gravel stream bed habitat Q.

[duxdog]

I am going to do a coffee table display with a real river bottom (lots of golf ball sized stones). It's my first one. Can I buy artificial stones or am I supposed to use real ones? Thanks.

[Nina]

I think the real ones would look better.
You could look into Art Rocks though if the weight of the real ones will be an issue. I have heard that they look convincing.

[duxdog]

Thanks Nina, I thought using real ones would get awful heavy. And trying to make fake ones would take forever. I know the real ones would look the best. I still haven't forgot about my idea. I am going to have you do a couple of drawings of some of my deer mounts. Just got too much going on right now.

[duxdog]

Thanks again, I just found an article in a back issue of breakthrough on how to make pebble sized gravel. go figure.

[jonny]

real ones would get pretty heavy I used oasis foam to make rocks you can shape it with your hands then paint them

[DDavis]

You can use art rock ,I like the smaller art rock . I mix up some paint thin it down so it is wash . Use different colors . oranges, browns, greens, sienna, tans, etc. What ever colors you like. Mix the colors in different containers and dip the art rock in the paint washes . pull them out after the paint covers them , lay out and let dry. I use lacquer it will dry faster. After you have all of the different color of rock you want and they have dried mix them together . Mix a 50/50 glue and water mix the rock in it and put on you base . After it has dried you can spray the 50/50 glue mix through a air brush over the top for a final sealing of it . I have done some this way and they have turned out good.     

[duxdog]

Thanks, can't wait to start it.