Making the Frame and the Paper Mache
Get a cardboard box around the same size you want the rock to be. A cardboard box provides a good frame for you to create your fake rock! Choose a box that is roughly the right-sized square or rectangle that you want the rock to be. If the cardboard box is open, keep the lid closed by using masking tape to stick it down. You will be able to change the size of the cardboard box slightly during the project by making indentations and adding paper mache. Alternatively, you can use polystyrene foam instead of a cardboard box. Simply cut the polystyrene foam to size using a craft knife and use masking tape to hold any pieces together if you need.
Make indentations in the corners and sides of the cardboard box. For your cardboard box to look like a rock, it needs to look a bit less box-like! Carefully push, step on, or punch the corners of the box to make them more rounded. You can also make small indentations in the sides of the box to give it a more rock-like shape. Don’t worry about keeping the box flat or making it look smooth. Remember that real rocks look imperfect!
Tear 1.5 in × 10 in (3.8 cm × 25.4 cm) strips of newspaper. Find old newspapers or magazines that you don’t need anymore and start tearing these into long strips. To make the process go faster, stack several sheets of newspaper and tear multiple strips at once. You can also use scissors to cut the strips instead if you prefer. The strips only need to be roughly 1.5 in × 10 in (3.8 cm × 25.4 cm), as this is an easy size to work with. They don’t need to be perfect. The amount of newspaper that you need depends on the size of your cardboard box. Start with 40 sheets of newspaper if you are unsure, as you can always make more strips if you need to.
Make the paper mache paste using a 1:1 ratio of water to white glue. Making paper mache is simple and easy! Get a large bowl and pour in the water. Then measure out the same amount of white glue and add it to the bowl. Use a spoon to mix the water and the glue thoroughly until it’s smooth to make a paste. PVA glue is ideal for paper mache.
Applying the Paper Mache
Dip the strips of newspaper in the paper mache paste. It’s time to start giving the cardboard box a rock-like texture. Take a strip of newspaper and submerge the whole strip in the paper mache paste. Then gently run your fingers down the strip to remove any excess paste. Removing the excess paper mache paste is important, as otherwise, the newspaper may become too heavy and break down.
Cover the cardboard box with 2 layers of paper mache strips. Once you have a strip of newspaper that is covered with paper mache paste, stick it anywhere on the cardboard box. Make sure that the whole strip is stuck down well. Then repeat the process of dipping strips of newspaper into the paper mache paste and sticking them onto the box until the entire box is covered. Once you have finished the first layer, add a second layer of paper mache over the first. This creates a solid paper mache base.
Let the paper mache dry for 24 hours. It’s important to give the paper mache plenty of time to dry so that it holds well before you add more layers. Keep the cardboard box in a well-ventilated area so that it dries faster. When you think that the paper mache is dry, gently press on several parts of it to make sure that it feels solid and doesn’t sink when you touch it.
Form 2 in (5.1 cm) thick wads from strips of newspaper. Take multiple strips of newspaper and crumple them up into long, thick, cylinder shapes. Try to crumple the strips of newspaper together very tightly so that the shape holds. These will help to make the rock look bumpy. The number of newspaper wads that you need depends on the size of the frame.
Cover the entire cardboard box in the wads of newspaper. Take each wad of newspaper and submerge it fully into the paper mache paste. Gently remove any excess paste and then stick the wads over the existing paper mache on the cardboard box. Cover the entire cardboard box with 1 layer of newspaper wads to give it texture.
Add 2 final layers of newspaper strips. Adding a few extra layers of paper mache will help to hold the wads of newspaper in place. Take strips of newspaper, dip them into the paper mache paste, and place them over the wads of newspaper. Try to cover all of the wads so that the rock has a smooth, textured finish. Use additional paper mache layers to hold the wads of newspaper in place if you are worried that they won’t hold.
Painting the Fake Rock
Give the paper mache 24 hours to dry completely. Now that you have finished the paper mache part of the project, the paper mache needs plenty of time to dry so that it sets well. Keep the fake rock in a well-ventilated area and check it every so often to see how the paper mache is drying. Using a fan can help the paper mache to dry faster, especially if the weather is cool.
Spray-paint the rock with a black or brown base. It’s now time to make the paper mache look more like a rock! Get different colors of spray paint so that your fake rock looks more realistic. Work in a well-ventilated area and aim the spray paint can at the fake rock. Hold down the trigger to add 1-2 base coats of a dark color such as black or brown to the rock. The manufacturer's directions on the spray paint label will specify the recommended distance to hold the can from the fake rock. Make sure that all of the paper mache is covered with the base color.
Add small, lighter colored patches to give the rock depth. Using a few different shades will really bring your rock to life! Use a white, grey, or green spray paint to highlight specific areas of the rock such as indentations or sharp bumps. You can even use multiple colors to make the rock look more realistic. Dark green is a good choice if you want the rock to look like it has moss or plant matter growing on it.
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