose of garden decoration is to achieve harmony with nature.
• The figure does not necessarily have to become the center of the garden composition. A small world created by the artist’s desire, or a lonely figurine harmoniously combined with the vegetation of the site is what is needed. Such decorations create the magic of the garden and become a pleasant surprise.
• There is a reason why a beautiful painting is placed in a frame. It is very important that the garden figurine is decorated and complemented by other design elements. This role is played by “moon gates” or windows in the inner walls of the garden. But the background can be an arch braided with roses or a rustic wattle fence. A wonderful frame is created simply by properly trimmed trees.

Garden figures in limited quantities, corresponding to the style of the site, harmoniously integrated into the existing realities, will enliven the garden and pleasantly diversify it.

A young garden dryad received news from a graceful elf sitting astride a boar - an excellent plot for a natural garden

Mowgli, who was tired and fell asleep on the back of his faithful friend and teacher, Bagheera, looks harmonious and natural.

“Moon Gate” - an element that is widely used in Chinese gardens, miraculously concentrates the gaze and sets the desired angle

Style matching of finished decorative figures

When designing a garden, it is important that the decorations that complement it correspond to a single storyline, proportions and the landscape as a whole.

A garden in a classical style requires valuable decorations, so the sculptures that are chosen for such areas require professional craftsmanship and expensive materials. It can be bronze, natural wood or marble. Majestic and beautiful, they are similar to those we see in photographs of the Summer Garden in St. Petersburg.

It is unlikely that you will be able to make such a sculpture yourself, but in a classical garden it is the one that looks most appropriate and attractive

The natural landscape asks for not too large figures that will fit perfectly into the surrounding greenery, practically merge with trees or flower beds and become a pleasant addition that you will not immediately see. But when you see such decorative elements, you can’t help but admire them.

A tired nymph fell asleep in a garden on a hill - such a picture opens up suddenly, you involuntarily want to switch to a whisper so as not to frighten the sleeping girl

Oriental gardens in the Japanese and Chinese styles are surprisingly different from each other, despite the fact that many elements of the Japanese garden originate from ideas that originated in China. The hallmark of a Japanese garden is minimalism. Here you can see stones more often than sculptures. But Chinese gardens can shelter stylized dragons, lions, etc. on their territory.

The Chinese dragon is a reliable guard who will never allow into the garden those who are planning something evil against its owner.

Country style lovers can place funny German gnomes in their garden or even build a whole little world in the European spirit, populated by typical representatives of farms or fairy tales.

A cute little world in country style, inhabited by elves, gnomes or just garden spirits, will undoubtedly add a special flavor to any garden

Rustic style is the most omnivorous of all. Animals, birds, fairy-tale characters, and people are suitable here. When creating such compositions, it is especially important to maintain a sense of proportion.

A small piece of ordinary village life, in which there is always a cheerful family, a wet-nurse cow and other village animals

For any style, you can find suitable figures. Made from wood, metal, plaster or polystone, they are sold in many gift shops or gardening stores. But it’s much more interesting to make garden figures with your own hands.

Material for making garden sculptures

Figurines for the garden can be created from any available materials. It is important that there is a desire to make your garden special and unrealized creative potential.

Wood is a natural material for garden sculptures

A tree is a part of living Nature, which man has always revered as the source of life. Figures made of wood are always attractive for us, especially urban people: they retain the living warmth of wood. This is probably why even evil forest spirits in the form of garden figures made of wood do not seem scary. On the contrary, it is believed that they protect this land from uninvited guests.

An old forest man in a hat of green moss carefully looks after the life of the garden, notes whether everything is in order

Partially merging with the surrounding landscape, the wooden inhabitants of the garden will become friends, in whose company even silence will not be burdensome. It’s nice to touch such sculptures: they don’t make you feel cold. The figures can be very different: from an intricate incarnation of a pianist who found in the bushes not a piano, of course, but also a decent instrument, to an ordinary tree stump, which is clearly on his mind.

