Making Rock Home Page

After more than 25 years creating rock for civic, commercial, and residential projects, Mark Van Wickler is sharing his techniques, tools, and craftsmanship with landscapers, watershapers, and the ambitious DIY homeowners who want a real rock look without the tremendous cost. These videos demonstrate how to create realistic rock you can use to enhance any landscape project. Using common tools and inexpensive materials, the first video takes you through the process of creating simple rounded granite boulders and large, sharp-edged boulders for the landscape. Subsequent videos will demonstrate the entire process of creating ponds, streams, waterfalls, and facades using professional techniques that will give your projects the variety of rock and landforms found in nature.

Hand sculpted rock is less expensive than real rock to create and install. It is much lighter in weight than real rock, and can be formed into any shape or size. It can be used to cover unsightly objects in the landscape (like irrigation valves), and is so versatile it can be made to look like solid bedrock, boulders, and even dirt bank. Any combination of these landforms can be a part of your project. Additionally, you will have learned the techniques that allow you to create all kinds of faux rock benches, birdbaths, columns and other garden features.

Making Rock - VolumeOne 50 minutes

Part One - Simple granite boulders for the landscape. Part Two - Large sharp-edged boulders for the landscape.

Start with the basics. This video shows you many of the 'tricks of the trade' and demonstrates, start to finish, the simple processes of creating realistic boulders that you can create in place or place in your landscape once finished. This video includes step by step demonstrations on how to create two kinds of simple armature, how to carve and create various rock textures, and how to color and faux paint your completed boulders.