How to make a stone Japanese lantern with your own hands

Landscape design elements, including lamps made in traditional Japanese style, are popular among gardeners around the world.
These small architectural forms have a unique, recognizable design, introducing oriental notes into the layout of the site.

You will learn about what Japanese garden lanterns are, their design features, pros and cons, from this article.

Master class Craft product Modeling Japanese lantern made of cement MK Gypsum cement

Here it is not painted yet. painting is the worst thing for me)))

Each part of the lantern is made separately, according to its shape. I first picked up all the shapes, stacked them on top of each other, changed some things, removed some, and then started sculpting. First the base-legs. I took a mold, covered it with film (I love this texture with veins, but if someone doesn’t like it, you can do it without film, just first grease the mold with oil) I take cement 1:1 with sand and add water to make a thick mass like dough and I start laying out the bottom first, and then moving up the legs. and left it to dry for a day.

For the next element, I took a plate, also covered it with film and simply filled the plate with cement and leveled it.

I had to tinker with this element. I also first covered the bottom and made walls in a circle, then pressed three bottle caps into the walls, like a window))

And let it dry. but not completely. After about 6 hours, I carefully took out the mold, the cement was still soft, but it held its shape and did not spread, and carefully took out the lids, helping with a knife. and left it to dry.

And the roof of the lantern, first the bag and then filled the mold with cement, lifting it a little in the right places. I rolled it into a ball and placed it in the center and also left it to dry.

A day passed and I began to get all the parts of the lantern. this is the basis.

Another reason))) is that it’s from a plate.

house with windows))) I couldn’t remember the Japanese names))

stacked on top of each other. It was possible to make a hole in the center of each part and, during assembly, stretch a wire with a light bulb, then the lamp would burn. but I have a pond on the side of the house, the electricity is strained, that’s why it’s like that.

And once again the flashlight is painted. If you liked my flashlight, come visit me again, I still have a lot of cement work and MK on it.

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Place in the garden

If you are thinking about buying a Japanese lantern for your garden, think carefully about the design first. Determining the proper placement of a stone lantern is important to enhance its aesthetic appeal and functionality. You can use a lantern as a focal point for your garden. Maybe it’s worth combining it with a pond or fountain? The presence of soft lighting near the water will add an element of mysticism. This garden decoration may seem simple, but its artistic value is incomparable. Japanese garden lanterns have been around for centuries and have stood the test of time. Therefore, in the modern garden they find their rightful place.

Types of flashlights

In recent years, the popularity of Japanese stone lanterns has increased significantly, but not many people know that in ancient times such lanterns were used in temples and monasteries to protect fire from various external factors. They began to be used for practical purposes only in the 16th century.

There are several types of similar flashlights

When choosing Japanese lanterns, you need to start from the fact that they are produced using ancient technologies, thanks to which in the daytime they serve as a beautiful and elegant decoration of the garden, and at nightfall they perform their main function of illuminating the area. The main types of Japanese lanterns include:

A little history

These are complex stone structures including a base, a stand, a hollow lattice lantern with openings for light, and an Asian-style roof. Japanese garden lanterns (Ishi-Doro) originated thousands of years ago. At first they were made of metal and were mainly used to illuminate the entrances to temples. Later they were made from stone for use in Japanese garden landscaping. Japanese tea ceremonies were often held in the evenings, so light was necessary.

Manufacturing instructions

Japanese lanterns can be purchased ready-made or made yourself. To make lanterns with your own hands, the best material is foam concrete. Such blocks are much easier to process than brick and other materials.

Lanterns are made (cut) not monolithic, but consisting of several parts: dome, roof, base, spire. The finished parts are glued together using facade putty, which practically does not differ in color from foam concrete, and therefore the joints in the finished product are practically invisible (it is not advisable to use concrete).

The main tools for work are a hacksaw, files and sandpaper. If there is no experience in carrying out this kind of work, then at the initial stage it is advisable to make drawings.

It takes experienced specialists from 10 to 14 days to make one flashlight.

When the product is ready, it is coated with acrylic paint. The color choice is chosen so that the lantern fits perfectly into the garden design.

Japanese lanterns are not only products that act as lighting devices, they also serve as decoration for any garden, local area and summer cottage. Their main task is to create additional comfort, a calm and sincere atmosphere.

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Magic Lanterns of Wishes

DIY garden ideas are so capacious that an ordinary plastic bottle can be turned into an “almost magical” object. Moreover, it’s quite simple.

It does not matter whether water is actually present - in the Karesansui style it is symbolized by gray gravel or sand, with the presence of the sea itself indicated by certain grooves and shapes in the sand. The stones represent a vibrant, positive masculine force called yang. Each stone is selected according to its shape, structure and color. It is also important that the stones do not lie individually, but fit organically into the landscape, creating the illusion that the surface on which they are located is only a small part of what is hidden and invisible to the eye.

For example, Chinese wishing lanterns are considered magical. Real Chinese wishing lanterns are flying (they are filled with hot air or gas). But they don’t fly all the time: waiting for a special occasion, Chinese lanterns serve as decorations for the garden or home (in a suspended state), as well as original lamps.

