STYROFOAM brand foam crafts

Rusty Rooster Garden Ornament

Rustic accents look great indoors or out but often come at a premium price. Capture that designer look for a lot less money with this easy technique.
   Completion Time - 
2-4 hours
   Designer - 
Kathleen George

Materials

STYROFOAM Brand Foam
  • Block, 12" x 12" x 1/2"
  • Sheet, 24" x 12" x 1"
Other Materials
  • Water-based acrylic primer
  • Water-based acrylic sealer
  • Faux finishes: iron; rust
  • Wooden dowel rod, 7/16" x 36"

Tools

  • Serrated knife
  • Candle stub or paraffin
  • Fine-line black permanent marker
  • Pencil with dull point
  • Ruler
  • Paintbrushes: stiff-bristled; disposable sponge, three
  • Disposable palette
  • Water basin
  • Paper towels
  • Scissors
  • Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
  • Saw-tooth picture hanger (optional)

Instructions

  • 1. Use marker to trace pattern outlines onto foam sheets asindicated; details will be added later. There are nineseparate foam pieces; body/tail is one large piece. Waxserrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Carefully cutalong traced lines. In addition, cut one 2" x 4" piece from1"-thick foam sheet for dowel anchor. If making rooster forindoors, omit anchor.
  • 2. Taper left edge of each wing as indicated on pattern. Useknife to cut foam at a diagonal from dashed line on top frontof wing toward bottom left edge.
  • 3. Use pencil with dull point to indent dashed lines shown onbody/tail pattern: head/wattle; chest; tail.
  • 4. Using photo and pattern as guides, glue foam piecestogether. Glue Wing B to Wing A; glue wing to body. Glue combto back of rooster's head and tail feathers to front of body,behind wings. Glue dowel anchor to center back of rooster.
  • 5. Use stiff brush to apply one coat primer to dowel androoster, including back and sides; let dry.
  • 6. Use disposable brush to apply two generous coats of ironfinish to all primed surfaces. Follow manufacturer'sinstructions for drying time.
  • 7. When dry, use disposable brush to apply one to three coatsof rust finish over iron finish. More coats result in more"rust"; apply as many as needed to achieve desired effect.Follow manufacturer's instructions for drying time.
  • 8. Use disposable brush to apply one coat sealer.
  • 9. Glue dowel into foam anchor at back of rooster. To displayoutdoors, push dowel directly into ground. To display indoors,glue picture hanger to center back of rooster instead.