ADC~ Materials Challenge: Paper Mache

Annabelle is so cute. Mr. Pumpkin head looks very cross. I wonder why? I've never had much success with papier mache. Maybe because I've always use wallpaper paste over balloons. then popped the balloon and the model collapsed. always!. I'll watch for now and have an experiment with glue to see if I can get it to work. It's O.K. to use an armature then like the styrofoam and bottle above or foil?

I love both of those!

I have my form finished and am ready to paint and embellish. I used an old plastic spice jar with a styrofoam ball for the head so it is fairly lightweight. I also (for the Halloween doll swap) used paper mache over an old candle stick with a small ball for the head. It turned out very well. :) So use whatever you wish for your armature.

If you'd like, you can use the paper mache strips sold in craft stores that you just dip in water. I used newspaper and telephone book paper with Elmer's Glue and water. There are some rough patches, but I am pleased with the results, overall. I will be adding some paperclay details too, but the body and head are composed of paper mache.

want to practice on this before joining swap and may not join this one we shall see how well this works for me - oh question on the paper mache the sites talk about a clay like mixture are you using that ? or just pape strips and the glue?

is the paper clay what the sites are talking about as i have that also

I am using paper pulp and glue, but I bought some of the strips that you dip in water and used that for another project, it worked well. I am going to do a paper clay challenge later on, but for this one, I wanted to try actual mache.

O.K. I'm gonna have a go. Please my partner be patient with me. if that's not O.K. let me know and i'll drop from the swap.

PLEASE try! I have made several now and can tell you that the strips work better than the pulp. I tried the pulp and it took 3-4 days to dry, then I had to sand it. Bleah. The strips went on better and dried within 24 hours.

So far, my armatures have been candlesticks, bottles, styrofoam, wire and wire mesh, and plastic sour cream containers, so a lot of things will work for the armature.

I haven't managed to find the strips yet. I got some powdery stuff you mix with water which is taking ages to dry but seems to be working. I will try the glue and water as well. It will be fun. Messy is fun!!!

I tore the strips from newspaper and magazines, and made the glue and water mix, which was the easiest way, other than the pre-made strips.

The one I made from paper pulp (shredded paper and glue mix that made a clay like mess) just fell apart as I was moving it around to paint, so I am deeming that a huge failure.