Crafts for the garden in the form of Chinese lanterns are a rewarding endeavor. The material is free and available in unlimited quantities. The technique is the simplest. But it requires caution.

Very often they are of volcanic origin - granite, chlorite, basalt and others. The composition consists of a large number of odd numbers of stones: seven, five, three. An important element of a Japanese garden are stone paths. The stones are laid so that the long axis is perpendicular to the direction of the path, and the uneven side of the stone is buried in the ground. For the Japanese, the existence of a sea without islands is unthinkable. The creation of these rock islands in a marine conservation garden borrows heavily from practices imported from China.

The concept of "shumisen-shiyo" or "utopia, holy place" is recreated in the garden. The Island of Eternal Happiness, called Horace or Horaijima, becomes an important feature of the Japanese garden. Later, under the influence of Buddhism, this island was replaced by Shumisen, the legendary mountain where Buddha is believed to live. Often the two concepts were equivalent. Among these models is the “turtle island” as a symbol of longevity and eternity, because according to Chinese mythology, a turtle lives ten thousand years. Another symbol of prosperity is the "kibun" or "treasure ship" that sails the seas - it is represented by a composition of several stones.

How to cut a plastic bottle straight?

In order for the stripes of the Chinese lantern to be even, first of all, the bottle needs to be marked. It’s better to do this with a felt-tip pen: the lines are clearly visible on the plastic and washes off easily.

It seems that cutting a plastic bottle straight is difficult: the plastic of the future garden craft will sag when cut. In fact, it's simple. The empty bottle must be closed with a lid, and puncture holes must be made with a hot awl or nail at the beginning of the lines (for example, at the neck). And from these holes, slowly, we cut along the lines with sharp scissors. The result is perfectly even strips.

How to make spherical crafts from plastic bottles

When you cut the bottle into strips, the bottle will still hold its shape. Therefore: we make two holes in the bottom with a hot awl and stretch the fishing line through them to the neck. The more we stretch, the more the shape of the craft made from plastic bottles becomes like a ball. We secure the ends of the fishing line to the neck (we tie it, wrap it, or make more holes).

The blank for garden crafts made from plastic bottles is ready. Let's start turning it into a Chinese lantern.

How to color a Chinese lantern

First of all, the workpiece needs to be painted with bright colors (acrylic, for example, but oil can also be used). Paint carefully with a thin brush so as not to stain adjacent strips. This is a simple coloring option, but bright and beautiful.

The second option: painting the craft in one color (red, for example), and applying hieroglyphs to the stripes with contrasting paint. It turns out amazing, despite the fact that the stripes diverge (or maybe because of this). Decorating crafts made from plastic bottles with hieroglyphs is interesting in itself. But you can put hieroglyphs with meaning. For example, the hieroglyphs for “love”, “health”, “well-being”, etc. You can find many images of hieroglyphs on the Internet, so this is not a problem. Painted crafts can be opened with varnish - they will look absolutely amazing.

Look at real Chinese lanterns and maybe ideas for additional decorations will come to your mind. Do not try to repeat the decorations exactly: real Chinese lanterns have different shapes and are decorated in different ways.

How to hang a lantern or make a craft lamp

Hanging Chinese lanterns on tree branches or attaching them to a street canopy or gazebo is very simple. We insert a stick with a fishing line, twine, or ribbon attached into the neck, and turn it so that it fits into the spacer. Can be hung.

It’s just as easy to make a lamp out of this craft for the garden. Just first you need to insert the wire through the neck of the workpiece and secure it. It’s simple, since the neck is narrow, you can use a washer, a plate with a hole, or simply seal it with some kind of non-flammable material. Option: close the neck with a plug, make a small hole in it so that the wire can be pulled through, but with difficulty. The light bulb can be screwed in by spreading the strips of the craft.

The embodiment of this idea for a garden with your own hands - an elegant and, without a doubt, magical Chinese lantern (granting wishes) - will bring you pleasure and will decorate your site in an original way. And, of course, don’t waste your time on trifles: make not one, but several of these lanterns - after all, you have many desires. By the way, such crafts for the garden can be made from bottles of different sizes: 0.5 l, 1 l, 1.5 l, 2 l. Together, bright, elegant lanterns of different sizes look simply wonderful.

Start

Deciding to make a stone-like lantern out of concrete, I chose the Yakimi lantern (Yukimi-toro), which is traditionally displayed near a pond. This is exactly what I need. I searched the Internet for information about how people make it. It’s an amazing thing that people can’t imagine anything they can use to construct the object of their dreams! So I made it from what I had at hand.

All kinds of rubbish

I selected all this to begin with, as it seemed to me, just what was suitable in size and shape for use as forms for pouring concrete blanks for the lantern. Composing and connecting these items with each other, I looked for different options to get something similar to a lantern. Well, that's about it.

Some semblance.

Funny, is not it? Yes, all this is very funny, it seems... But if you turn on your imagination and spatial thinking, you can imagine what the lantern will roughly look like. I imagined and it became clearer to me what objects I would use as molds for future casting. It is also important to understand how to prepare all these forms, so that you can then extract the finished casting more or less intact! Now I’ll figure out what I need for work!

