Previously, the land in the country was used only to get a harvest, and few people thought about landscape design. Today everything has changed. To make your garden plot unusual and bright, you can decorate it with fairy-tale figures. The most popular are garden gnomes. Making them yourself is easy and less expensive than buying them. Right choice places for their location will give the territory an atmosphere of fabulousness and originality.
Features of using garden figures
The installation of gnomes, nymphs and foresters is popular today not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also from a mythological one. There is a belief that the gnome protects the farmstead and garden from evil spirits, positively influencing the plants, and also brings happiness, a rich harvest and good luck to the owner. In summer it scares away birds wanting to eat fruit from the trees, and in winter it stands out in contrast against the general background.
Before buying or making a gnome with your own hands for the garden, you need to choose the right place for its location and study certain recommendations:
Varieties of fairy dwarfs
Gnomes are magical dwarfs from Scandinavian or Germanic folklore. According to legend, they live underground, have beards and are famous for their skill and wealth. In addition, they can cast magic and have supernatural powers. Gnome figurines for the garden can be made of various materials:
Papier-mâché garden figures
Before you make a gnome with your own hands for the garden, it is important to decide on the material. To make a papier-mâché figurine, you will need to stock up on large quantities of paper egg trays. The trays must be torn into small pieces, placed in a plastic bucket and poured with boiling water so that the paper is completely covered with water. Leave to swell for a day.
Drain off excess water and grind the resulting mass by hand using a fork or mixer. After kneading a homogeneous “dough”, add PVA glue in a small amount to form a plastic mass. If the papier-mâché turns out to be liquid, it should be placed in gauze and hung to drain.
Then make a frame for a gnome figurine from a plastic bottle. Add a little volume at the neck by securing it with cellophane tape. Make a cut with a leg knife. Fill the cut parts of the bottle with paper and secure with tape.
The entire workpiece is wrapped in newspapers to add volume. Clothes and caps are also made from it. The frame of the beard and nose is made from wire.
At the last stage, carefully coat the frame on all sides with papier-mâché, giving the figurine the desired shape.
After making the gnome with your own hands, it is painted and varnished.
DIY plaster gnome
Another easy option for making a garden gnome is to sculpt a figure from plaster. This material is resistant to cold, precipitation and ultraviolet radiation. But the gypsum gnome does not withstand mechanical stress, so it must be installed in a place protected from the wind. To work you will need:
Gypsum is diluted with water according to the instructions. The specified proportions must be observed. For work, use a plastic or rubber tank. After mixing the solution well, add PVA glue to increase elasticity and ductility. The amount of glue should be one process of the total mass.
For a gnome less than 50 cm in size, preliminary construction of a skeleton is not required. Gypsum is poured into a shaped mold, for example a silicone one, which can be purchased at any hardware store.
To build a large sculpture, you will need to make a metal frame from reinforcing bars. To fix the product on the ground, a protruding element is built at the bottom of the gnome.
The solution must be filled with gypsum first until it is half full. Wait until it sets. To prevent the formation of bubbles, you need to tap the mold, and only then pour in the rest. Level the surface with a spatula, tap the mold again and wait for the figure to dry completely. Remove the gnome from the mold.
The last stage is painting the gnome with permanent acrylic paints and PVA glue on top. Mosaics made of glass, stone, shells and other objects are used as decoration.
Elegant costume for a gnome
Dwarves are a wealthy and colorful people, so the figures should look accordingly. The costume of this fabulous exhibit consists of several elements: shirt, pants, vest, cap and knee socks.
It is better to make the shirt plain with wide sleeves and belt it with a rope at waist level, which will add additional volume. A bright vest, for example blue or red, is worn on top of the shirt. You can sew it yourself by downloading a pattern on the Internet.
Next - red pants above the knee. To do this, you can cut off old trousers or buy breeches. Bows or bells are sewn along the seam line on the side. Under the breeches, wear stockings, tights or leggings with horizontal wide stripes.
Any shoes will do for a gnome.
One of the most important elements is the cap, which can be made from a Santa Claus hat, starched it, or made from cardboard. Decorate the headdress with a bow with a bell or bell.
