[JohnnyL]

Alright, I got bored and went in the garage. I found a scratch sheet of foam and then some tape. I tapes on the bricks (extra wide tape) and left a groute line inbetween each brick. I then just took some spray paint and sprayed the lines. Of course we all know spray paint eats away foam. So I removed the tape and.. whallah! Instant brick! It looks EXTREMELY natural due to the foam being eaten away a bit around each brick and the uneven lines inbetween. I then took a bunch of paint I had, greens, blacks, yellows, grey, red and painted it up. I was shocked, I could not believe it was foam! I don't have any pictures unfortunatly, camera is at my brothers home.

My question is, has anyone else used this idea? I don't see any difference between it and others who use routing equipment.

 

[Dr Morbius]

Johnny, that has got to be the smartest idea for faux walls I've heard yet.

 

[heresjohnny]

That sounds like an excellent idea to me. The last foam tombstone I did I used a cardboard cutout and simply laid it down flat on the foam, then sprayed paint. I wonder if you could cut out a few 'bricks' from carboard and lay them out in an area, and spry paint the grout lines there, moving the cardboard 'bricks' to the next area and spraying, etc. This would save a lot of tape, and seems like it would be much faster if you had to do several walls. Again, excellent idea!

 

[Dr Morbius]

Johnny, that has got to be the smartest shortcut to the smartest idea for faux walls I've heard yet.

 

[heresjohnny]

Johnnys know walls

 

[JohnnyL]

haha. Also, if you don't want the rough look inbetween the stones, just sand it down a bit. I think I'll use this technique on parts of my pillars and fascades to create the broken off mortor look.

 

[JohnnyL]

Alright, keep in mind this was done in 2 minutes just as a TEST! Plus, horrible picture taken with camera phone...

 

[gypsichic]

wowza! thats looks fantabulous!

 

[Hellrazor]

yes Awesome!

 

[ScareFX]

It does look good!

 

[JohnnyL]

Thanks everyone! When I use this on my pillars and facades, which will have foam exteriors, I'll be sanding the area where the bricks will be down a bit (to show that the plaster is raised where not ruined). Should look pretty good I think! Once I spray the spraypaint to create the effect, I'll let it dry and give it a good sanding to smoothen it out. Should look great!

 

[Lilly]

wow JohnnyL that is good looking. I've been trying to decide how I want to make my witch oven and i think i'll use this technique slightly dif though for the look i want thanks a bunch!!!
now did you use reg masking tape or painting tape, which would work best.

 

[JohnnyL]

I just used a spare type of "shipping" tape we had laying around (the brown clear stuff). I would imagine you'd want to use a strong tape to prevent the spray from creeping under too much. You might even get away with cutting a bunch of rectangles or shapes you want out of cardboard and laying them in place with a little tape behind them.

 

[nicole]

that is a really good idea. i bet it is gonna look awesome at night with all of the effect lighting and stuff.

 

[JustMatt]

Very nice. Two days.

 

[Revenant]

I think the "brick masking" idea would be the best -- after all, the shape of the mortar lines is determined by the shape of the bricks and how they're laid, not vice versa, right? So lay out the "bricks" and spray the mortar... how cool.

Johnny, yer a freekin jeenyis. Painting and carving in one simultaneous motion. Heh. I just love this board.

 

[Bone Dancer]

Bricks, skulls,stones,letters, ect. what ever shape you wanted to mask out. Truely an amazing idea. Thanks JL

 

[Hellspawn]

And to think I strayed away from using brick style pillars for my graveyard fence, there is still time!!!

Truely great work, your the man!

 

[SkullAndBone]

I think paint thinner does the same too. I bet it would be good to paint cracks with a brush.

 

[Sickie Ickie]

acetone eats styrofoam like there's no tomorrow.