How to make lanterns - the most magical ideas!

In fairy tales, we often read about a path through a dark forest to a small source of light that suddenly appeared between the trees, or about a hall decorated with multi-colored lights, or about a mysterious kind man who lights lanterns in the evenings... Maybe this is where our love for homemade lanterns - to those who have a living light inside or to those who remind us of this light?

Today we will talk about lanterns, which, if desired, you can make yourself or with the participation of children - for a room, for a garden, for a Christmas tree or a corner of dreams. Such magic lanterns can easily turn an ordinary evening into a fairy tale.

What materials can you make your own lanterns from? We have collected a lot of ideas for inspiration - here is a paper lantern, very simple, but a garden lantern - probably full of stars... Here is an ice lantern, here is an orange one, and here is a lantern made from what is at hand - for example, from clothespins...

However, first things first...

Paper lanterns - simple and intricate

The simplest - and the most fun

Any child can make colorful paper lanterns with their own hands. Look at the samples: the main thing is that there is a desire to decorate it and glue light paper ribbons - let them sway at the slightest breath. Like fire!

Recommended by moms - the best New Year's books for children

The flashlight itself is such a cute symbol that some homemade flashlights are forgiven for their non-functionality: even if they don't shine, they are still beautiful! Plus, imagine how fun it is to make them!

Transformations of classic paper lanterns

You can decorate those lanterns that you already have (for example, lanterns from Ikea are very grateful in this regard) - and add a completely new note to the atmosphere of the room.

Paper lantern: punch more holes!

There are different models of paper lanterns that you can make with your children. For example, such multi-colored polka dots with holes will decorate even a very simple model, and most importantly, it will easily and cheerfully replace a full-fledged educational activity.

Paper lantern in the shape of a house

Wonderful lantern houses (or palaces) will probably remind you of three bewitchingly beautiful paper master classes , and they are very easy to make. Probably, if you draw templates together with your children, using all your imagination, it will turn out even more interesting than in the photographs. The main thing is to make the grooves, and you don’t even have to get dirty with glue: everything will stick!

DIY lanterns using origami technique

You can also make paper lanterns using the origami technique. Here are the paper lanterns themselves in the shape of a flower (or a star?), and how to make them - you can watch the detailed master class at the link.

Homemade lanterns from photographs

If you want to let the wind of wandering into your home, then lanterns from photographs of beautiful buildings and castles will look very unusual and stylish. How to make them? It’s not at all surprising if you already understand - but just in case, you can look at the source.

Homemade lanterns from threads or narrow braid... The authors assure that it is very simple - a balloon, glue, threads, a needle that will pierce a hole in the balloon... Probably, it’s really simple. And the result looks so natural, as if these balls grow on trees on moonlit nights.

homemade lanterns, or patterned shadows

If this matches the interior, lanterns made from napkins will be a wonderful solution. How to make them?? By sewing a “lace sleeve” for a jar or matching vase. There is also a technique of painting from a spray bottle through a napkin - but if you don’t feel sorry for the original handmade...

Decorative lanterns made from clothespins

Cute, very simple idea for those who have... wooden clothespins. You will need: an empty tin can, a transparent glass, clothespins - and candles. A wonderful idea for a backyard party any time of year!

Gold and silver? Magic lantern made of thick foil

How to make a flashlight with your own hands - safe, shiny, fabulous? You can try a very interesting technique by making a flashlight from thick foil. Extruding lines (almost like embossing), cutting out windows... We draw a house on a rectangular sheet of foil, and as a result we assemble a voluminous, shining fairy-tale house! Who lives in the house? Of course, someone very good!

Work progress

The most important stage in creating a lantern is casting (sculpting) the parts.

"Legs"

I mentally divide my lantern into three parts: the “legs” of the lantern, the middle part – the “house” and the roof. I'll start with the feet. Realizing that I simply couldn’t cast the “legs” and couldn’t find matching shapes, I decided that I would sculpt them. Since the legs will carry all the load, they must be very strong and stable. I decided that I would reinforce them with iron rods, which I (yay!) found on the farm. I prepare a solution very thick, like plasticine, mix it with my hands, add to the concrete 1:2 just a little water and a little liquid soap (I use it for washing dishes), and a little PVA construction glue.

I prepare the shape for the “legs” from a large flower pot. I lay it out with film from the bag and roughly divide it into 4 parts. I start sculpting the legs from the lower central part of the pot to ¼ of the bottom and then up, gradually narrowing the leg at the edge of the pot. I put a layer of about 5 cm at once. I also sculpt three more legs. Next, I lay out the iron rods, having previously bent them in a semicircle, from the leg to the center, and lightly press them into the concrete.

Leg sculpting

Next, I lay out the top layer of concrete over all the legs, and, covering the reinforcement, form the bottom and “feet” of the legs. I knead everything properly, giving the legs the desired shape. When everything is laid out, I compact it all with a saucepan of a suitable shape, having previously greased it with oil. All! Now this beauty needs to stand for 48 hours.

