Making Precious Art with “Precious Stone”

For this project I wanted to use Precious Stone as a material to cast my children’s hand prints, and then have fun painting them.

Display your finished piece with easel!

MATERIALS:

• Plain wooden block (scrap from hardware store).
• Old cardboard box.
• Precious Stone powder mix.
• Water.
• Children’s little hands.
• Hobby knife.
• Gesso Spray.
• Acrylic Paints.

STEPS:

1. Get a plain wooden block (scrap from a hardware store works fine).
2. Cut cardboard panels form an old unused box to fit around your wooden block.
3. Use shipping tape around the cardboard panels and also underneath, taping to underside of wood block, creating a box-like structure.
4. Place this “box” on old newspaper to protect your table in case of leakage.
5. MIX your Precious Stone solution. Directions on container say to mix 1/2 cup of water to every 1 cup of powder. I used TWO cups of powder and ONE cup of water to fill the area I needed (12″ x 8″). Make sure solution is smooth, without lumps, before pouring.
6. Pour Precious Stone mixed solution into your box.
7. Let the solution sit for 30-45 minutes. The solution will need to be ALMOST FIRM in order for the hand prints to be imprinted into the mixture. Keep poking the surface regularly with your fingertip to check firmness.
8. Get the kids! Tell them to keep perfectly still while you press their hands into the mixture – press hand down straight and firmly. Hold down for a few seconds and then bring hand up directly so the hand print doesn’t get smudged.
9. WASH HANDS! Make sure the kids wash their hands immediately to avoid mess. This stuff dries like powder very quickly when it’s just a thin layer on their hands. Wash thoroughly so there is no leftover residue on their hands.
10. After washing everyone’s hands, take a hobby knife and cut away the cardboard panels. If you wait until solution is completely dry, you will have trouble – the Precious Stone will stick to the cardboard, impossible to remove without damaging your mold.
11. While Precious Stone is still moist, dip your finger in water and smooth down the edges around the piece so your edges have a nice rounded appearance.
12. Let it sit for the rest of the night. Overnight is best to wait, to make sure it’s good and dry before the next step.
13. Apply Gesso Spray. I had to use liquid gesso (painted on with paintbrush), but Gesso Spray would have been better to get a nice even coverage without brush streaks. Gesso is necessary because without it the Precious Stone will ABSORB any and all pigment you try to apply! I tried using markers on a plain dried Precious Stone surface, and by the next day, the marker spot had VANISHED!
14. Let gesso dry. This doesn’t take long at all. After an hour at MOST, you’re ready for the next step!
15. PAINT AWAY! WHEE! I decided to use acrylic paints, but you can use any medium you choose. After the gesso is applied, it will be like painting on any other primed surface!
16. Display your finished work using an easel to prop it up – makes a nice finishing touch!

This will make an excellent keepsake for any mother or grandmother!

Wendy F.