Thread: Tombstones

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After seeing the incredible stones that all of you made I took 15 of my old tombstones and threw them away. I have begun to make new ones and have already finished 4. I plan on getting the pictures posted soon and would like feed back plus other ideas from all of you. Anyone else have idle time on their hands and are trying to find something to do because that's not the only project I've started. Sorry for the delay here are three of the tombstones I've been working on. Let me know what you guys think and how I could better the stones. I have others coming. Each was made from R-40 3/4" thick pink foam, easy to cut. I've added another stone to the group and will continue to add as the year goes on so keep checking and let me know what you think and how I can make it better, Thanks .This is the latest one painted and then with lettering. The glare of fresh paint with taken off using baby powder. And the final product.. And here is my latest stone just finished, made from the leftover foam pieces from the other stones. More to come.

Oh no...run out and get the old stones! Even if they are not up to your current standards, they can always be silhouetted by a light behind them, making them a great shadowy backdrop scene for your cemetery. Can't wait to see your new stones though!

or somehow incorporate the old into the new ones. It's been done on here a few times and they turn out awesome!

^ True. Completely forgot about that option.

I have five or so of the cheap walgreens ones that I am in the process off "terra" izing. I'm using Terra's tombstone video as a base and just using the old stones as my top layer of foam. I put the PVC pipes in there and my sister just gave me my first dremel, so I'll resurface the old stones to practice my dremel skills. If I mess em up oh well lol

I use broken ones are ones I don't like and glue them to a new stone.

The old "stones" were made of 1/2" thick wood and painted black. They didn't go with the new stones. I had them a long time. I was time to upgrade.

The old stones were so warped I had to get rid of them, I just feel that if you want to have a cemetery look real you have to make the tombstones look the part too !

The stones are looking really good!

To help them look aged I would continue with the painting details. Consider dripping watered down gray paint from the top of the stone - call that 'tea-staining'. That will help give it a 'polluted' look. Once dry, add some accents of lichen by hitting it with a few strokes of raw sienna paint. Finish with hot-gluing some carpet moss.

To help visualize what was described, FF to the middle of this tutorial to see the painting techniques:

Thanks for responding as quickly as you did Terra. I've watched the "Blackbeard" video several times and the detail on the stone is remarkable. I notice that you have multiple tools in use including the Dremel. Question one what are they ? Two on the "tea-staining" effect, if possible, what is a good ratio of paint to water ? Thanks again and I look foward to writing you again as the year goes, I"ve begun several new projects and always looking for ideas.