indyana
Well-Known Member
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- 2,336
- Location
- Massachusetts, United States
Just wanted to post process pictures for the climbing rock insert I created for my leopard gecko, Amoré. Most of the credit for these techniques goes to Lizard-Landscapes.com.
And there we have it! I'm going to let this cure for at least a week. I'll then brush/rub it off very well to remove any loose clay and sand before adding it to Amoré's cage.
List of Materials:
- Because I was building around existing cage furniture, I started out by tracing around the cage elements on a paper cage liner to get the floor plan. I then blocked in the shapes I wanted with both styrofoam and floral foam. At one point, I brought out one of the hides I wanted to build around to be certain I had the cuts right. I used toothpicks and glue to hold everything together.
- Next step was carving and detailing the structure. I used sculpting tools and my hands to create rock shapes. I also added some small accent pieces.
- Next step was grouting. First coat thin, next coat a little thicker, third coat thinner again, then I added texture and filling in gaps using a paste consistency. When it was all dried, I smoothed some areas with sandpaper to give it a wind-weathered look.
Note: I'd just started painting here when I remembered to photograph the grout stage. ^_^;
- And now, the painting! Using acrylic paints, I gave it a sand-colored base coat and then incrementally added shading and color variation until I was happy with the look.
- I added two coats of sealant. If this were for a humid enclosure, I would have done more coats, but this won't be exposed to much moisture in my leopard gecko cage.
- For texture, I added a final coat of sealant. While wet, I sprinkled sand on the areas that would need traction for a climbing gecko. I then used a pest pistol to dust cosmetic clay over the entire structure. This served to cut down the shine and give the structure a dusty appearance.
And there we have it! I'm going to let this cure for at least a week. I'll then brush/rub it off very well to remove any loose clay and sand before adding it to Amoré's cage.
List of Materials:
- Foam insulation board
- Floral foam
- Exacto knife
- Carving tools
- Toothpicks
- Loctite Power Grab all-purpose clear construction adhesive
- MAPEI Keracolor unsanded powder grout
- Water
- Paint brushes
- Knife (for applying/texturing grout paste)
- Craft Smart non-toxic acrylic paint
- Shields All #50 sealant
- Craft sand
- Cosmetic clay (kaolin clay)
- Pest pistol