Red Rocks

[Teber]

This is about the only thing that I can never get right! The outside.. the best thing I have ever done was the park in the music man with some ficus trees and a drop... and some really neat blue cellophane with christmas lights underneath for flowing water - but anyway - im having trouble with rocks... How the heck do i make a good looking rock? Its prolly scenery 101 but i cant make it look good... any suggestions other than going out and bringing in real rocks haha.

 

[Van]

I love making rocks! Wait a minute, scratch that, reverse it.

Have you tried the search function yet ? I know I wrote and epic piece on a boulder I created for "the Seagull". Check out the recipe for VSSSD in the wikki. What type of rocks are you going for ? Boulders ? fist sized? Are they structural? < is anybody crawling/standing on them?> Answer my questions, and I'll answer yours.

 

[Teber]

We are looking at re-designing the set for "Appointment with Death" by Agatha Christie. They are basically in a valley of Rock. So to answer your question - All. Fist, Boulder, Cave, and the old woman has to sit on one or 2. She isn't the lightest actor I have ever worked with either. So your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Van]

Ok, I'll be glad to help you out. I'm up to my eyeballs with 3 Sisters and Distracted right at this moment, but I'll put a couple of responses together and post them asap. I have some solutions for several issues you mentioned. Do go ahead and do a search for Rocks and Sculpting, however, you may get a few good Ideas from those as I know I have detailed a couple of techniques in other threads.
TTLY

 

[scenerymaker]

I've made rocks with urethane spray-on insulation.

For big rocks, build a rough frame from 2x4s, then cover it with 1/4" luan, small-hole hardware cloth (screening), wadded newspapers, etc. When you have a shape you like, have a commercial insulation installer cover it with foam. Two minutes later, you'll have a rock.

For medium-sized rocks, just cut out a rock shape on a piece of plywood and have the insulation guy spray it. Be sure to concentrate on some areas more than others to give it some dimension. This takes communication because they practice to get their application smooth....just the opposite if what you want.

For small ones, take the spray head off the urethane applicator and let the foam dribble out like shaving cream into a pile.

For tiny ones, use blobs of Great Stuff (expanding foam in a can).

I made another rock (actually Christ's tomb for a Biblical play) by carving out a solid chunk of EPS foam into a 10' high by 16' long mountain. That one broke into two pieces for transport.

To cover the foam and make it harder to damage, Menard's has a rubberized coating intended to cover foam insulation on basement wall exteriors. They have paintable and trowelable versions that really toughen up the foam.

What ever you do, be sure to prime the foam before final paint. I didn't one time and the paint fell off just before the show!

Good luck.

 

[2mojo2]

Do you run into issues of flammability when using these foam materials?

 

[Van]

If you're using Commercial grade EPS < blue or Pink Foam> you shouldn't have any issues as these are supposed to be IFR from the manufacturer as part of theier being acceptable building materials.

One should always check with one local fire codes as to the necessity of treatment with flame retardent chemicals, however.