To complete the look, you should use a beard made of cotton wool, or taken from Santa Claus. The longer the beard, the richer the gnome. And finally, give him a paper lantern and a red bag on a long stick.
Fairytale dwarfs made from scraps of fabric
If you have experience in sewing dolls, gnomes can also be sewn from scraps of fabric. To do this you will need a needle and thread, a pencil or chalk and scissors. Stages of work:
Landscape design - creative, interesting activity, which can add originality to any area. Garden gnomes decorated the gardens of aristocrats in Europe back in the Baroque era and have not lost their popularity today. These fabulous dwarfs will perfectly decorate any front garden, delighting children and adults with their bright appearance.
To make the garden design original and unusual, garden figures are placed in it. One of the most popular models of these figures are garden gnomes. Buying them is quite an expensive undertaking, so it is much cheaper to make them yourself. Let's look at how to make a gnome for the garden below.
The installation of nymphs, gnomes, woodmen in the garden is becoming increasingly popular, not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also from a mythological one. It is believed that the gnome is able to protect the garden and the entire farmstead from evil spirits; in addition, it has a positive effect on plants, improving their condition.
In addition, the garden gnome will become a real decoration of any garden. IN summer time, it scares away birds that like to feast on the harvest of fruit trees, and in winter it stands out against the general background with its brightness and contrast.
It is believed that installing a small gnome in the garden can bring happiness and a rich harvest, in addition, its owners will become healthier and luckier.
When installing a garden gnome in the garden, you should remember that it must have its own place where it will look harmonious. Therefore, both before purchasing and before making a garden gnome, it is necessary to study the recommendations that will help determine its location among the garden composition:
1. Draw a plan.
Before developing a sketch of a garden gnome, try drawing it first. After that, imagine it in the place where you want to place it. Think about how it will look there at different times of the year, in different climates, and whether a strong gust of wind will blow it away. When purchasing or building several garden gnomes, try to ensure that they blend harmoniously in different parts of the garden.
2. Choose a background landscape.
One more important element The installation of a garden gnome is its combination with plants located in the garden. Since, if a garden gnome is installed in the fall or early spring, then there are no leaves on the trees yet, and flowers are not yet growing, so in the summer it may not be visible at all, among large quantity greenery The place where the garden gnome is installed should be open on all sides. An excellent place to install a gnome would be a decorative fence, flower bed, path, front garden or area near a bench.
3. General style.
The overall style of the garden should match the style in which the gnomes are made. For a classic style, a standard version is suitable, perhaps monochromatic, or made in several color shades. For a romantic garden, a composition of several gnomes, made in soft pink and lilac tones, is suitable. Wooden gnomes for the garden are installed in a country-style garden. For the Art Nouveau style, a garden gnome made of metal, marble, concrete or clay is suitable.
Each figure in a garden composition should have its place. Several figures placed incorrectly in the garden can ruin even the most exquisite color composition. It is advisable to choose garden figures made from the same type of materials, for example, if the fountain is made of marble, then the garden gnome should be the same.
At correct selection garden figures and their harmonious combination, the garden will become the most favorite relaxation place for both all family members and guests.
Outdoor garden gnome
Buying or making garden figures is becoming increasingly popular in the process of decorating both a private home and a summer cottage. Shapes make the area more attractive. Gnomes, for example, are able to protect peace in the house, and birds or animals complement the overall composition and make the interior fabulous.
Garden gnomes photo:
We propose to consider the main features of using garden gnomes outdoors:
- The most in a simple way garden decoration is the purchase of ready-made products. They are based fake diamond, plaster or acrylic resin. But, the option of making figures with your own hands is more interesting, since they will be unique in their own way.
- The purpose of gnomes can be primary or secondary. In the first case, the gnomes occupy all the visual attention, in the second they are an addition to the already existing picture.
- German gnomes are perfect for decorating a garden in a rustic style. Their main function was to scare birds away from the trees and fruits of the garden.
- When choosing a garden figure or composition of several elements, first of all focus on the area on which they will be installed and on your own financial situation.
