Audrey II From Little Shop of Horrors

by craftydabbler

88K31756

Intro: Audrey II From Little Shop of Horrors

This is a papier mache Audrey II that I did for Halloween this year.  I love doing papier mache and thought that the plant from outer space was perfect for this medium.  I wanted to make this using stuff I already had around the house, but I had to buy the styrofoam and the posterboards.  Try and experiment around with different items to make your armature, be creative!  This took a little over a week to make and I ended up spending $18 on supplies I didn't already have.

I use DIF wallpaper adhesive mixed in a coffee can with water, about half and half, and shredded (not cut) strips of newspaper.

You will need:

DIF wallpaper adhesive
12" balloon
lots of  newspaper
masking tape
twine
card stock
3 heavy weight posterboards
3 light weight posterboards
6 wire clothes hangers
Gesso
paint brush
hot glue gun
chunk of styrofoam
large flower pot



STEP 1:


Blow up balloon and tie off.  Mix wallpaper adhesive with water, tear strips of newspaper, and cover balloon completely except for the tied end.  Let dry overnight.  Repeat layers and drying four times.  Cut the tied end off and let balloon deflate, pull it out and cover the hole with a layer of newspaper strips.

STEP 2:

Bunch up a piece of newspaper to be about a one inch thick rope and long enough to go from one side to the other.  Use a picture of Audrey to help eyeball the placement. Tape in place.

STEP 3:

Doing the same thing again make a lower lip and the side muscles of the mouth.

STEP 4:

Cover this whole part with more strips of papier mache and let dry.  After it dries you can go back and "fill" in parts with more strips and/or wads of newspaper, papier mache over the added on parts.

STEP 5:

Use twine to make the plant veins, then cover it all with more layers of papier mache.  Turn over and repeat on the bottom.

STEP 6:

Cut out several leaves from the light weight posterboard  in different sizes to arrange around the back of the head. I did 12 about the size of my hand. 

Cut three large leaves from the heavy weight posterboard, and another three about an inch or so smaller from the lightweight posterboard. 

Unwind three wire clothes hangers. Bend the hangers into a wave, so the three main leaves are slightly curled.  Hot glue wire onto the heavy leaf, then glue the slightly smaller leaf on top.  Put a couple of layers of papier mache on the 3 large leaves, and paint the small leaves green.  The paint will make the posterboard curl a little, this is okay.

Now this part I had to finagle around a bit so if you have a better way of doing it go with it!  I took a tube from wrapping paper, put a wire coat hanger in it then stuck it down into the middle of the styrofoam.  I had to brace it at the bottom because the tube I used was too wimpy and started to bend.  I papier mached the stem three times. 

While this was drying I rolled up two sheets of newspaper into long root shapes, taped on little triangles made out of the card stock and papier mached it, twice, to make two roots.

STEP 7:

Paint everything with a coat of white paint.  I have a large tub of Gesso that I use for my base coat on all my papier mache.  It can be pricey, but it has lasted me through many, many projects. 

Once the primer was dry I used green, brown, yellow, and burnt umber acrylic paints on everything. 

Poke a hole in the back of the head where you want the wire hanger to go through, thread on the  head and hot glue the small leaves to the back of the head arranging them so the wire is hidden. 

Stick the large leaves in the styrofoam, arrange the roots and you're done!

STEP 8: At Home in the Living Room...

It has its own spot in the living room  until Halloween, and then it will be on the porch....

44 Comments

sekrey1953 2 years ago

What about using a pool noodle instead of the wrapping paper tube? If too much gurth could shave it down to desired thickness.

Shannon1977 5 years ago

Do you still have Audrey the plant from little shop of horror? I am in great need of one by June 5, 2018. My 9 year old daughter is doing a dance recital to Little Shop of Horrors. I will purchase.

Thanks

Shannon

LewisFormanOfTardis 9 years ago

Hi, I can't do art XD I really need one of these for my singing exam and really want one because I love little shop and its amazing... Is there any chance you could make me one to buy off of you? thanks a bunch :)

bathsheba_everdene 10 years ago

By the way, any reason you used wallpaper adhesive instead of the usual water-glue-flour mixture for papier-mâché?

craftydabbler 10 years ago

I like the wallpaper paste because it's premixed and I can store it indefinitely. When it dries it's super hard. Also, we get lots of mildew and mold here and I always worry about that happening with the flour mixture.

bathsheba_everdene 10 years ago

Sorry, I have no idea why the word "mache" posted like that. It looked normal before I posted.

bathsheba_everdene 10 years ago

This could make an awesome piranha plant from Super Mario. I could use a green bucket for the pipe.

jhutchison1 11 years ago

Just watched little Shop with my 3y/o daughter. She would not go to bed till i promised to make an Audrey 2 with her at weekend. Thank you so much for saving my butt!

yellowdude8 13 years ago

i had this same idea! but i am still going to post mine. It has a moving jaw!

IBreakHeavyStuff 13 years ago

Do that! I would love to see it. I might even get organised and try and roboticise it one day. When the dinosaurs from the robosapiens people get cheap enough to pull apart you could use the 'aggressive' setting to have an Audrey that has at people who come too close =).

yellowdude8 13 years ago

sadly my moving jaw isnt robotic but it still does open and close. This way of building the head, is a lot easier than mine, as well as cheaper!

yellowdude8 13 years ago

I have finally finished my version of these project, and posted it. Here is the link if you are interested in looking at it:
https://www.instructables.com/id/Audrey-II/

IBreakHeavyStuff 13 years ago

Thanks Yellow Dude!

Between the two of you there are plenty of ideas there to rip off =).

craftydabbler 13 years ago

That sounds great! Can't wait to see it - be sure and post it :-)

MalmeyStudios 13 years ago

I LOVED this ible this one got my vote. It is truly one of the best. Good Luck!!

Wo0kiE 13 years ago

all you need now is a speaker installed in the bottom and some way to play back the one-liners from the film!

BRILLIANT!
LOVE IT!

Tupulov 13 years ago

This is too cool for words! I love Audrey II!

staffa 13 years ago

this is so awesome. i wanted to try and create something like this into a costume. nice to see something older around halloweedn
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