How were these constructed?

[HX]

Originally Posted by Gert-Jan

Hi,
I used expandable foam for bulding a rock back ground in my desert ter,
But i had a lot of 'air bubbles" in it.

How do you get such a fine structure on those root systems?
just aply pressure when you spray it on the wires or something like that?

Hi there.

I don't know if some foams work better and some worse. But I have noticed that when you spray thin layers and let them dry, you get smaller airpockets as well. Apply several layers, if needed.
If you use grout or any other cement-based stuff, you don't have to worry about the holes. They are filled with the stuff you use, when you brush it on.

Here's another branch project of mine:

Basic structure, pipes glued together with hot glue, a couple of plastic bottles cut for pots:



PU-foamed and thinner twigs made with stainless steel wire:



PU-foam carved:



A couple of layers of grout brushed in, twigs filled in with vinyl string soaked in grout, grout carved a bit:



Brownish bottom layer dried up and a darker surface being brushed in:



Shaded with dark, almost black hue and pretty much finished:

(The greenish stuff is acrylic polymere, which turns green before drying completely and turning colorless)


And finally, after a month of keeping wet to let the cement harden, in a tank:



Sorry for the lousyish pics, I'm no photographer.

[Julio]

great branch work!!

[HX]

Thx Julio!

[the_deeb]

Your most recent branch is stunning HX. Once again, I'm blown away by your artistic ability. Have you tried growing epiphytic plants or moss on any of your branches or rocks? Are they able to take root and grow on the grout surface?

[HX]

Hi and thanks.

Yes, both submerged and emersed plants take hold and root quite well:

[HX]

More rootsies, anyone?

[Lycosa]

Wow.. really amazing work.

My son and I did a foam background piece and we were really pleased with how it came out... and then I saw this. lol

You've done some really outstanding work here.

I'm definitely going to give this a try with hopes that it will come out even half as nice as the pieces you've done.

Thanks for sharing how you did it all.

[Raf]

Wow amazing.
Do you have more pics to show us .

[HX]

Thank you plenty, Lycosa. So happy to hear you are inspired.
Looking forward to seeing your work.

Raf you insatiable you. Thanks.
Well, these seem to have gotten lost from this thread somehow:

Pvc pipes glued together


PU foamed


PU carved, some sticky stuff added to make sand and then grout stick onto the pipes


Three-four layers of grout, carving, brushing, sanding


And the roots under water:

[keith campbell]

WOW! MAGNIFICENT work as always HX!! How much time (not including drying and curing) do you put into one of these? Keep up the inspirational work!

Keith