- Garden gnomes will fit perfectly into a nursery play area in the garden. They are also often installed near ponds, fountains, flower beds, flower beds, stumps, etc.
- Gnomes in a dacha will make its exterior unique and give a sea of emotions to its visitors.
Varieties of garden gnomes
- Gnomes made from natural wood.
Figures made of wood fit very harmoniously into the overall design of the garden. They bring warmth, comfort and joy. To make such figures, it is recommended to use unprocessed material in the form of logs, branches or driftwood. When building such a gnome, a hat made of leaves or moss will perfectly complement the picture.
- Figurine of a gnome made of natural stone.
To build such a figure yourself will require a lot of effort, since here you will have to work with a chisel and a hacksaw. But the result will surprise everyone. After all, gnomes made in this style are distinguished by their originality and refined appearance. They look good in a garden with a classic modern style. To complement the overall picture, use pebbles brought from the lake, which can be painted for variety.
- Garden figure gnome made of polystone.
This material for making gnomes is new, so it is rarely used when performing such work. Although products made with its help are realistic and attractive in appearance. This material is based on aluminum hydroxide, acrylic resins and additional pigments that make it stone. Gnomes made from polystone are durable, abrasion-resistant, and resistant to deformation and temperature changes. The only drawback is the high cost, which is fully justified by the quality of the product.
- Garden gnomes made of plaster.
Plaster figures have always been particularly popular due to the low cost of the material and the ease of working with it. The disadvantages of gypsum include its fragility, so such a gnome should not be on the playground. To make a gnome from plaster, you will need a lot of experience in the field of modeling, since it will be very difficult to give it a shape without experience. Therefore, it is better to make simpler figures from plaster in the form of additional decorations, such as caterpillars, mushrooms, flowers, etc.
- Concrete garden gnomes.
Garden gnomes made from cement mortar are distinguished primarily by their durability. But this will require a special form into which the finished mixture is poured, waiting for it to dry. Another option is to coat the finished frame with cement mortar. To make it, ordinary wire will be enough. In this case, in order to achieve plasticity of the solution and a high level of adhesion to the surface of the wire, it is recommended to add a plasticizer or PVA glue to the finished mixture.
- Garden gnomes based on hay or straw.
Even with the help of ordinary hay you can make figures for the garden. To do this, the material is twisted very tightly in the form of individual parts of the character that needs to be made.
- Gnomes made from improvised means.
The material for making a garden gnome will be ordinary unnecessary garbage, such as old flower pots, basins, barrel, plastic bottles, tires, etc. If you draw the body of a gnome on a large barrel and add a car tire on top in the form of his head, you will get a funny garden figurine.
- Using polyurethane foam.
It is quite possible to make a garden gnome from polyurethane foam, especially since it is resistant to temperature changes, frost, precipitation and ultraviolet radiation. To create a garden gnome using this method, first prepare a form in the form of its skeleton; for this it is recommended to use materials such as wire, unnecessary garbage in the form of plastic bottles, plates, buckets, sticks, etc. The foam is applied in several stages, and each layer must dry well. Stationery knife will help get rid of excess foam. The finished product is painted and varnished.
Master class - garden gnome made of plaster
The easiest way to make a garden gnome yourself is plaster. This material is resistant to precipitation, cold, and ultraviolet radiation. Such a figure will not withstand only mechanical influences, so install it in a place from which it will never fall.
To carry out work on making a garden gnome you will need:
- sculpture plaster;
- PVA construction adhesive;
- acrylic paints and brushes for working with them;
- varnish;
- compass;
- pencil;
- stationery knife;
- decorative elements in the form of beads, flowers, leaves;
- molds for working with plaster;
- water-resistant glue;
- sunflower oil;
- water.
Instructions for making a garden gnome with your own hands:
- The first step is to take care of purchasing plaster. According to the instructions, dilute the plaster with water. Attention, it is very important to observe the specified proportions, since an incorrectly diluted solution can affect the strength of the structure.
- To dilute the plaster, use a rubber or plastic container. Mix the water and plaster thoroughly, and then add PVA glue to the solution to increase its elasticity and ductility. The amount of glue for the solution is one percent of its total mass. For example, in a gypsum solution weighing 4 kg, you need to add 40 grams of glue.
