Mod Roc Technique Focus

How-To Guides

Mod Roc, short for modelling rock, is a versatile sculptural material widely used in art, design, and education. Made from gauze coated with plaster of Paris, it becomes pliable when dipped in water, then hardens as it dries. This unique quality allows artists to quickly build form, texture, and structure, making it ideal for creating masks, models, sculptures, and surface textures.

Its appeal lies in its accessibility, it is lightweight, easy to use, and relatively inexpensive, while still offering strong, durable results. Whether you’re working on small classroom projects or ambitious installations, Mod Roc provides a practical medium to experiment with shaping, layering, and surface finishing techniques.

This guide will focus on developing skills with Mod Roc, exploring its handling, structural potential, and finishing processes to help you get the most from this adaptable material.

Step by step - Let's Create

Mod Roc is a great material for construction and sculpting, and will provide great coverage on many surfaces. It works best when used in conjunction with a supportive structure. Make shapes and form materials such as wire, Mod Mesh, boxes and bottles. Prepare cut lengths of Mod Roc that will fit the area you wish to cover. Just cut with scissors or buy pre-cut strips!

Dunk a strip of Mod Roc into some tepid water. Remove it from the water and run your fingers down the strip removing the excess liquid, then apply to the area you want to cover, overlapping layers by 20-30mm.

Whilst the Mod Roc is still damp, rub the surface gently using wet fingers as this will encourage the plaster to come to the surface of the cloth gauze and allow you to create a smooth surface. Each time you add a strip of Mod Roc, repeat this process. One or two layers will be enough to cover an object, but to obtain a rigid structure you should use a minimum of three or four layers.

You can make shapes out of Mod Roc easily and quickly by using the same dunking method and then forming shapes such as balls or rolls in your hands. You can then attach these forms with further strips of dunked Mod Roc.

Leave the Mod Roc structure to dry thoroughly in a well-ventilated room. The drying time will vary depending on the thickness of the Mod Roc and the environment in which it dries. Once it is dry, the structure can then be painted and decorated

Mod Roc can be painted with acrylic, ready mixed and spray paints. You can use ordinary glue such as PVA to stick other materials to the Mod Roc structure or mix 1-part PVA to 5 parts clean water and cover the surface structure with a thin layer to seal the surface. Alternatively, coat with yacht varnish for durability