The final

I am preparing a place to install the lantern. It should be near the water, on a high bank, so that the reflection of the lantern can be seen. The area under the lantern must be very level and reliable, since the entire lantern has a decent weight.

First I install the legs, they are very heavy, I lay out a little thin cement mortar on top and install the house, having first passed the wire from the light bulb into the hole. I screw in the light bulb.

And lastly, I cover everything with a roof. The roof should be removable so that it is convenient to change the light bulb if necessary. OK it's all over Now. Yes, you still need to connect the plug to the wire... A little more effort... Well, you can turn on the flashlight!

And... Oh miracle! You've done it!

Lantern reflected in the pond

Even though my lantern is just a naive, unsightly imitation of a real Japanese lantern, it was made with my own hands and, as it seems to me, it still greatly decorated the shore of my pond. And the twinkling light in the twilight attracts him, and he can dream about a Japanese garden!

Thanks to everyone who had the patience to finish reading my story!

Source

Chinese lanterns for the New Year

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A wonderful New Year's decoration that came to European countries from the Middle Kingdom - paper lanterns. By making them, the family will have fun and usefully spend time. You can make a garland from ready-made lanterns, decorate a Christmas tree with them, or simply hang single copies around the room. Our ancestors have long believed that this decor brings good luck into the house.

This article presents six master classes on making Chinese paper lanterns with your own hands of varying complexity with photos and diagrams. Choose the appropriate option according to your personal preferences and completely transform your home for the New Year.

ru_japan

Japan

It would perhaps be appropriate to continue the conversation about Japanese gardening with a story about lanterns and lamps in the garden. Actually, I planned to time this post to coincide with the installation of a lantern in our garden, to illustrate it with step-by-step pictures, but due to bad weather, our garden work is being postponed for now. Therefore, I will make a short post about our lantern a little later. For now, I’ll tell you in general.

Traditional lanterns, whose common name is toro

, perhaps the most recognizable element of the Japanese garden. Often designers, when creating an Asian-style garden, first of all install such a lantern, immediately giving the composition a Japanese flavor. Thoros come in bronze, wood and stone. Stone ones are most famous. They are preferred because, of all materials, stone combines best with other elements of the garden.

These lanterns came to Japan from China along with Buddhism. Initially, lamps of this type illuminated the space near temples. In their form they repeat the outlines of temple architecture. Having become one of the design elements in monastery gardens, they then migrated from there to secular culture.

And this is a plastic imitation for a budget option

Bronze standing lantern

Hanging bronze lanterns.

katsuga lantern

similar to Tachi-gata, but has the ornate carvings. It is made from at least four separately cut parts.

Yukimi-gata on two supports

The lantern in the first photo is covered with moss. In a Japanese garden, it is highly valued when things have traces of time on them. Preference is given not to new accessories, but to those covered with moss and patina. Often lanterns or other small forms are artificially aged. This is consistent with the story of the tea master Sen Rikyu, who could not understand what he did not like about the stone lantern in his garden. Finally he realized that the shape of the lantern was too artificial and did not fit into nature. Then he knocked off the edge of the lantern with a hammer and, destroying its ideality, made it fit in the garden.

In the Japanese garden you can find lanterns assembled from simple unprocessed stones, selected according to shape and size. in their simplicity and naturalness, they reflect the simplicity of Zen ideas.

A few words about the pagoda-shaped

. They are always square in cross section and the number of tiers will necessarily be odd. Such a pagoda in the garden can be seen on natural elevations, on a hill.

Next time I will tell you the role of stone in Japanese gardening traditions.

Source

Stone lanterns and towers

When decorating, sand and fine gravel (size up to 2 mm) are often used.

Colors can be very different - gray, white, black, dark brown. In order to prevent clogging of lawns, fine gravel and sand are placed in small areas of the garden, but it should be borne in mind that such areas must be reliably protected from the wind. For this you can use brick borders or stones.

Another integral part of such a creation is lanterns made of stone; they traditionally act as the decoration and pride of a Japanese garden. In most cases, they are located on the edge of a stream or other body of water, where there is a turn in the path or bridge. In a group where there are large stones, such stone lanterns are often the main elements; a tree can be placed behind them, it will look very attractive. Lanterns can be made not only from stone, but also from wood or pumice.

Stone pagoda towers are also a traditional decoration of any Japanese garden; such structures most often consist of several tiers (the number of tiers must be odd) with quadrangular plates (but there can be hexagonal and octagonal plates). If you plan to build a small garden, then you can easily limit yourself to a five-tier tower. Such towers are located near bridges, ponds, water streams, in front of large trees or near decorative stones.

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Stone lanterns - exotic from the Land of the Rising Sun

Lantern on the shore, Candle fire inside. My garden at night is having a conversation with the moon. I look and dissolve in a fairy tale...

When creating a Japanese-style garden, we use special elements and symbols. One of these elements is stone lanterns. They have an ancient history, differ in types, each of which is intended for a strictly specific place. The lantern consists of several parts: base, support, stand for the light chamber, light chamber, roof and top. Some types of lanterns do not have all of these parts. The main types of lanterns are kasuga-toro, yukimi-toro, yamadoro-toro, oki-toro, oribe-toro. A small candle is placed in the light chamber; its swaying light creates a mysterious atmosphere in the garden.