- If the gnome is up to 50 cm in size, then the preliminary construction of a structure in the form of a skeleton is not required; the plaster is poured directly into the figured mold. The most convenient are silicone molds; they are sold in any construction stores or on the market.
- Possible option self-made molds for a gnome, this will be appropriate when you need to make several identical gnomes. Otherwise, it is better to use a purchased form, since its construction will take more than one day.
- To make a large sculpture, the construction of a metal frame is required. It is made from reinforcing rods, which increase the stability of the figure. To fix the product on the ground, you need to build a protruding element from the bottom of the gnome.
- Start pouring the plaster solution. First, fill the mold halfway, wait for the solution to set, tap the mold to prevent air bubbles from forming, and then pour in the rest. Tap the mold again, level the surface with a spatula and wait until the gnome is completely dry.
- After this, remove the figure from the mold. To do this, you need to place a piece of board or lid of a suitable size on the mold. Press it onto the mold and turn the shape over.
- Next comes the process of painting the gnome; for this it is recommended to use acrylic-based paints, since they are highly resistant and can function normally outdoors. In addition, plaster figures are painted with gouache paints, but since they are in the garden, the gouache will quickly wash off in the rain. This paint is appropriate if the figure is under cover.
- Before starting painting, coat the gnome with a primer, after which, to increase adhesion between the figure and the paint, it is recommended to cover it with PVA glue.
- For decoration, use a mosaic; to make it you will need glass, stone, shells or other objects.
Master class on making a garden gnome with your own hands
To make a small garden gnome you will need:
- several plastic bottles;
- cellophane;
- tape;
- knife and scissors;
- newspapers;
- egg trays;
- wire.
Take two bottles with a capacity of two and one and a half liters. Connect them together to form a frame. Newspapers will help build the torso, arms and legs. Make a gnome hat, glue on the eyes and nose.
Make papier-mâché; for this you need to dissolve paper newspapers in PVA glue and plaster. Next, treat the surface of the gnome with this mixture. Dry it ready product in the air for five days. Paint with paint and open with varnish.
Such a gnome will decorate any corner of not only the garden, but also the home. In addition, entire paintings or fairy-tale scenes are made in this way.
DIY garden crafts can bring you great pleasure. Choose the figure that best suits your character and the design of your garden. Let's try to make garden figurines from cement with our own hands. The process, surprisingly, is not as complicated as it seems. But the result is truly surprising!
See what beautiful flower containers you can make from cement mortar and an old rag. This is truly crafts made from scrap materials!
Decorative openwork ball made of cement.
To work, we need a cement solution - mix a thick solution of 1 part sand, 1 part cement.
We immerse a rope in the solution; these can also be strips of old t-shirt and so on. Let's inflate balloon, we prepare a stand for it where it will dry. This could be a regular bucket. 
We wrap the ball with a rope in cement mortar.
After the solution has dried, use a needle to blow off the ball. All! Our garden art object is ready. Can be painted if desired.
Original crafts for the garden made of cement.
Agree, it looks like dragon eggs)) We will make this from cement.
We take it, still the same balloon and cover it with cement mortar. Here you can add a tablespoon of gypsum to the solution, but you need to work quickly.
After the solution has dried, remove the ball and paint the inside of the egg. Can be used as easter decor at the dacha - having done it in it flower arrangement from primroses.
Crafts for the garden. DIY garden gnomes made of cement.
These cute garden gnomes are also very easy to make.
For the gnome we need cement, a metal rod, stocking and rope. We pour the cement solution into the stocking, and insert metal reinforcement into it for strength. By twisting the rope, we form noses and legs. Let's not forget about the beard - this is an additional piece of material under the gnome's nose. Hang the gnome by the top of the cap and leave to dry.
When the cement has dried, remove the gnome and polish the top with a more liquid solution of cement and gypsum. We are waiting for the gnome to dry and we can tint or paint it. Cute, aren't they?
Garden fountain with leaves.
We will not talk about the principles of creating a fountain in the country. This is the topic of a separate article, and you can read about it in detail here. We will make leaves from cement.