The musician plays an ancient instrument with inspiration, not noticing anyone around, perhaps he was simply lost in time and space

Even in stone you can see life

To make garden figures with your own hands, sometimes all you need is a stone of a suitable size and the eye of an artist, who can see in an ordinary boulder a sleeping cat, a dog that is seeking the attention of its owner, funny turtles, a newborn deer or a whole family of ladybugs. Elements of nature that can be used as decorations have always been and remain very popular.

We often bring such stones with us as memories of the sea, sun and wonderful summer holidays.

Such stones are often brought from the seashore as a memory of happy summer days. They are magnificent and in their original condition. But a little paint, varnish or other materials allow them to “come to life”, to reveal their inner essence and make our home or garden especially attractive.

Unusual use of conventional polyurethane foam

Minimal expenses will be required to create durable, original and varied figures from polyurethane foam. Creative people are entrepreneurial: sometimes they have practically nothing at their disposal to create a real masterpiece. Not only the creations of nature come to the rescue, but also modern materials and technologies, which can also be used in an unusual way.

Using polyurethane foam to create garden figurines makes them durable and waterproof. These qualities are necessary to successfully withstand bad weather and changes in temperature conditions. Using polyurethane foam, snails, dolphins, gnomes, swans, storks, donkeys, and so on are most often made. The choice is quite large: something interesting can be created for any style decision.

Making a donkey is not so easy, for this you need to stock up not only with patience and foam, you need cement, tiles and... a great mood!

So, the master has decided on the model, all that remains is to stock up on polyurethane foam, put on something old and protect your hands with gloves: once the foam hardens, it is very difficult to wash off. This fact must be taken into account when preparing the workplace. Making a character begins with the formation of its skeleton. For this, sticks, plastic bottles, buckets or cups, wire and other objects are used.

The finished donkey made from polyurethane foam looks great even under the Christmas tree, because it only goes into the garden in the summer

The foam must be applied in stages. Each previous layer should dry well. The foam hardening time is approximately a quarter of an hour. You need to correct the finished product either before it dries or after, cutting off the excess with a stationery knife. The finished product remains to be painted and varnished so that it lasts as long as possible.

There is another option for completing the work. You can cover the figurine with cement, while simultaneously decorating its surface with multi-colored tiles. After drying, the product is strengthened with moisture-resistant grout for outdoor use. Now the figure is not afraid of either rain or cold.

Gypsum is a standard material for garden decoration.

The main requirement for garden gypsum figurines is that they must be durable and resistant to precipitation. Academic accuracy of the image is usually not needed. A small figurine can be sculpted without a base, but a large sculpture that has legs, arms or a tail requires a reinforced frame. To do this, the reinforcement cut into pieces is connected into a frame that repeats the skeleton of the future product. Do not forget about the protruding elements at the foot, with the help of which the figure will be attached to the foundation.

This wonderful cat, made with a great sense of humor, is a clear demonstration of the fact that plaster figures do not have to be pompous or, on the contrary, deliberately tacky

PVA glue should be added to the diluted plaster at the rate of 1% of the total volume of the product. Plaster should be applied in layers, allowing each previous layer to dry thoroughly. If desired, the figurine can be painted.

Even garden gnomes don’t have to be sickly sweet, they are just like us: cheerful, lazy, good-natured, funny...

Figurines make the garden more spectacular and brighter. In addition, gnomes, for example, are considered guardians of plants. It is very possible that, thanks to such decorations, the harvest will become richer.

Increasingly, modern summer cottages are decorated not only with ornamental plants, but also with sculpture. This is exactly what garden figurines are called and they are classified as small architectural forms - MAF. The key word in this phrase is “architectural”, that is, elements that are organically included in the composition of the garden. This means that they are subject to the rules of correlation, proportionality and stylization. In this article we will tell you about the master class of garden figurines made of plaster and give recommendations for making them.