- This is the most elegant and largest of the lanterns. It is decorated with rich carvings. Kasuga-toro is installed in a prominent place, next to the entrance. Two such lanterns can form a symmetrical pair.

designed for admiring the snow. That's why it has a very wide flat roof. Often installed near water so it can be reflected.

installed in shady places, in the far corners of the garden. This lantern is made from roughly cut stones. Over time, it becomes overgrown with greenery.

- the smallest of the Japanese stone lanterns. It is installed near shallow water, in Zen gardens, near a dry stream.

Japanese stone lantern. How to do it yourself.

“A samurai without a sword is like a samurai with a sword, but without the sword.” This old Japanese wisdom is taken by some as a joke, while others explain it seriously. In this case, it fits my job description very well. My lantern is similar to the Japanese stone lantern, but made of wood.

The idea of creating a stone lantern seemed very interesting to me for a long time, but the question arose of how and what to make it from. I have never tried cutting stone. Michelangelo's famous phrase that it is enough to take a stone and cut off all unnecessary things did not add to the enthusiasm. Conducted several experiments on working with concrete. This option was more realistic, but had its drawbacks. Firstly, it was a problem for me to make small parts, secondly, the weight of the product - it would be difficult to move it, thirdly, I would be tied in time, since concrete cannot be put aside at any moment and returned to work later. The only option left was to make the lantern out of wood. It certainly won’t be possible to light an open fire in it, like in a real lantern, but it will be light in weight and I believed in my abilities to figure out how to make it in a home workshop. This is what I want to share in this article.

Preparation and selection of material. I started the work by drawing a sketch to scale. Usually I rarely do this and keep the “picture” in my head, but here it will be necessary at least to maintain the shape and proportions.

In the finale, the lantern slightly changed its appearance, but the main proportions were preserved. As a material, I used construction pine and larch, which were left over from the roof repair. Moreover, the wood was far from being of the best quality and therefore did not find use for a long time. It was possible to use it, since I initially knew that I would paint the lantern and therefore practically did not pay attention to the knots and defects of the boards. Almost all of the raw edges will be scraps and do not need to be pre-aligned. Thanks to this choice, the cost of the lantern is very small, but there was a lot of work.

Base assembly. After checking the sketch, I realized that the existing 100x100mm beam is a little small for the legs.

Therefore, I glued additional bars at the bottom of the leg. Then I printed and cut out a life-size template from cardboard. On the inside of the leg, I outlined it on two planes, maintaining symmetry relative to the vertical of the inner edge.

Types of flashlights

There are several types of similar flashlights

Japanese lanterns

Feudal Japan of the Middle Ages was a closed state and had its own sophisticated, highly developed culture, different from other countries of the East. The heritage is alive to this day, and even more than that, it influences the development of world culture. This is mostly reflected in the architecture, painting, music and leisure activities of European countries. Lanterns from the Middle Kingdom are just one imprint of such assimilation.

Categories of lamps from the Middle Kingdom

Source aminoapps.com

As I mentioned above, such lamps can be divided by appearance into four categories:

Andon. The rectangular lampshade of such a lantern was made of rice paper, mounted on a frame of bamboo sticks. This transparent design was placed over a stone or ceramic lamp with an oil wick.
Bomboree. This is the same andon in design, but significantly smaller in size and with a hexagonal lampshade. Bombori could be worn around the neck as a lantern and decoration, which was often done by geisha.
Chotin. Unlike the andon, the chochin had a round lampshade with a bamboo spiral and a handle for transportation. It could be used as a lamp to illuminate the path in a dark room or outdoors.
Thoreau. This is a stationary lantern made of stone (very rarely metal). It was installed in temples and palace gardens. As a rule, the lamp was mounted on a low or high stand made of stone or bronze.

Source pinterest.com

Note: such flashlights are still used today, not only in Japan, but also in Europe, only the oil wick is replaced by a modern electric light bulb.

This is interesting: the well-known traffic light that regulates traffic on the streets is made in the shape of an andon.

Making a Thoreau Lantern

Source lifeinjapan.ru

As I have seen for myself, a Japanese lantern can be made with your own hands, but at the same time using modern building materials. The original used stone, and we will not deviate from the original source, only our stone will be cement.

To make a lantern you will need:

Portland cement M400 – 7 kg (partial 10 l bucket);
tile adhesive Ceresit CM 11 – 4 kg;
sand - 1 bucket;
aluminum or copper wire Ø 2-4 mm – 10 m;
dense polyethylene (if required);
plastic bowl Ø 350-400 mm;
sandpaper or diamond mesh as an abrasive (if required);
container for cement mortar;
electric drill and mixer;
spatulas with blade widths of 50 mm and 100 mm;
socket, light bulb (preferably LED);
glass or plastic transparent lampshade;
double insulated cord:
a piece of metal tube Ø 8-10 mm;
acrylic paint.

Recommendation: it is best to use the Ceresit CM 11 brand of tile adhesive - it is universal and is not afraid of moisture, heat and cold. You should not make the mixture elastic by using PVA, soap and other elements - they are washed out by moisture and the cement stone loses its strength (becomes friable).