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We need a fairly large sheet, and with the help of cement, we form a copy of it.
After drying, the sheet can be worked out in more detail and painted.
And you will become, almost free of charge, the owner of such a beautiful fountain.
Original do-it-yourself flower beds.
Are you not a sculptor at all? But believe me, you can make these creative flower containers.
We need a plastic container, foam plastic, reinforcing mesh. We make a cement solution by adding a spoonful of gypsum directly into the palm with the solution and thus form our “sculpture”
But not all of us are fans of modern abstract art. But you can easily make garden crafts in a classic style.
But, because You are not a sculptor yet, you need a template - it could very well be an old doll.
Because If this is not just a decorative garden figurine, but a flower bed in the shape of a girl’s head, then the top part needs to be cut off.
Then the head is painted. To add texture, the template is first painted with dark gray paint. Allow to dry and apply a layer of more light paint. After drying, apply a layer of even lighter paint with light strokes.
This is a very simple process, and all the examples of this style that you see in the article were made by teenagers in a craft class.
Beautiful crafts for the garden. DIY garden figurines.
For those who liked the process of making concrete crafts, we will also tell you a simply stunning technique for creating garden figurines.
Yes, we will need the old doll again!
First, we strengthen the doll using hot glue and a bamboo sushi stick on a heavy stand. By the way, we can also make it from cement. We cut out angel wings from foam plastic and attach them to the doll with hot glue. Let's give the doll a new dress and, with the help of strokes of hot glue, create a more interesting texture on the wings and hair.
We coat our template with a solution of cement and gypsum. Let's paint.
Now, with the help of old toys, you can make almost any garden figurine yourself.
Cat flower bed.
This cute flowerbed cat is made from a plastic bottle and cement. 
We will need: cement, sand, plaster, water, large plastic bottle, wire, paint, wooden slats, varnish. 
The owner of this cat, Natasha Koneva, will tell us how to make such a funny figurine with her own hands. We cut off a plastic bottle - this container will be our flower garden. To prevent the cement from slipping off the plastic, we tightly wrap it with wire. We knock down a wooden frame from slats. We attach our plastic container to it. 
Mix the cement mortar with the consistency of thick sour cream at the rate of 1 part sand, 1 part cement. We will add gypsum only to the finished portion that we have in our hand, because... the solution with gypsum hardens instantly. We work in rubber gloves. 
Take a handful of solution in your hand and add a tablespoon of gypsum to it. Knead it in your hands, roll it into a sausage and attach it to the frame. So, step by step, we apply portions of the solution on top of each other, creating the necessary bulges and smoothing the surface. 
We sculpt our cat’s face from small balls of solution in much the same way as we sculpted from plasticine in childhood. In order to small parts held on better; before attaching them to the body, we lubricate the surface of the figure with water. 
With a damp hand we polish the surface of our garden figurine. To dry, cover the figurine with cellophane for 3-4 days. On the first day, the figure must be periodically additionally moistened with water. After drying, sand the surface with sandpaper. 
You can paint such a figurine with water-based paint, enamel, or car paints. After painting, coat the surface with varnish. For the winter, the garden figurine must be removed from the street, because... It may crack due to frost. You might also want to get yourself such a wonderful cat. 
The great thing about cement figurines is that they are cheap to make compared to metal or wood garden figurines. You can start with simple crafts for the garden, which can be no less interesting than some particularly complex ones. You can combine cement with other materials. - for the face of this little garden fairy " Ladybug"Took the head of an old doll. 
Gone are the days when every piece of land was designed to feed a family with vegetables and fruits. Today, a garden plot is considered not only as a source of nutrition, but also of aesthetic and spiritual pleasure. Therefore, lanterns are often installed along the garden alleys, a toy gnome’s house is hidden under the cherry trees, and the gnome himself, made of plaster or plastic bottles, awaits guests in the flower garden. Sometimes several gnomes are placed along the path, instructing them to hold lanterns and illuminate the shaded corners of the garden.