Garden figurines as small architectural forms in landscape design

No matter how beautiful the figure is, it should not look like a foreign body. The image and mood created by her or them is designed to create harmony, not contradictory chaos. It doesn’t matter whether these forms are ready-made or homemade, it is important to arrange them as a stylish accent of the garden. An antique sculpture in a garden with modern architecture, or many figures of different themes, looks ridiculous.

The location rules are:

• It is worth considering that any object is not placed on its own, but in relation to the point of view, that is, the eye level of a person who is standing or sitting. In this case, the viewer should not make additional efforts to look at the figure - lower or raise his head.
• The location is determined by the size of the form. It is installed at a distance of two or three heights of the figure from the point of view. This feature must be taken into account if the sculpture is visible from several points, for example, from the gate, from the entrance door to the house, from the recreation area.

What is better: make a figurine yourself or buy a ready-made one

The garden sculpture market offers a huge range of garden figurines made from a wide variety of materials. Their sizes and styling depend on the material from which they are made and on the production characteristics of the manufacturer. A rich variety of sculpture can satisfy every taste and financial opportunity. One of the most common materials is gypsum. Figures from it are often found on sale. The pricing policy is as follows:

• Minimum – 50 rub. (for “Small Hedgehog”, size 20 cm in length).
• Maximum – 850 rub. (for the “Dog” figurine - 100 cm.) (Using the example of products from the company “World of Piggy Banks” in Gus Khrustalny.)

Even a huge variety of garden forms are mass production. To create beauty and comfort in your garden, emphasize individuality, and save money, you can make exclusive, unique crafts from available materials. One of the simplest materials for this purpose is gypsum.

Types of gypsum and methods of its preparation

Gypsum is one of the most famous and oldest materials used by man. One of the distinctive features is rapid hardening. You need to work with it very quickly, the plaster hardens in 8 to 25 minutes and cannot be dissolved again. There are many varieties, consider those that are suitable for garden sculpture:

Tip #1. When working with plaster, it is important to remember that it begins to harden at the fourth minute, and completely hardens after half an hour.

Original ideas for making plaster figurines with your own hands

If the assortment of purchased figurines is not satisfactory, you should try your creativity in creating an exclusive plaster mold. Experienced craftsmen offer options available to any novice “sculptor”.

• “Mushrooms” of various types and sizes are made using a plastic bottle and bowl. This type of work is fun to do with children.

• It’s easy to make a “ball” in the Art Nouveau style if you have a round shape.
• A “snail” or caterpillar cannot be called a simple product; you will have to tinker with it.

• “Ladybugs” can be made using halves of a rubber ball.
• For more complex shapes, frames are needed. You can use those sold at garden centers for topiary purposes.

Preparing a mold for making a plaster figurine

Now let’s learn more about how to make a craft mold yourself. The easiest way is to use available material.

1. If you make a small hole in an old rubber ball and pour plaster into it, you get a form that can be used as a separate sculpture or a part for a more complex design.
2. The ball halves can be used as the basis for the ladybug.

• Plastic bottles are very popular as a “matrix”.
• One of the sculptural bases is a balloon. Its surface is filled with gypsum, and after complete hardening it is removed, after releasing the air. In this case, it is better to use plaster bandages.

How to sculpt and how to paint a finished sculpture

When working with gypsum, you need to take into account some features of the material. For example, you should not mix too much solution, but only the amount that can be used within 5 to 8 minutes. That is, the disadvantage of the material is that you can only work with it in small portions.

Tip #2. Do not make plaster figures that are too large. This is a fragile material; the larger the product, the more likely it is to be damaged.

Gypsum is a self-sufficient material in terms of color. Often finished figures are left in their original form - white. This is impractical for a garden; after a while, rain and dust will turn a snow-white sculpture into a gray “misunderstanding.” It's better to paint the figurine. This will not only add decorativeness, but also protect it from damage.

It is better to sand and prime the finished form before painting. This will allow the paint to adhere better to the surface. For priming and painting you need coatings that:

• Works well on plaster
• Suitable for outdoor use.