Let's get started

The entire lantern can be divided into three parts: legs, lampshade and roof. Considering that cement stone can crack due to mechanical loads (shocks and pressure), we will reinforce all these components with non-ferrous metal wire (whichever you find) - it is easy to bend to the desired shape.

Source volk1.ru

First, mix the solution in a container, and it is advisable to do this with a mixer rather than with a shovel - intensive kneading leaves no room for air bubbles and turns the components into a homogeneous mass. When adding ingredients, follow the order: water - cement - sand - glue and at the end add the required amount of water. In this order, the cement stone will be the strongest after complete hardening (21 days). After whipping, the consistency of the mixture should be similar to mashed potatoes or thick sour cream.

Tip: if you have poured too much water into the solution, you should not add sand or cement to thicken it - it is better to do this with tile adhesive.

Source 7dach.ru

Take a plastic bowl, line it with plastic (try to have fewer wrinkles) - this will be the shape of the stand. However, if you don’t mind the bowls, then you don’t need to lay it with PE - the stand will be smoother and you won’t have to sand it. Place a cross piece similar to the one you see in the top photo in a bowl and reinforce the legs and center. If there is an opportunity and desire, then instead of copper or aluminum, the legs can be reinforced with rolled steel wire with a cross-section of 5-6 mm. Such a rod will definitely not be damaged. Smooth the inside of the stand with a spatula, and insert a tube or fitting in the center - this will be a channel for the electrical cord.

Source 7dach.ru

While the stand is hardening, let's work on the lampshade with the windows. It can be not only square, as in the photo above, but also round, if you use a bucket as a matrix. Moreover, you can take a straight bucket rather than a conical one - such containers are used for paints and varnishes and primers (you don’t mind cutting something like this to take out your sculpture). No matter what you use, it is important to distribute equal pieces of foam of the same size around the perimeter of the mold and glue it so that it does not move. Spread the solution over the mold with a centimeter layer, and insert the reinforcement, and then increase the thickness of the walls to about 2 cm. It will be very useful if the foam inserts are also 20 mm thick - then the planes can be easily leveled with a spatula.

The lid also needs to be cast in a bowl, just like the legs we talked about earlier. If you want, leave the product as you take it out of the matrix, but you can also make a ball on top of it. To do this, take a tennis ball, cut off part of it and push the solution inside - then you can easily glue such a sphere to the mineral surface with tiled ceresite.

To attach an electric lamp, you can go in different ways, for example, simply install a small table lamp with a shade in the center of the stand, not SM-11. But you can also take the cartridge and fix it with the same glue, after connecting it to the power cable. A good lampshade can be made from a round matte bottle, in which various household chemicals are sold, but the top must be open - this is necessary for air circulation, otherwise the plastic will melt.

Source wikipedia.org

Do not rush to remove the cast parts from the dies - they must harden sufficiently. This will take at least 3-4 days. If you notice defects in the form of recesses in some areas of the surface, repair them with tile adhesive and a spatula, and if there are any protrusions, carefully cut them off with the same spatula. If there is a need for grinding, do not rush to do it - it is advisable to use sandpaper or mesh for processing at least two weeks after pouring. When assembling the lantern, you can install the sections with tile adhesive, but this is not necessary - they are quite heavy and will be stable without additional fixation.

Rock garden

The Japanese garden is the only type of garden that can consist entirely of stones. Yes, yes, no flowers at all. Only stones - ancient boulders overgrown with moss, angular cobblestones and small shiny pebbles.

In Japanese tradition, stones have very multifaceted meanings, ranging from longevity to the infinity of time and connection with ancestors. We do not encourage you to try to build a stone kingdom on your 6 acres, but dry streams of stones will be very appropriate and will even help you zone the space.

How to place stones in a Japanese garden?

When making a Japanese rock garden with your own hands, you need to pay special attention to how the stones are placed. Their location must be diagonal, parallel or almost parallel to the main line of the garden. For this, it is recommended to use untreated stones, which may be covered with rust and moss, this makes the overall appearance more natural. Those that have been corroded by wind or water will work well and will often turn greenish, reddish, bluish, whitish or brownish in color.

Regarding the number of stones - it can be different, but it should always be odd, you can take 3, 5, 7 pieces and all of them need to be grouped according to the “3-2-2” or “2-3-2” scheme. In most cases, the composition consists of three stones (one large stone and two smaller ones are taken for this purpose). If five or more pieces are used at the top of the composition, then they should be made in the shape of a triangle, they should have a single common point (then it can be omitted).

The stones are installed on the surface; they can also be partially buried in the ground at an angle to the surface of the earth. There is free space between them, it can be filled with various herbaceous plants or shrubs, it all looks very beautiful.

Sidewalks and paths made of stones are an integral part of the Japanese garden; in order to make them, you need to choose stones that have one smooth side, this side remains on the surface, and the part that is uneven is buried in the ground. The long axis of each of these stones is perpendicular to the path.