Thanks to the new fashion for garden decorative landscape design, prices for gnomes and lanterns have increased significantly. Making a house, funny figures from plaster or plastic bottles with your own hands is not only about saving your budget. It is also a great pleasure to create.
We throw hundreds of plastic bottles into the trash every year. Meanwhile, this is an excellent raw material for various garden crafts and garden design.
You will need:
- 5 plastic bottles: 5 l – 1 pc., 1.5 l – 2 pcs., 0.5 l – 2 pcs.
- pot;
- paints;
- Styrofoam;
- foil;
- tow, yarn or twine.
Master Class
- To make a garden figurine from plastic bottles with your own hands, you need to clean them of labels and dirt. Then cut off the tops of 0.5 bottles and place them on the sides to the “body” (5 l). Cut the bottom of a 5 liter bottle and insert 1.5 liter “legs”. You can do better: cut 5 liter circles with a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the bottle in the “shoulder” area, stick a stick through, insert 0.5 liters on both ends without cutting anything off. The garden gnome's hands will hold up better. Add 1.5 sand and the gnome will be more stable.
- Cover the craft with enamel.
- Glue a cap from a plastic pot onto your head. You can make it from a mayonnaise jar or even a plastic cup and paint it red.
- Next, you need to make the gnome’s face with your own hands. We get the beard and eyebrows from pieces of twine, an old washcloth or synthetic yarn. Eyes made from pieces of foam. It is better to make buckles from foil.
- The gnome can hold a shovel with his own hands, but he won’t dig, don’t expect it. However, if you give him a flashlight, he will honorably perform the duties of a garden illuminator.
Foam gnome
This construction material also tested and adopted by home craftsmen. You can make a gnome, a house, and even Santa Claus from polyurethane foam.
You will need:
- large plastic bottle;
- polyurethane foam;
- wire;
- gypsum;
- dye;
- knife, abrasive material.
Master class on making a foam gnome
- To prevent the future gnome from running away from the garden after the first gust of wind, pour dry sand into the bottle to stabilize the sculpture. Apply the first layer of foam to it.
- Lay the wire where the cap, arms, legs will be, wrap it with newspaper, tape and foam again. Remove the excess. Cut out all the elements.
- Insert eyes (it’s better to buy them) and go over with an abrasive material, eliminating unnecessary roughness with your own hands. Don't be upset if you cut off or break off excess. After the base has dried, apply another layer of foam and cut again until it's just right.
- Cover areas that need special smoothness (face, hands) with gauze soaked in a plaster solution. Coat the entire craft with a thin layer of plaster and leave to dry for a day.
- Color the garden gnome as brightly as possible. Apply varnish.
- Give him a flashlight. The gnome is ready to work in your garden.
Gnome house made of plaster
Do you want to have apple trees and gooseberries growing in your garden? all year round boletus and boletus mushrooms? Then get to work. Make an original house for your gnome from plaster with your own hands. Moreover, for this you only need:
- gypsum;
- plastic bottle;
- deep bowl;
- polyethylene film.
How to do everything correctly is shown in the video. A whole mycelium of such houses of different sizes and colors can be placed under the trees in the garden.
Gypsum is usually sold in powder form. To make a working composition out of it, you need to combine the dry mixture with water in a ratio of 1:0.7 for a liquid solution, 1.5:1 for a normal one and 2:1 for a thick one. Moreover, gypsum powder is always added to water, and not vice versa.
To make the house, a solution of normal and liquid thickness is used. This plaster dries for at least a day.
Even if you had a suburban area 20-30 years ago, few people thought about landscape design. The main thing is to cultivate the land and get a harvest of vegetables and fruits for preservation. Today everything has changed dramatically, and people want to see the site not only useful, but also beautiful. For example, hand-made garden gnomes and other landscape decorations can give the site a completely new look.
In addition to them, it is also customary today to have alpine slides, rose gardens, garden fountains and colorful flower beds with rose gardens. Not only the thematic landscape, but individual figures are of interest. We’ll talk about them further in the article, in which you’ll learn about the specifics of their use, as well as how to make garden gnomes for your site yourself.
Features of use
Garden figures today make it possible to give a suburban area a special appeal. Perhaps it is the echoes of our childhood that influence the creation of the atmosphere.
