Step-by-step DIY instructions and diagrams for making garden figurines

Shops for summer residents are full of cute figurines of animals, fairy-tale heroes, used to decorate personal plots. They enliven the territory of the cottage or yard, give individuality and fun with a funny look. Handmade garden figurines help to show ingenuity and taste, decorate your favorite garden in a special way, divert attention from crafts, relax and divert attention.

Basic manufacturing methods

The creative spirit soars easily and freely. To make garden figurines, they use different techniques and materials at hand, creating funny, elegant or bizarre images in accordance with their own abilities and ideas of beauty. Consider some of the most popular and easiest ways to create garden figures.

From a semi-dry solution

If construction work is going on in the country, you can use cement mortar to make funny figures.To do this, you need to dry it, and then start carving. They take a piece of solid film in the form of a bag, pour cement in a volume suitable for the size of the intended image. The wrapper is given a shape corresponding to the contours of the garden figure and waits for solidification.

When the solution dries, but remains soft, with the help of knives, threads, cutters, the desired proportions are formed. The protruding parts of the figure can be glued in a separate part. Note that manufacturing from mortar requires certain sculpting skills; if they are missing, you can try copying a sample.

Cement, with base or frame

Large cement figurines are made on a frame base so that the product is strong, lighter and retains its shape. The main difficulty is to find a suitable base and give it the necessary shape. Thick wire is perfect for making, which is bent, welded, then smeared with cement, covered with a serpyanka (reinforcing tape). The layer of cement is increased, turning it into a designed figure.

Swans

For the manufacture of figures of swans, basins, large bowls are used. A thick wire curved in the shape of a swan's neck is attached to the pelvis, which plays the role of the body. Then they begin to build the body with cement mortar, reinforcing it with serpyanka, simple rags.

To increase the volume, pieces of foam are enclosed during manufacture. The neck is shaped with rags soaked in the solution. When the figure takes the form of a swan, the plumage and the head are dried and drawn. The sculpture is dried for several days. The last stage is grinding, painting.

frog princess

To make your favorite heroine of Russian fairy tales, you can take a foam concrete block.During its manufacture, it is cut out in the form of a frog's body, with the help of a solution, the necessary proportions are added. Final finish - lining with small pebbles, glass, painting with acrylic paints.

Frameless technology step by step

Without a frame, it is convenient to make small flat figures from a concrete solution in the form of a sheet, a dish. Consider the manufacturing steps of these products:

1. Pour a pile of sand on a flat surface and cover it with a thin film.
2. We prepare a mold for the filling - a large textured sheet with pronounced veins of an odd shape and without damage. We take the fresh leaf, with good turgor. You can put it in water to increase its density.
3. The composition of the solution - 1 part of cement, 3 - very fine sand, plasticizer.
4. The sheet is laid on a pile of sand, a layer of solution 1-2 centimeters thick is applied on top (thinner at the edges than in the center). The solution is gently and firmly pressed against the sheet so that the veins are imprinted.
5. A small piece of pipe with a diameter of up to 10 centimeters is inserted into the center and poured with a solution.

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Cover the piece with plastic wrap and press down the edges. Wait 2-3 days for drying. Remove the film, lift, separate the sheet. If necessary, soak with water. Let the figurine dry for several days, decorate as desired. A beautiful bowl can be painted in yellow and green tones, veins can be drawn.

polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam figures are lightweight.

In order not to fly away with the wind or an accidental jerk, they are pushed on pins or weighed down during manufacture.

For the basis of the figures, objects of a suitable shape and size are chosen - bottles, boxes, protruding parts are inserted later. They are made from branches, wires, fittings. Manufacturing technology:

• a thin layer of foam is applied to the base;
• expect an increase in bulk and hardening of the material;
• the following layers are applied with the formation of the necessary contours and waiting for hardening;
• insert reinforcing elements for protruding parts, cover with foam;
• leave after receiving the desired form for 2 days;
• cut out the shape of the figure with a knife;
• mastic, dry, ground.

With the help of acrylic paints they give the desired color, decorate.

old tires or tires

Spectacular flowerpots, cartoon characters can be made from old tires that any motorist owns. You can do:

• a pair of swans;
• a group of tiered flowerpots;
• freestanding flower boxes;
• frog, elephant, donkey or turtle;
• flowerpots for Gzhel or Khokhloma.

It is easy to work with rubber, different types of paints adapt well to the material, the products are durable.

From plastic bottles or eggplants

Plastic bottles are an inexhaustible source of inspiration for home and garden crafts. They are easy to cut and bend, the material is easy to hold together, creating multi-layered shapes.

Flamingo

Making a flamingo will require several plastic bottles, metal rods, and pink paint. The body is a large bottle (5 liters). The leg rods and the curved neck rod are inserted into it. Feather cut bottle pieces are dyed and tied at the base to create a curvaceous body. The neck is made of a pipe.A bottle or other improvised means is used to make the head.

Chamomile

To make a flower, use opaque white bottles with a yellow lid, which do not need to be painted. Lush Chamomile is made from 3 bottles. They are cut from the top at the start of the expansion. The necks of two bottles are cut. The petals are cut out on all and straightened, turning into a flower. Put both blanks on a bottle with a neck and screw on the cap. Then the structure is fastened with wire, a rod is made, if desired - from green bottle leaves.

Important: homemade figurines should be washed and wiped regularly - dirt, dust, cobwebs, insects turn garden decorations into muddy, ugly things that spoil the appearance of the site.