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Manufacturing instructions

The main tools for work are a hacksaw, files and sandpaper. If there is no experience in carrying out this kind of work, then at the initial stage it is advisable to make drawings.

It takes experienced specialists from 10 to 14 days to make one flashlight.

When the product is ready, it is coated with acrylic paint. The color choice is chosen so that the lantern fits perfectly into the garden design.

Japan has many of the most beautiful and varied gardens, striking in their combinations and proportions of selected components. A Japanese garden can be defined as a small landscaped area of Japan, and each element of this small model surprises with its special appearance.

One of the main places in any garden is occupied by various garden structures. Typically made from materials such as metal, bamboo, clay, wood and stones.

Japanese gardens are decorated with such objects as: bridges, hedges, benches and stone garden lanterns (or). However, this is certainly not a complete list of decorative elements of the garden.

Japanese garden lanterns are placed in different places in the garden, in particular near ponds, along paths that cross the garden, next to bridges and bridges; near traditional buildings - Tsukubai, which are stone ceremonial bowls filled with water.

The number and height of Japanese stone garden lanterns placed in the garden depends on the size of the area and the personal taste of the owner.

For this reason, they can be divided into several types:

≈ The first place is occupied by a lantern called “Tachi-Gata”, which is translated from Japanese as “pedestal”. The purpose lies in the word itself - they are used to illuminate the place where the owner of the house conducts conversations with the most honorable people.

≈ The second type of Japanese garden lanterns is “Ikekomi-gata”. In Japan, a place is often reserved for this type of lantern near Tsukubai. However, some Japanese also install this type of lantern in other places.

In Japan, there is a legend according to which the lantern must be positioned so that the beam of light falling on it is certainly directed towards the ground. Therefore, as a rule, garden plots open to the sun are selected for the installation of “Ikekomi-gata”.

≈ Another lantern - Katsuga. It is similar to the Tachi-gata model, but has more ornate carvings. It is made from at least four separately cut elements.

≈ Another type of stone lanterns is called “Yakimi-gata” or “Yukimi-gata”, which means “appearing to be covered with snow.” The advantage of such lanterns is roofs with a square or round shape. The basis is the stands, which are made of stone or concrete.

Another advantage that deserves attention in this type of lantern is the frosted glass, which gives a smooth glow to the sunlight falling on it.

It is thanks to the frosted glass that this type of Japanese lamp received its name - it seems that the stones are covered with snow. These lights are usually placed near the edge of bodies of water.

≈ The fifth type of Japanese lanterns differs from the rest in its miniature size - and that is why it was called “Oki-gata”, which means “small lanterns”.

It will perfectly complement the landscape of a Japanese garden, in areas located near the path or on the shore of a pond. But in a small garden, this one can decorate the courtyard of the house.

As you may have guessed, the distinctive property of all the listed types of stone lanterns is their design and height, which varies from 0.5 - 3 m. But if you complement the landscape with a beautiful tree planted behind the stone lantern, you will only emphasize its size.

For example, for this you can take maple, which fits perfectly into the landscape, especially in autumn, when the leaves turn several shades of red and yellow. And against the background of such leaves, the grass looks even greener, and the stones look like gray guards of the garden.

These stone lanterns are especially beautiful at night, when they illuminate the surrounding view with the light of the candles located inside them. And immediately everything around transforms and takes on a mysterious look. It is in the light of such lanterns that the Japanese walk along the path to the house for tea ceremonies - Chashitsu.

Making a waterfall from cement to decorate your garden plot with your own hands

Decorating a site is a responsible matter. Previously, there was an article about how you can make simple garden decorations from cement. Today, in continuation of this topic, I propose to look at how you can make a waterfall on your site with your own hands using cement.

First, let's look at what kinds of waterfalls there are:

1. Large and complex with several water transition thresholds;

2. Small with one threshold or small transitions;

3. Dry waterfalls.

All of the waterfall options listed above can be made on your own site, but each will differ in its level of complexity. But cascading waterfalls attract a lot of attention, so making such decorations on the site will always take place.

Let's start with the largest option - building a large waterfall.

Big waterfall

One may be one of the most complex and at the same time simplest manufacturing options. The most difficult thing is to find a suitable place for it, since such waterfalls take up a large amount of space. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the accessibility and ease of its maintenance, so it is recommended that the approach to such a device be as convenient as possible.

To prepare such a waterfall, a hole is dug to serve as the base; the depth depends on the bowl that will be filled with water on the lower tier. Crushed stone and sand are laid at the bottom of the pit, then a dense film can be laid. In order to organize steps and decorate the bowl, a cement solution with additives is sometimes used. Liquid glass can be used as an additive, which will give the cement greater hydrophobic properties. Also, after drying, a special varnish can be applied to the cement, which will not allow water to penetrate into the pores and thereby increase the service life of the bowl. For decoration, small pebble stones can be mixed into the mortar at the mixing stage, or pebbles can be laid out on top of the mortar on top of an already dry cement bowl.

The base of the bowl steps can also be made of cement, decorating them with large stones, boulders or pebbles. Processing of cement and ready-mixed concrete is recommended in the same way as described in the previous paragraph with the bowl.

