Decorations
Tombstones
The Decoration:
Several Tombstones are placed around the yard, forming a small cemetery.
Overview:
There are several ways to construct tombstones, some better than others. The method discussed
here makes extremely good looking tombstones (the best homemade tombstones I've seen), but
they take a great deal of time and an assortment of materials to make.
Materials:
- Thick (2+ inches) foam board
- Thin foamboard or thick cardboard
- Wall plaster
- Acrylic paints
If you can't get foam board, you will also need:
- (Alternate) Large sheets of corrugated cardboard
- (Alternate) Gesso (Prevents cardboard from warping when wet)
Approximate Cost: $5.00 per tombstone
Polystyrene foam board can be bought in large, two-inch thick sheets for about $3.00 at Home Depot.
Construction:
Note: Since most of the tombstones were made at my school, I unfortunately have very few photographs
showing the construction process. If I make more tombstones, I will more carefully document
the steps I take during their construction and update this section accordingly.
If you have 2+ inch thick foam board, use a saw to cut it into the shape of a tombstone.
Then skip to step 7.
Building The Tombstone
- Flatten several large cardboard boxes. Make sure you have two large pieces of the same
size and draw the design of your tombstone on it in dark ink. Be as creative as you want
with the design of your tombstone, but realize that the more complex you make it at this
step, the more complex later steps will also be. (The tombstone pictured was unfortunately never
completed).
- Use a box-cutting knife to cut out your tombstone.
- Trace the shape of your cut-out onto your other piece of cardboard, and cut it out as
well. You should now have two identical cardboard tombstone cut-outs.
- Cut several 2 inch strips of cardboard. Make them as long as you can, and cut several
of them.
- Using hot glue, attach the strips of cardboard around the edges of one of the tombstone
cut-outs. It works best if you lay the cut-out flat, put glue on the corrigated edge of one
of the strips, and then carefully lay the strip upright around the edges. For rounded parts,
you will need to bend the cardboard strip before hand so that it fits the curve.
- Now, you will have half of a hollow tombstone. Put hot glue around the edges and place
your other cut-out on top, closing the tombstone.
You now have the basic structure for your tombstone.
- Trace the shape of your tombstone on a piece of thin foamboard (or thick cardboard).
Measure in about 2 inches (The size doesn't matter, as long as you're consistant), and
draw another, smaller outline of your tombstone inside the first. Cut this out, and you
will have a 2 inch border to trim your tombstone. Glue this onto your tombstone.
- If you want, you can build a base for your tombstone, so it can stand up unsupported.
Plastering The Tombstone
- If your tombstone is made out of cardboard, you will need to completely coat it with
Gesso (Pronounced "JESS-oh". Gesso is a base for Acrylic paint and will keep the
cardboard from warping when it is wet. You can get Gesso from an art supply store.) Let
this dry.
- Mix up enough wall plaster to cover the tombstone. Apply it, smoothing it as you go.
Let it dry. If you want any scratches or inscriptions in your tombstone, you can carve them
into the plaster as it is drying.
Painting The Tombstone
- Completely coat the tombstone with black Gesso. Let that dry.
- Mix a dark gray (almost black) color with your Acrylic paints. Add some yellow and blue to give it a
more authentic color. Using a crumpled newspaper and a blotting technique, apply the dark
gray paint to the tombstone. Once this has dried, apply another coat of lighter gray in the
same manner. Continue adding lighter coats until you are satisfied.
Displaying The Tombstone
To display the tombstone, you will have to had built a base before plastering it. If
not, there are still several options. You can drill a large metal pole into the bottom of
your tombstone (works best with foam tombstones) and stick that in the ground. Or if you
want a simpler alternative, you can prop your tombstone upright by placing a brick in front
and back of the tombstone. You will then just need to cover the bricks with leaves or
dirt.
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