# Cemetery Columns



## GrimleeFeindish (Jan 23, 2009)

Here are the columns I have been working on for several weeks, its taking quite a long time, of course they are not done, but I am almost ready for paint, FINALLY. This was a long process, they are far from perfect and I am no craftsman, they are not level, they could be built much better but I am more of an artist than a builder, so I think Ill be able to cover up alot of the flaws with paint, etc. Anyway, cant wait to finish these. I went with the all brick look just to be a little different, I like the look, there is a guy that did some really cool brick columns like these that I saw and I loved those, so these are my version. I hope to have them painted soon. The cemetery fencing will butt up next to them and they will sit at the bottom of my driveway. Thanks.






DSCN1282 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

DSCN1280 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

http://www.hauntforum.com/album.php?albumid=1165


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Those look really nice so far, can't wait to see them with some color on them.
Nice work!


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

Absolutely nothing wrong with those Grim! Nice job!


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## scarrycher (May 30, 2012)

they look great to me


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## Anda (Jun 20, 2012)

So cool... They look realistic now, they'll be perfect after their paint job. :smilekin:


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

Great job so far!! You are probably a more skilled artist than I am, but here's a technique to try. Painting is my weak point so I always try to find a quick and dirty method that seems to work.

What color are you going to make your bricks?? I stumbled on this fast technique for making bricks look real if they are Flashed (Burnt looking brick). Paint em the final color first (Red?) and then get a pan and pour a little black paint in one corner. Use a large sponge on edge (Almost brick size) and dabb some of the bricks with a light touch of black or dark grey ( or even specks of white?) paint. I even tried adding red paint in the other corner and dippy dabbing the sponge around in all the colors to get an even more realistic look. As long as I dabbed the sponge on a test spot first to reduce the amount of paint, it works very well. Flip the sponge around to get some randomness. I was amazed at the result and it's relatively fast. I also resorted to using a regular paint brush to apply paint to the sponge. 

I hope the info was useful. Again, you probabaly have an even better technique, but it doesn't hurt to have another way.

Either way I'm looking forward to the final result.


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## GrimleeFeindish (Jan 23, 2009)

Thanks for the kind words. Ill try that technique Neb, I was thinking I probably will be doing lots of layers, some dry brushing. Last step is going to be adding vines and moss. 

My next step is going to be to base coat it with whatever mistinted exterior paint I have. I have some grout mix that I might thin down and paint into the grout line spaces (is that what they are called?), then paint the bricks various shades of brick red. They wont match the light brick that I have on my house, but I like the older looking red brick and it wont matter much at night, plus we are going to move in a couple yrs anyway. I dont have much paint and I have no more cash to blow so hopefully I can get enough paint together to get these things done. 

I just got my house painted so the budget is pretty tight now. I was hoping that me and the Mrs would have decided on new outdoor lights so I could use them on the columns , but we havent found any lantern lights that we (she) likes enough. I have enough wound in there so that I should be able to attach some lights to the front at some point. The tops also just pop on and off.

I was in a rush last night after finally finishing the grout lines and I quick threw these pics up. i need to resize them so I can post them directly on this post. I suck at posting. too impatient. got to go, were off to the circus today. Happy Halloween, its coming fast. These things took alot longer than I thought, and I didnt have time to build the fake doors in the back. oh well. Cheers.


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## Spider Rider (Nov 8, 2006)

Great looking columns and I love the gargoyles in your album too.


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## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

Excellent work on the columns. The gargoyle is an inspiration for next year. It looks like you did a mache body an then a tin foil body, is that the case?


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Very nice. They look a little too new for my taste, but still beautiful work.


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## GrimleeFeindish (Jan 23, 2009)

Thanks, Im with you Bio, I want them to look like really old columns, Im hoping I can accomplish that with paint/ grout and some more distressing. Im just glad I got the damn things almost done, Im sick of smelling burning foam. They wont look too new by the time Im done with them. Hopefully I can finish them in the next couple weeks, Im pretty much limited to about two nights a week to work on my stuff.

Bone Dancer, I think I used tape/foil/cardboard etc for the main armature and then I mached over it. Its been a couple months since I did that part of the prop, it still needs to be painted as well. I make alot of paper clay and use that to sculpt with. I have no patience for laying down 20 layers of paper strips, I just mix up alot of pulp/glue/flour and drywall compound until I get a good clay. I also fleshed out the wings a little bit more. I hope I can just make it stay on my roof. Thanks for the kind comments!


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

You can paint the whole column the color of the mortar, then use a roller to come back and do the bulk of the brick work. Because the mortar lines are recessed, the roller won't paint them, providing of course that you don't have the roller flooded with paint. You can come back with a small brush to touch up the edges of the bricks faces that face the mortar. If you airbrush, you can stipple in some alternate shades to add some depth to the bricks and the mortar. If you want a more coarse texture to the bricks, and or mortar, add some sand into your base/mortar layer of paint. The brick color will cover the color but the texture will show/feel through.
Hope all that made sense.
I think you are better off keeping your pictures just where you have them. There is a very small amount of memory on this site for actually posting your images directly.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

What flaws? These look great.


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

Love them. Can't wait to see the paint added.


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## spookymulder76 (Aug 9, 2011)

They look awesome! All your hard work is paying off. Can't wait to see them colorized.


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## Uruk-Hai (Nov 4, 2006)

Those are really looking great!! Looking forward to seeing them painted. I've always liked the look of brick columns.


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## GrimleeFeindish (Jan 23, 2009)

Here are the columns, finally painted and set out on the driveway on Halloween night.


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https://flic.kr/p/8152381329

More pics of my haunt, day and night.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/samkadi/

Thanks for looking, I appreciate it.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

The columns look great, they'd do even better with a pair of your gargoyles on top!


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Your columns are a true work of art! Your whole set up is very nice.


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Very nice finished product. They look terrific.


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## CAH (Sep 8, 2009)

Holy crap! Those are fantastic! I know we are our own worst critics but you really did an amazing job! Pat yourself on the back!


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

I like the brick look. I don't see any flaws you need to cover up.


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Looks great!


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