Island Project

I previously wrote a guide on how to assemble small houses together, using pieces that I laser cut with an Epilog laser engraving machine. Those houses are part of a bigger project that I had to finish for my sculpture class' final critique. This is a write-up on the process that I took to finish this project.

Materials

Here's a list of the materials I used for this project. Most of these, if not all, can be found in your local art store. (Images courtesy of Blick Art store and Google images)

Process

Houses

First, I cut pieces of wood, then assembled them into small wooden houses as from my previous post here.

I put wooden fillers wherever necessary, then I sanded and painted them.

Island

I painted a foam board in different shades of blue, covering just enough and leaving some parts white to create depth and illusion of a sea. While the foundation dried, I made structures for my islands with a wire mesh, then covered it with burlap. This is going to be the foundation for the plaster.I mixed 1 part water to 1 part plaster, by putting plaster into a bucket of water little by little, and not the other way around (important!), unless the manufacturer of the product says so. I stirred this mixture for a while until its texture became perfect for application, which is a little bit softer like goat cheese. The plaster hardens pretty quickly, so make sure to have enough mixture for the entire project. New plaster mixture won’t stick onto already hardened plaster.

(Note: It is very important to read labels and instructions for the product to make sure that the process is safe, as some products might contain toxic and hazardous materials.)

Here is a photo of the islands that I made on top of the foam board I painted. The plaster is painted with acrylic paint that's watered down, so that the plaster absorbs the paint instead of the paint covering the entire surface.

Island base made of burlap covered with plaster

Once everything dried, I used glue and brushed it all over the islands, then poured topsoil all over to cover the surface area. Bits and pieces of the foliage and bushes could also be poured into the surface. In a spray bottle, I put glue and watered it down so that I could spray glue onto the additional foliage and bushes that might not be secured by the glue below the soil.When the soil is dried, I put the houses on top of them. I used a glue gun to secure these houses temporarily, so that I could figure out the placement of the trees, etc.

Water

Depending on the manufacturer, the product for the gloss mixture that will serve as the water will have different instructions. Make sure to read and follow this!For the product that I used, I mixed 1 part epoxy resin with 1 part epoxy hardener. The instructions also recommended that I wear gloves and eye protection, and it also suggested to measure the liquids precisely to ensure a better outcome. I poured this onto the foam board, making sure in covers the entire area including the small grooves of the islands.For added effect, I used woodland scenic's realistic effect liquid and put it on the glossy liquid before it cured. I drew waves and swirls with a Popsicle stick that I broke into two. Toothpicks would work well too. As an alternative for the realistic effect liquid, a mixture of white paint and mod podge can be used. Gesso might would well too.The epoxy resin is mostly used for chess boards and tabletops as it gives a glossy, professional-looking finish, and would cure in about 24-36 hours, depending on the product.

Results

The plaster gets heavy as it dries, so the foam board will eventually need additional support depending on the size of the project. This project is about a 34x27in.