The following paints can be used to paint garden figurines:

Step-by-step instructions for creating a “Garden Mushroom” figurine

Fungus on the base of a plastic bottle. For the form you will need:

1. Plastic bottle for mushroom stem.
2. An old bowl or rubber ball.

Materials for sculpture:

• Sculptural plaster;
• PVA glue
• Construction knife with a retractable blade Ordinary compass; Simple pencil;
• Facade paints,
• Decor (optional) Various beads, flowers for decoration;
• Protective varnish,
• Food film,
• Vaseline (or other fatty substance).

Sequence of work:

• Spread cling film of the required size with a mixture of sunflower oil, liquid soap and water. (The solution is prepared in a ratio of 2:1:7, you can measure it with tablespoons). Wrap the inside of the mold with film so that after hardening it is easy to remove the plaster from it.
• Cut the plastic bottle crosswise (in diameter) so that the part with the neck looks like the stem of a mushroom.
• Dilute a small part of the gypsum by carefully pouring the powder into the water and stirring gently. Pour the mixture into the mold. To save material, you can put a smaller one inside the main bottle.
• When the mushroom stem is ready, it is carefully removed from the mold, after cutting it with a construction knife. It's better to make several cuts.
• Then they start making the hat. To do this, use a rubber ball cut in half or an old bowl. The form is treated in the same way as with a plastic bottle; the inside is lined with a greasy film.
• Pour the gypsum solution to the desired level. You should not make the hat too voluminous, then it will be easier to hold on the stem.
• As soon as the solution in the cap begins to harden, the finished leg is inserted into the center.
• Wait until the “structure” is completely dry, about 30 minutes.
• They are primed, you can buy a special façade compound or use a 1:2 PVA glue solution.
• Painting begins after 2 - 3 hours. Facade paints are used.
• Finally, a protective varnish for exterior use is applied to the dried paint.

Category: “Questions and answers”

Question No. 1. What is better to choose for garden figurines: plaster or concrete?

Question No. 2. What colors to decorate plaster products with?

If the figures are monochromatic, you can plant multi-colored annuals in them:

• Ageratum,
• Burkhats,
• Petunia,
• Lobelia.

Plants of the same color are placed in brightly colored forms.

Question No. 3. Is it better to make a figurine yourself or buy a ready-made one?

It depends on financial capabilities and availability of free time. If it is not possible to pay attention to the leisurely production of the figurine, it is better to buy a ready-made one. Moreover, the choice is huge. Or you can combine “folk art” with purchased sculpture.

Mistakes gardeners make when creating plaster figures

Mistake #1. Pour water into the plaster.

In this case, lumps form and it is impossible to work with such a solution.

Mistake #2. Making large figures without a frame.

The heavier the form, the more likely it is to be damaged. With the slightest crack, a sculpture without a base can fall apart.

Mistake #3. Mixing a large amount of gypsum.

If the solution is not used for 5 minutes, it becomes hard as a rock. It cannot be dissolved again. This is why gypsum is used in parts.

Having your own garden is a real pleasure for its owners, a cozy corner in which you can relax not only with your body, but also with your soul. The purest air, the aroma of flowers, the gentle rays of the sun, a complete feeling of harmony and peace create a truly heavenly pleasure.

Creating a unique atmosphere in your own garden is a completely justified desire of every gardener. Jewelry created with your own hands will be the most original and will be able to create a truly individual exterior that would fully reveal the owner’s inner world.

In his mind, the gardener certainly and more than once went through the ways and elements that would transform his garden: flower beds, fountains, ceramic or plaster figures for the garden, miniature artificial ponds and much more.

Garden sculptures

Gypsum figurines for the garden are simply a magnificent element of the landscape. The tradition of placing fairy-tale inhabitants and unusual sculptures in the garden came to us from Western culture. And every day this tradition is becoming more and more popular among domestic gardeners.

As a rule, these figures are gnomes, boletus mushrooms, forest dwellers and other fairy-tale characters. The purchased figures are all bright and noticeable.