Therefore, very often their owners order:
- fairy-tale gnomes, who, according to legend, protect their peace, sometimes their price can be decent;
- other characters from familiar works - frogs or snails for the pond, as well as birds.
Tip: Use your creativity to create a real fairy tale that will be the highlight of your garden.
Basics
| Simple decor | You can purchase ready-made garden figures made of plaster or polystone, although it is more interesting to make them yourself. You will learn below how to make a garden gnome with your own hands when you read the article to the end. Agree, it’s unlikely that anyone will have figures exactly like these after this. |
| Impression | Don’t rush to buy figurines for the garden; first think about what impression they will create about yourself. Should it be placed in the center or should it be an unexpected surprise for guests, watching them from behind a tree or corner. Think about appearance figures – cheerful, playful, calm or relaxing. |
| Compatibility | It is necessary to pay attention to the compatibility of buildings and garden. For example, if the latter is often used for:
|
Additional
In addition to the basic concepts, you should not forget about:
- Garden style. For example, German gnomes, which have become symbols of such areas since the end of the 19th century, will look interesting in country style. Oddly enough, they symbolize our scarecrow. In addition to gnomes, it would be appropriate to include animals with birds and fairy-tale characters.
Tip: don’t forget, when creating a composition it is very important not to overdo it with the figures.
- The size of the territory, as well as your own financial capabilities. Therefore, for a small garden you should not choose large sculptures that will clutter up the space, which is already small. In this case, small decorations will simply get lost in a large garden.
In the photo - decorations for the garden
- A sense of proportion when making a choice. Garden figurines are suitable for emphasizing natural details such as snags, stumps, tree roots, alpine slides, ponds and streams. Fairy-tale characters It is good to design children's play areas.
Preparing materials for a garden gnome
We will make it from papier-mâché, so prepare some paper egg trays, of which you need a lot.
Below are instructions for the process:
- Tear them and put them in a plastic bucket, and then fill them completely with boiling water and leave the mass to swell for 24 hours.
- Drain off the remaining water and use your hands to grind the resulting mass into a homogeneous dough.. You can also use a fork or a mixer to work. Then add a little PVA glue, then the mass will be plastic.
Tip: transfer papier-mâché that is too liquid into cheesecloth and hang it over a container so that excess water can drain into it.
- Cover the table with newspapers or plastic wrap. Prepare a 5-liter plastic bottle for the figure's body and a rubber (plastic) ball for the head. Secure the structure with glue or wire, and pour sand or gravel into the bottle for stability.
- Find some old small rubber gloves and fill them with foam.. Wait until it swells and hardens. The soles of the shoes can be made from foam plastic, and the shoes themselves can be sculpted from papier-mâché.
- Small plastic bottles work well as the basis for shoes.. All you have to do is cut them near the neck, bend it back and secure it with adhesive tape. Fill the bottle with foam and cover it with papier-mâché on top.
Making a figurine of a gnome
Cover the structure with paper pulp, applying it in thin layers and drying each one. Form the face of a figure with a beard, while a tennis ball cut in half or beads will do for the eyes. Make a hat.
Stepping back a third from the bottom, mold the bottom of the shirt; usually it is made wavy, but it can also be straight. The remaining part will become panties if you draw a vertical furrow along it.
You can sculpt the arms in the shirt separately, and then attach them to the body, or directly make them on the figurine. Now we will need blanks of polyurethane foam from gloves to form the hands. Then attach the prepared shoes.
The gnome figurine needs to be dried and then sanded sandpaper. To protect it from moisture, it should be impregnated with a moisture-resistant primer, and then covered with acrylic putty and primed again.
Use for coloring acrylic paints, and apply yacht varnish as the last layer. After this, the gnome can be placed in the garden. You can upgrade it by providing the ability to install a flashlight in his hand with a solar battery. In this case, your evening garden will have little lighting.
Conclusion
Landscape design is an interesting and creative activity that can add originality to your site. In the article you learned one of the ways to make a garden gnome figurine, but it can also be made from plaster. The video in this article will help you find additional information on this topic.