Around the fountain, alpine slides with small plantings of low-growing flowers and shrubs look good. This option will provide the most convenient access to all sides of the fountain for caring for it.

We must not forget to think through the pump system in advance in order to pour it into the solution in advance.

Below are options for large artificial waterfalls on the site. Sometimes plastic bowls are used for the lower bowl, which are installed at the base of the waterfall.

DIY Japanese garden in the country

Having heard the phrase “Japanese garden” out of the corner of a curious ear, many imagine only bright paper lanterns, a statue of a pot-bellied, imperturbable Buddha, or bright, agile fish in a pond. Meanwhile, a Japanese-style garden has many faces, and quite often there is only one solo element.

As you already understand, in our article today we will tell you how to create a Japanese-style garden on your small plot, or at least try to organize an atmospheric oriental corner there.

Stone sculptures

in a real Japanese garden they are never placed randomly or randomly.
And the sculpture itself cannot be anything. Each has its own meaning. Buddha - peace and tranquility, dragon - strength, lion - protection, turtle - longevity, crane - the desire to know the truth, etc. Sculptures in the Japanese garden. Photo from iStock.com/PicturePartners Leiden, Netherlands

If you are not immersed in Buddhist philosophy, then it is better not to overuse this kind of symbols and buy something neutral. Benefits of all kinds can be found without much difficulty. One “but” - for a Japanese-style garden they should be as natural as possible and painted in one tone, no riot of colors.

Gazebo and pond

It's great if these two elements are combined in your Japanese garden, because relaxing in it usually involves contemplating water. It is absolutely not necessary to build a fortress moat filled with water around the house and breed rare living creatures there - a small reservoir surrounded by curved trees or bushes will be enough.

As for the gazebo, don’t even think about organizing a barbecue there or anything like that. A gazebo in a Japanese garden suggests a leisurely, even slightly detached rest and should be an open space where you can sit down for a while and drink tea. It is usually performed in the form of a pagoda; It would also be a good idea to equip the path to it with small lanterns - this way you can easily make your way there in the evenings without the risk of falling into the fish pond.

Source

Varieties

Stone pedestal lanterns are the most popular among gardeners around the world. They fit perfectly with traditional plants of the Japanese garden and fully convey the mood of the Land of the Rising Sun.

By material

Authentic Toros are made from three types of material:

stone (originally the lantern was hollowed out from a single piece of granite, sandstone or other natural material; modern craftsmen use a concrete mixture);
wood;
bronze (a malleable metal with a noble shade allows you to create a particularly intricate pattern on the walls of the lamp).

Stone lanterns, even small ones, weigh more than 10 kg, so they are never suspended.

On sale you can find inexpensive imitations of Japanese garden lanterns made of plastic. When done well, they differ little in appearance from the original ones.

Shape

Garden Japanese lamps can be :

spherical shape;
cubic;
in the shape of a pagoda;
in the form of a polygon with 6 or 8 corners.

A characteristic feature of the Japanese lantern body is the presence of a wide figured roof.

Lamp type

Modern technologies make it possible to integrate various types of electric lamps into traditional Japanese lanterns :

ordinary incandescent light bulbs;
halogen;
LEDs.

The last option is the most practical, since the LED has a long service life and low energy consumption.

Sometimes Thoreau is left without a light element at all, leaving only a decorative function for it.

By installation method and fastening

Pendant Toros are always attached to the ring on the lantern cover and never to the side bracket . Other lamps can be placed on a high pedestal or placed directly on the ground.

By type of power supply

Landscape lamps can be saturated with energy :

from the electrical network;
from disposable batteries;
batteries;
from solar energy.

If the lamp is installed under the canopy of trees or in the thick of vegetation, then solar panels are not chosen as a power source. The light-catching panel should be in direct sunlight.

Control method

Electric garden lights can be turned on manually or using a remote control. Solar-powered lanterns light up automatically as soon as evening comes.

By method of application

Toro lamps are an integral part of the Japanese garden, playing strictly defined roles, depending on the design.

According to the rules of the Japanese garden, the lantern was assigned certain functions:

Tachi-gata illuminated the place where important guests were received, the main road on the site, and the central entrance to the house;
Yukimi was placed near a pond so that the light coming from it would be beautifully reflected from the water surface;
Yamodoro is placed in a shady corner, in the midst of plants;
Oki-gata looks harmonious in a small flowerbed, near a pebble bank, or in a mini garden;
Oribe is always close to the bowl for ablution (tsukubai);
Ikegomi is placed in open areas of the garden so that the sun's ray freely penetrates through the window on the lamp body and falls on the ground;
The pagoda is placed at the highest point of the site so that its top is higher than the largest Toro.

Very often Thoreau is placed in a quiet corner of the garden, where there is a small stream or fountain, a comfortable bench and table. It’s so nice to drink a cup of aromatic tea here, listening to the rustling of leaves, the murmur of water and watching the play of light coming from the lantern.

In Japanese garden culture, special attention is paid to the harmonious combination of man-made elements and living plants. The lamps organically fit into the existing landscape, giving them a touch of antiquity: populating the lid with moss, making small chips on the body.