It’s a completely different matter when the garden contains sculptures created by one’s own hand, which are individual and unique.

Preparation

Before, armed with imagination, appropriate materials and tools, you begin the creative process, it is necessary to assess and analyze the general style and design of the territory. This assessment will allow you to determine which do-it-yourself gypsum garden figurines will be appropriate and suitable, as well as how many of them will be sufficient.

Note!
It is important to determine not only the number of sculptures, but also their style and overall dimensions.
An excessively large number of even beautiful and highly artistic elements can turn your territory into a standard of bad taste.

If you refuse to plan, you can easily get bogged down in decoration, and your garden will always be unfinished due to the fact that you will follow more and more new impulses of imagination, and will not have a clear idea of ​​​​the final result. It is for this reason that you should first develop a sketch plan, purchase the necessary materials and tools, and only then begin work.

Materials and tools

Small architectural sculptures will fit perfectly on a country plot anywhere:

1. On ;
2. At the well;
3. Under a bush;
4. At the entrance, etc.

On the modern market, garden sculptures made of natural stone, ceramics, scrap materials, plaster or even polyurethane foam are becoming increasingly popular.

But if we talk about how to create figurines with your own hands, then gypsum is often chosen, the price of which is low, working with it is simple and straightforward, and the finished products have enviable durability.

To create a garden figure from plaster with your own hands, you will need the following set of materials and tools:

• Sculptural gypsum, the amount of which directly depends on the size of the final product. For a small figurine, only half a kilogram of plaster is enough;

Note!

If necessary, gypsum can be replaced with ordinary cement mortar, which has greater durability.

• PVA construction glue;
• Colored acrylic paints;
• Waterproof adhesive composition necessary for fixing decorative elements on the surface of the sculpture;
• Decorative elements, which can include beads, pebbles, glass, etc.;
• Compass;
• Wood cutters or large gypsy needle;
• Stationery knife;
• Soft food film;
• Plain soap;
• Sunflower oil;
• Pure water;
• Molds for plaster, which will serve as cups of various shapes and volumes, and even plastic bottles.

Once everything you need has been collected, you can begin the creative process of creation.

Creating a garden sculpture

As an example, we will consider step-by-step instructions for creating a gypsum mushroom, which will become a real decoration for an area decorated in any garden style.

Creating the stem of the future mushroom

As you can understand, do-it-yourself plaster figurines for the garden such as mushrooms, like a real mushroom, will consist of two elements:

1. Leg;
2. Hat.

To create a leg, proceed as follows:

• First you need to prepare the neck of a plastic bottle;
• It is imperative to ensure that the created element easily moves away from the form. Why rub soap into a separate container and mix with water and sunflower oil in a ratio of 2 to 7 to 1;

• Using a brush, lubricate the mold and move on to working with plaster;
• The packaging with the purchased gypsum powder will certainly contain instructions for creating a building mixture indicating the proportions. Using this guide, mix the plaster;

Note!
You should not dilute all the plaster at once, because it sets quite quickly.

• Stir the solution thoroughly and pour it into the prepared form, into which a small plastic bottle should be placed in advance so that the stem is hollow, this will save the solution and reduce the weight of the product;
• As soon as the created solution has set, this is about 30 minutes, use a knife to cut the bottle shape and carefully remove the mushroom stem;

Construction of the cap

The shape for the hat can be an ordinary kitchen bowl or a fairly deep plate. The chosen form must be covered with cling film, or greased with the same mixture of water, soap and oil.

After this preparation, fill the mold with plaster. After the mixture begins to set, this is about 10-15 minutes, insert a leg in the center of the cap and leave the product until the solution has completely hardened.

Mushroom base

Once the gypsum mushroom has completely hardened, it will be necessary to take care of the base for it.

1. The shape for the base can be a small basin or kitchen bowl;
2. We treat the mold with film or soap solution;
3. Pour in the prepared gypsum solution;
4. After 10 minutes, wrap the mushroom stem in film and lower it into the base in the center;
5. After the solution has completely hardened, remove the mushroom.