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bells

To make bells, use the tops of small bottles. The upper part with the lids is cut off, the cut is made into carved petals. Blanks are painted white, blue or any other bright color. The stem is made of dense fittings or pipes, the flowers are tied with wire.

porcine

The figure of a bottle pig is one of the easiest to make:

• the pig's body is a five-liter bottle;
• at the bottom they make slits for the legs, for which they take the tops cut from small bottles (0.5 liters);
• ears are cut from the top of 1.5 liter bottles and inserted into the slots in the body;
• eyes - dark pearls;
• the tail is a narrow piece of plastic.

Before assembling the pig, all parts are painted pink.

plaster crafts

Plaster figures are made by casting in moulds.Gypsum is diluted, placed in kitchen or children's plastic molds. The container is pre-lubricated with oil to facilitate extraction. You can fix the numbers by grinding.

In wood

Wooden figures look harmonious among the greenery of the site, they persist for a long time if you carry out regular processing. The wood is pre-dried, sketches are prepared. Sawing wood requires artistry and a steady hand, so many simply make figures from logs, bars, parts of a cylindrical log.

Of toys

From a bored girl doll, you can make a garden decoration - an angel with wings. The doll is fixed on a stand. The wings are cut out of foam and glued to the back. A dress is made of plaster, after drawing the folds, and the hair is covered with a plaster mixture. The details are covered with acrylic paints.

Made of metal

You can craft figurines from any metal that accumulates in summer cottage sheds. Pipe cuts, springs, fittings, broken tools are used. If there is no welding machine, the parts are fastened with wire using the existing holes. It is better to use stainless steel in the manufacture of figurines - it does not need care and protection against rust.

polystyrene

Polyfoam is the easiest material to work with for inexperienced sculptors. It is easy to apply markings on it, cut out the necessary details. When making a figure, the individual pieces are glued together or held together with wire.

Coated with acrylic paints, which create a protective layer against dirt and moisture.

Paper mache

The technique of paper mache (paper mache) is convenient for making small figures for gardens.Execution technique:

• pour pieces of toilet paper, ova, napkins into the container;
• pour boiling water for a day;
• grind with a mixer into a homogeneous mass;
• add PVA glue, flour paste or other adhesive.

Choose a form and apply the composition on it in layers. For garden figurines, special impregnations are required to increase durability - antifungal primers for wood, putty, acrylic paint, varnish.

twigs

From brushwood and cut tree branches, you can assemble decorative acacia fences and baskets, funny animal figures. First, a body frame is made with legs. Then it is gradually braided with flexible branches, given the necessary shape, treated with protective equipment and decorated.

Stone

For stone figurines, you need to find the right material. Options for using the stone:

• coloring of flat stones - patterns in the form of fish, ornaments, flowers;
• prefabricated figures of several stones - seals, turtles, little men;
• compositions of painted wonderful faces.

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With ability and imagination, the stone is inserted into reinforcing structures, creating animal figures or abstract structures.

Thread

The wire figurines are distinguished by their delicacy and particular lightness. Before weaving, it is better to draw a diagram of the product in all details on paper. Bright colors will make the craft more visible against the background of summer cottage vegetation.

Artificial turf

With the help of artificial turf, soft figures of animals, chairs and benches are made. The main difficulty is to make a frame that exactly fits the contour of the animal. For manufacturing, they use dense yarn, reinforcement that will retain its rigidity and will be able to withstand the weight of a person.

The frame is covered with a plaster mesh using wire. An artificial grass is attached to this mesh. It is necessary to carefully cover the entire surface with grass so that insects and small animals cannot penetrate it.

Tips and tricks from experienced craftsmen

What do masters and designers advise so that self-made figures decorate and do not spoil the territory:

1. When decorating the site, use one style - characters from folk tales are not combined with sculptures in the classical style or angels.
2. Measure the size of the numbers with the size of the plot - in small summer cottages large products look ridiculous.
3. Don't look for quantity. An excess of numbers distracts attention from the main thing - greenery, flowers, for which they go to the country.
4. Choose figures in the general style of the house, garden, territory. They will improve the overall experience.
5. If you lack experience and imagination, start with the simplest figures, master a technique. Install the product and make sure it improves the area, not the worst.

Use common sense and moderation. When making figurines from cheap materials (bottles, old tires), treat carefully, paint the products with good paint, otherwise they will look cheap and only spoil the overall impression of the site.

When making decorations for the garden, you need to remember that you will have to take care of them - washing, renewing the paint, treating metal and wood with protective solutions.

Interesting ideas and examples of figurines for the garden and cottages

When decorating a site, it is important to maintain style and theme, not to combine dissimilar elements, not to introduce dissonance between the house, plantings and decorative elements. If there are free areas and green lawns, large figures of horses, antelopes of branches or twigs can be installed. Small figures of gnomes, mushrooms, fairy-tale characters comfortably hide in the greenery in small areas.

Near a small reservoir, swans, frogs, figures of animals that have come to the watering hole look harmonious. Variously decorated pots look great near the recreation area. They are made multi-tiered, planted with curly and cascading flowers. Pets, wicker and wooden products are suitable for a rustic home.

Help: Color is also important. White, gray and black shapes look great on bright flower beds. Bright decorations are chosen for the paths.

Garden figures, to which the lighting is connected, decorate and make the site especially cute even in the dark. Without spending money, you can decorate the territory with your own hands. The suburban area is not just beds and whites for the winter. It is a vacation spot where the family spends the best time of the year, on weekends. Making lovely garden figurines will unite the family, make the backyard cozy and unique.