Giga
Masterpiece
isnt that cool
Trident Maple Forest
- Thread starter Dorian Fourie
- Start date
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
FWIW, slate, since it's natural, has hundreds of variations. What I'm working with you probably aren't in South Africa and vice versa. FWIW, this is the source of most of the roofing slate in the Eastern U.S. for the last 200 years of so. It's not that far from me. This slate is grey to grey/black in color and is cut in 1/4" to 1/2" or so thicknesses, which make it very easy to work with. Your's looks a bit thicker than that.
http://bvslate.com/history.html
namnhi
Masterpiece
I think it would be really cool to landscape the backyard to look like that. Just need a couple benches...
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Duuuude..... that's awesome!I like to shape them like little tombstones and stick 'em in the soil for Halloween!! Can't find the dang photo!!! Grrrrrrr
Looks better without the top step.
Dorian Fourie
Chumono
Thanks for that information. I like to find out more about materials that I work with so it is appreciated.
Slate occurs naturally in South Africa although we do import from countries like Spain, France and Brazil. I remember driving on a sponsored day through some of the hills outside Johannesburg and noticing slate lying all over the place. I stopped at a shop that supplies rocks etc for gardens and picked up small broken pieces of slate and they said I could have them as they were so small. Might just have to go back there to get some more.
I love the variety of colour variations that one can get and the fact that the texture looks so amazing in miniature.
Dorian Fourie
Chumono
Filled up the rest of the areas with moss today.
Over the next few weeks, I will sprinkle dry fine sand over the moss and stairs. On the stairs, I will brush it into the area below the stairs and the moss will be watered. I find that putting fine sand on the moss and then watering it, allows the moss to settle better on the ground then without. The fine soil particles wash between the moss and allows the roots to grow onto something. (I could be wrong but it works for me)
Over the next few weeks, I will sprinkle dry fine sand over the moss and stairs. On the stairs, I will brush it into the area below the stairs and the moss will be watered. I find that putting fine sand on the moss and then watering it, allows the moss to settle better on the ground then without. The fine soil particles wash between the moss and allows the roots to grow onto something. (I could be wrong but it works for me)
Dorian Fourie
Chumono
And not 1 hour after those pics were taken, this is what I found. Don't you just love it when your 3 1/2 year old son wants to play with your bonsai.
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
WeeFourie didn't seem to appreciate the stairs!!!!
Dorian Fourie
Chumono
That he did not. LOLWeeFourie didn't seem to appreciate the stairs!!!!
Actually he is at the age now that he is mimicking his dad. So I cannot really get too upset with him.
Oh well, will just have to do them again.
namnhi
Masterpiece
I believe your little one thinks practice makes perfect.
Dorian Fourie
Chumono
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
WeeMac is the same age. My neighbor has many trees as well. I wonder if my kid will just assume everybody is born with a watering can. That's all he wants to do, because, basically, that's what he has seen me do since the day he came home!! House cleaning chores on the other hand......
Lil' punk can navigate a smartphone pretty good though!!!
Thanks to my old lady!!
Lil' punk can navigate a smartphone pretty good though!!!
Thanks to my old lady!!
Dorian Fourie
Chumono
I know that feeling. My weefourie (Callum) can already work a ipad better then his old man. And try to take it away, you have another thing coming.
Dorian Fourie
Chumono
So I got round to redoing the steps.
I also found some very fine moss and I started to work that into the gaps of the steps. That was really a job and a half on its own and the pieces were so small. I used a needle nose tweezer to pick up each small piece and put it near to the spot that I wanted. Then due to the fact that the moss was dry, I sprayed it with a water bottle to soften it up. I then pushed it into the areas where I wanted it to go. Hopefully it takes nicely there in the next few weeks.
I also found some very fine moss and I started to work that into the gaps of the steps. That was really a job and a half on its own and the pieces were so small. I used a needle nose tweezer to pick up each small piece and put it near to the spot that I wanted. Then due to the fact that the moss was dry, I sprayed it with a water bottle to soften it up. I then pushed it into the areas where I wanted it to go. Hopefully it takes nicely there in the next few weeks.
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
I think, perhaps, you could have sorted the steps by size and/or visual "bulk". Then, put the steps down, larger at the base of the stairwell and progressively smaller as you reach the top.
The whole perspective thing......smaller size as they move away from the viewer.
Still looks cool!
The whole perspective thing......smaller size as they move away from the viewer.
Still looks cool!
Dorian Fourie
Chumono
Hey bud
Thanks so much. I appreciate it.
You have just hit the nail on the head. Very valid point. This is what I was going for but I think there is definitely some fine tuning to do.
I must perfect the stairs this weekend to give the moss enough time to settle. I plan to enter it into a comp at the end of Oct. By that time the leaves will be out fully and hopefully it will look okay.
Dorian Fourie
Chumono
I really appreciate the feedback Sorce.
Hopefully it is the little things that round off the whole image long term.
LanceMac10
Imperial Masterpiece
Please don't take it as a criticism! This took some effort, (a couple times!!!), and attention to detail....
I just think it would look dynamite if "perspective" created by the stairs was reinforced.
Again, just a suggestion.
), and attention to detail....I just think it would look dynamite if "perspective" created by the stairs was reinforced.
Again, just a suggestion.
Dorian Fourie
Chumono
Do not worry, I love critique. I always want my trees to be evaluated so that I can become better at my hobby.
One of the joys of working from home is that I can quickly pop into the garden and do some work on this .
Slightly better but not perfect.
LOL. Quite true.This took some effort, (a couple times!!!
One of the joys of working from home is that I can quickly pop into the garden and do some work on this .
Slightly better but not perfect.