Figurine decoration

The role of additional elements and decorations for this figurine can be leaves, flowers and bugs, also created from plaster. You can make them using specialized small molds.

When the parts are ready, they need to be dried thoroughly, for which they are laid out in a sunny area.

Note!
In sunny weather, 12 hours is enough for the figures to dry, and the next stage of work can begin.

1. While the plaster mushroom and figures are hardening, think about how you will decorate it, or better yet, create a sketch on paper;
2. When the figure has dried, draw a sketch directly onto its surface using a simple pencil;
3. Lines created with a pencil must be made into relief using cutters or a needle;
4. Treat the sculpture with primer, this will reduce paint consumption. The primer can be a solution consisting of PVA construction adhesive and water in a ratio of 1 to 2. This primer will harden in about 2 hours;

1. Now the final stage is coloring. According to the sketch, the mushroom is painted, after which we wait until the paint dries;
2. We treat the painted figure with colorless varnish, carefully leaving no untreated areas.

Note!
If the sculpture is not carefully varnished, at the end of the season it will lose its attractiveness, because... the paint will be washed off by precipitation.

1. Now all that remains is to glue the finished mushroom to the base and install the figure in the garden.

Finally

As you yourself could understand from all of the above, creating garden figures from plaster with your own hands is not so difficult, and such creativity does not take very much time. Children can be involved in this process, and you can bond with them, develop their creativity and decorate the garden at the same time.

And the video in this article will reveal to you many more secrets of decorating a garden using sculptural plaster.

Today, garden figurines are already very popular. Thanks to such decorative elements, the area is completely transformed. These could be, for example, figurines of fairy-tale gnomes who guard your peace. In addition, you can place several fairy-tale characters, such as birds that perched on the lawn, caterpillars and frogs, beautifully located on your pond. If you wish, you can create a real fairy-tale plot that will transform your garden plot. A variant of this decor is shown in the photo.

The easiest way to have a beautiful front lawn

You've certainly seen the perfect lawn in a movie, on an alley, or perhaps on your neighbor's lawn. Those who have ever tried to grow a green area on their site will no doubt say that it is a huge amount of work. The lawn requires careful planting, care, fertilization, and watering. However, only inexperienced gardeners think this way; professionals have long known about the innovative product - liquid lawn AquaGrazz.

Any sculpture, figure or composition must be harmoniously combined with the landscape and style of your garden. Here are some basic recommendations that will help you figure out the right place and type of garden decorative composition:

Drawing a plan

Sometimes we see an expensive, beautiful thing, we save up money for a long time to buy it, however, when the time comes to try it on before purchasing, it turns out that this thing, in principle, does not suit us. This happens with figures for a personal plot. Therefore, before you purchase a decorative figurine for your dacha, you need to draw a plan diagram of the site with the location of future decorative elements.

Choosing a background

Another important point is a well-chosen background and its combination with the figures. It is better for small sculptures to be located in prominent open places on the site. Garden figurines look great against the background of decorative fences, flower beds, near paths, as well as front gardens. Large-sized white or bronze garden sculptures go well with the greenery of large trees, stone fountains and trimmed bushes. You can see the result in the photo below.

We select garden sculptures based on his style

An important point is to maintain consistency between the style of the garden and the figures in it.. In a romantic garden with planted roses and arbors, monochromatic sculptures depicting people, flowers, or beautiful compositions with thin lines look great. A rustic-style plot can be complemented with wooden figures, figurines of domestic animals and various national items. The “modern” style can withstand any expressive compositions made of marble, metal, clay and even concrete.

Garden figures need to be selected appropriately for the location

Incompetent combination of sculptures with a garden plot can ruin the appearance of even the most neat landscape design. Thus, fly agarics made of ceramics will look ridiculous near a textured fountain made of marble, a Chinese dragon is unlikely to complement a wicker fabric, and the figure of Apollo will not turn out to be a beautiful decor for the front garden of a kindergarten.

