Beautiful and Unique Concrete Sculptures: A Gallery of Acid Stained Art and Pottery
Concrete sculpture projects are an exciting and rewarding way to add personal style and flair to your home or garden. And as DIY enthusiasts around the world have discovered, these projects are not only beautiful but also surprisingly easy to create with the right tools and techniques. In this gallery, we showcase the amazing work of our customer, who has used acid staining techniques to bring life and color to his concrete sculptures, art, and pottery. From elegant vases to playful animal figurines, these pieces are truly one-of-a-kind and sure to inspire your own concrete creations.
Add a pop of color to your garden with this Malayan Buff and Seagrass EverStain stained concrete planter. The acid staining techniques used create a stunning and unique look that will complement any outdoor space
These playful concrete otters are the perfect addition to our landscape, adding a touch of whimsy with their cute poses and colorful stain finishes. The black, coffee brown, and malayan buff DecoGel acid stains give them a natural and realistic look, making them a beloved feature in our outdoor space.
DIY Leaf Stencil Project on Concrete Using EverStain Acid Stains
Transform your concrete surfaces with this DIY leaf stencil project using EverStain acid stains. See how natural tones like Avocado, Desert Amber, and English Red create stunning outdoor designs
Add a Touch of Zen to Your Landscaping with this Multi-Colored Concrete Buddha
This beautiful concrete Buddha statue is the perfect addition to any outdoor space, and the use of Azure Blue, Black, and Coffee Brown acid stains adds depth and interest to the piece. The artist has expertly diluted the brown and black acid stains to create both subtle and pronounced color highlights, giving the statue a rich and varied appearance.
For a project like this, we highly recommend our Penetrating Sealer Hardener, which is a one-time application product with a matte finish. A glossy sealer would definitely detract from the quiet beauty of this piece, and the Penetrating Sealer Hardener will help protect and preserve the statue for years to come. Whether you’re looking to add a touch of Zen to your landscaping or simply appreciate the artistry of concrete sculpture, this piece is sure to delight and inspire.
Add a Pop of Color to Your Home with this Concrete Cat Stained with Malayan Buff DecoGel Acid Stain
This adorable concrete cat is the perfect addition to any home, and the use of Malayan Buff DecoGel acid stain gives it a unique and vibrant look. Acid staining is a popular technique for adding color and definition to concrete surfaces, and the DecoGel formula allows for easy application and consistent results. Whether you’re a seasoned DIYer or a beginner looking to try your hand at concrete projects, this cute cat is a great way to add a touch of personality to your space.
Rustic Anchors: A Concrete Artisan’s Success Story with Direct Colors
By Patrick Gavin – Anchors A Weigh
If you’re a small concrete artisan looking for top-quality products to elevate your projects, look no further than Direct Colors. Our customer, Rusticanchors, had a fantastic experience with our team and our products, resulting in a stunning final product.
After soaking the parts for their project in a water bath for three days and letting them dry for over a month, Rusticanchors applied our hard-troweled floor pre-treatment solution to the shiny areas. They then sprayed the parts with our Everlast Cola acid stain, but found that the colors weren’t deep enough. To achieve the desired rust color, they mixed the Cola with our English Red Everlast acid stain in a 50/50 ratio, which worked perfectly.
To neutralize the acid stain, Rusticanchors mixed baking soda with warm water in a squirt bottle and applied it to the parts, letting it sit for a short while before rinsing with water and letting the pieces dry for a couple of days. They then applied two coats of our Solvent-based Easyseal satin acrylic sealer, which really made the rust color pop.
In addition to using our Everstain and CitrusEtch products, Rusticanchors included a few personal tips that might help others with similar projects. They recommend running test strips to find the right mixture of acid stains, and allowing the second coat to dry longer if the first coat has etched deeper into the concrete. They also recommend using rebar or micro rebar in the concrete mix for added strength and durability.
Thanks to the helpful and knowledgeable staff at Direct Colors, Rusticanchors was able to create a beautiful and functional piece that they can be proud of. If you’re ready to take your concrete projects to the next level, we encourage you to give our products a try!
Concrete Mosaic Sculptures with Acid Staining: A Studio Artist’s Project
If you’re a fan of found object and neon art, you’ll love the work of this studio artist based in California. Recently, they’ve been working on large scale concrete mosaic sculptures and using Direct Colors’ Everstain products to add the finishing touches. In just two days, they were able to complete a project covering approximately 50 square feet.
For this project, the artist used the Acid Stain Colors Trial Kit and selected Azure Blue, Avocado, Sea Grass, Desert Amber, and Coffee Brown. They also used an acrylic, water-based satin sealer to add a glossy finish. In addition to the Direct Colors products, the artist used a unique blend of concrete mixed with sand, metakaolin, and fiberglass, allowing them to “sculpt” with the material. They also used thinset to set their tile and grout to complete the inlay.
While working on the vertical surface of this project, the artist learned that drips can be more prominent than expected. In the future, they plan to dab any drips with a sponge or intentionally use this effect for a desired look. Overall, they were thrilled with the results of the project and the translucency and variation in colors achieved with the acid staining techniques. If you’re interested in creating your own concrete mosaic sculptures, be sure to check out the Direct Colors products and take some inspiration from this talented artist’s work.
Concrete Celestial Mural: A Stunning Artistic Creation Using Acid Stains
By Tom Vogelsong
This stunning celestial mural is a true work of art, combining the beauty of concrete with the magic of the cosmos. Measuring approximately 28 square feet and taking around 30 hours to complete, this project was no small feat.
The artist used a mixed design including white Portland cement, sand, and perlite, and poured and vibrated the tiles together in a form to fit the radius of the arch. The Earth and Moon were cast separately, with the Earth being cast in a bass drum head and the Moon form being carved on a CNC machine in foam.
The Direct Colors acid stains used in this project – Coffee Brown, Malayan Buff, and Azure Blue – are versatile and work well with both grey and white Portland cement depending on the desired look. In this case, white cement was used to make the celestial swirling effect stand out. To achieve the color differences in the Earth part of the mural, the artist used salt and sand sprinkled on the concrete before applying the Azure Blue. The main field of the mural with Coffee Brown and Malayan Buff had very small iron dust/grindings scattered randomly after the stain was applied.
One of the challenges of this project was templating the arch opening to create the form, and the artist advises others to be prepared for some frustration when tackling a similar task. However, the final result is well worth the effort. The tiles are about a half inch thick and were polished to a gloss finish after staining. The artist recommends using perlite in the mix to make the tiles lighter weight, but warns that there is a learning curve to using this material and it’s important to experiment with it in other objects before attempting tiles. They also suggest using traditional thinset to place the tiles, and allowing them to cure properly to avoid warping. Overall, this celestial mural is a stunning example of the artistic possibilities of concrete and acid staining, and is sure to inspire others to create their own masterpieces.
Explore Concrete Pigment Planters, Tables, Statuary & More and discover the endless possibilities for creating beautiful, vibrant home decor. From concrete art and coasters to candle holders, add stunning color to all your DIY projects!