When the location, style and background for the figures in your garden plot are chosen correctly, you should have a feeling of excellent design and comfort.

Making garden figures from plaster

As you know, gypsum is used to make crafts with your own hands, including when creating garden sculptures. This material is very popular because it makes it possible to give shapes any shape. However, remember that a plaster figurine is very fragile; being near such decor, do not damage it.

In a process such as making plaster angels, special molds are used. Although you can make a figurine without them. For example, the simplest products are caterpillars. To do this, we can make a dozen flattened circles, it is better if they are of different diameters, and combine one with the other. The caterpillar's head needs to be made round. We place 2 small balls on top of it like eyes, which must then be decorated. The most optimal material for creating your own garden figurines is plaster. It is quite stable. The figures will withstand high humidity and water well, be it rain or snow, heat or cold.

However, it is also necessary to remember that this is a fragile material, and figurines made from it should not be dropped. Let's find out how to make a garden figurine from plaster with your own hands:

• The most important thing in this work is gypsum, which can be bought at any hardware store. After purchasing, do not throw away the instructions, because you will need them to correctly follow all proportions when mixing the solution.
• To dilute gypsum you need dishes. In this case, it is better to use plastic dishes.
• Add PVA glue to the already diluted plaster according to the proportion. You need to proceed from the calculation - 1% of the adhesive composition of the total volume of the mixture.
• You can cast a small figurine into a mold, and you will not need to cast the base. Silicone molds are very convenient. They are easier to purchase, although you can do it yourself if you are not afraid of the labor-intensive process. But remember that making a mold with your own hands only makes sense when you need two identical figures.

• But to make a large sculpture with your own hands with legs, arms, and a tail, you need a reinforced frame. To do this, we cut the reinforcement into pieces and combine them into a frame. It should repeat the skeleton of future products. Near the base of the sculpture we make protruding parts that will serve to attach the pieces.
• At this stage, fill in the gypsum solution. First you need to fill the material up to half of the mold. Then you need to shake it vigorously by knocking on the walls. Look at the situation - you will probably have to do this for a very long time. Make sure that all the air comes out of the solution. Because if it remains, then the bubbles will turn out to be holes. But they quite spoil the appearance of the finished plaster sculpture, and also reduce its strength.
• Then you need to add plaster. Be sure to repeat shaking and tapping. When all the air has gone, leave the gypsum solution for a while until it hardens.
• Then we level the surface with a spatula and leave the future figure to dry. To find out how long you need to leave your own garden figurine, carefully study the instructions on the package.

• When the plaster dries, take out the figurine. To do this, cover the mold with a lid, a board, and press carefully. Then we carefully turn and deliver the product.
• At this stage comes the most interesting part - you can paint the figurine to your taste. To do this you need to make acrylic paint. Also, gouache will work well on plaster, but this material is not suitable for garden figures, as it is afraid of moisture.
• Before painting, it is definitely recommended to coat the product using primer. For this composition we take PVA glue.
• You can decorate crafts using colored mosaics with your own hands, which can be made from fragments of colored glass and ceramic tiles. A garden sculpture, decorated to your taste, will radiate (literally) radiance and shine, as well as warmth. The household and all your guests cannot help but like it.

Let's look at an example of making an angel from plaster. We take a rubber head from an old doll. It is cast in plaster. We cut off the tops of an old rubber ball and fill it with starting plaster and insert the head, which was already attached to a thick wire. We leave everything to harden.

Next, we move on to preparing hands from wire. Then we make wings from small pieces of mesh. At this stage, we apply the starting plaster, while helping ourselves to smooth everything out with a wet brush. Now let the plaster harden a little and again apply a new layer, creating a figure. Now we need to finish the head. We wait until it hardens and dries thoroughly. At the end, you need to sand it with sandpaper, apply PVA glue and water-based emulsion and coat it with clear varnish. At this stage our figure is ready.