Paper Mache

Intro: Paper Mache

Paper mache (or papier mache) is fun to do. It is also a very cheap way to be creative. You can make all sorts of interesting items using this process,  The pumpkin is for halloween and I formed a ball shape over plastic grocery bags.   The sun faces were moulded over an old salad bowl, and then painted.  The snake is a wire coat hanger coiled round and covered and painted.

STEP 1: Mixing the Mix

Here are the ingredients for the mixture.

Old newspaper
Flour, salt and luke warm water from your kitchen.
and a mixing bowl

(basic paste recipe - ratio of 1/2 cup of flour, large spoonful of salt to 1 cup of warm water)


Put the flour and salt into the bowl and gradually add luke warm water and mix with your hands until you have a smooth paste that is neither lumpy or watery. It should be like a thick, creamy soup. If you line your bowl with an empty plastic grocery bag you will be able to contain the mess and throw the bag away when you are finished.

By the way, the salt helps your finished creation from going mouldy inside.

STEP 2: Newspapers Are Best

Newspapers are good for making the paper mache as the paper is more porous than other kinds of paper and bonds easily with the paste. You need to tear the paper up into manageable strips or pieces. Do not cut the paper, as the ragged edges of the torn paper meld with each other to make a smoother finish.

STEP 3: Next

When you have mixed your paste and torn up your newspaper you are ready to begin. However, you must decide what you are going to make! I have made many different things and make "forms" out of wire hangers and plastic grocery bags, lavishly covered with masking tape to make adding the paper mache "mix" very easy.

When I have my "form", this is when I start covering the whole thing with the paste and paper. You can apply the paste on a brush or a sponge, or with your fingers, until you have covered the surface of whatever form you have moulded with your paper. You will have to cover the form with at least three or four layers of paste and paper to make it nice and strong. You must also let the form dry before adding each additional coat. Be generous with the paste. Each strip of paper should be covered so they will all stick together. You can use all sorts of things for your basic form, for example blown up balloons, old tissue boxes, shoe boxes, wiffle balls - anything that is already the shape you want to make. For other forms use plastic grocery bags and masking tape and become a sculptor!

In the picture you will see one of the loons (that I love to make) covered with several layers of paste and paper. Also a giant ice cream cone that was made for a church event.

When moulding over something like a salad bowl you need to grease the surface of the bowl with vaseline first so that the paper mache is easier to remove in one piece when it is dry.

When working on small items or tricky areas where parts join together, use narrow, short strips of your newspaper.

STEP 4: Finishing Off and Painting

When you are satisfied that you have added enough layers of paper mache to your form, and it is totally dry you can paint it or decorate in any way you want. Drying can vary according to the weather. In winter I place my completed paper mache form in the boiler cupboard.. When thoroughly dry you can actually sand paper the surface lightly to eliminate small uneven areas, but the surface has to be dry, or you will rip your creation to pieces. If your creation feels cool to your touch it needs to dry out more.

In summer the form can be placed in the sun to dry. Be warned, do not leave it out overnight, as the smell of the flour can attract critters. I had the throat of one of my loons torn out one night by something or other - I am sure whatever it was did not appreciate the mouthful of newspaper and plastic grocery bag that it managed to get!

STEP 5: Examples

Here are some of the things I have made in the past. These still lurk on top of my cupboards! The bell was made with paper mache over a large plastic flower pot which I then covered with coppery coloured material and became the bell that hung in the Alamo during Vacation Bible School! The armadillo started out as a cat, but went a bit wrong, so I changed it!

For your first project I would suggest something round (like my pumpkin) as it is very easy to make.    .

Whatever you decide to make the main thing is to have fun.

Comments

[fmalover]

I really don't get how you put the newspaper and paste over the mold. Do you think you could make a video?

[stacybbrown02]

Just put the strip into the paste and run your fingers down the strip while holding one end to remove extra paste and apply to your mold in different directions until its covered let dry then do it again 2 or 3 times. Letting it dry in between layers

[ana paula miranda]

Hi, 2

how can i do in paper mache a sculpture, i have it in plaster and i want to make same or similar in paper mache. I thought to do in 2 steps front and back because inside can not for sure be the plaster sculpture, and i dont know how to do sculptures of humans bodies faces etcc. You think if i do first half ,then second half , with what i feel each half after dry and out of the mold , and also how i put together just same more a bit of paper mache... sorry for the question but i my mold is in plaster a human sculpture, and i want to do from this in paper mache to dont use plaster . Help me please and thanks i follow u here.

[Theheavydress]

Wow. Normally paper mache doesn't look so good to me but these look really well finished! Those loons look like something you'd buy in a gift shop

[MIK3 H]

Nice job. I really want to do this but as for the mold, do u take the "form" out of the finished product? Please answer

[susanchen2011]

so lovely.

[OrIsIt]

Does this rot at some point, will it get ruined in heat? and more properties i should no about?

[caitlinsdad]

Hail stinkymum! Queen of paper mache and crafts...

just some of our paper mache fun...

[Mr. TiKi]

awesome stuff

[stinkymum]

Wow! Now I have ideas for more projects. You are the King!

[kumiko]

How did you make the form for the giant pepper? Are there any special supports on the inside?

[stinkymum]

The giant pepper has a wire coat hanger inside and then plastic grocery bags put over it.    I then bound it round with masking tape to get the right shape.   Otherwise it was just moulding it into shape by hand.

[mcbrownfield]

The cactus man made me giggle. Really lovely job! The loons look good. Might want to add, if anyone hates the smell of the paste used for papier mache, you can add cinnamon oil (just a little) and it makes it smell really nice.

[sgsidekick]

Nice instructable! For a play I directed for community theater we needed a big bowl. Not wanting to risk my big ceramic bowl, I covered it in Saran Wrap and paper mached it! And to help it dry, I set it in my oven, lowest setting, and left the oven door open a crack. As it was still winter, this helped heat the house for the hour or two that it was drying.

[stinkymum]

that's an idea.....

[eveh]

you did a fabulous job on that duck. The kids seem to really like that big pepper. LOL Now, I am inspired to try this. Beleive it or not, I make and sell handbuilt pottery and ceramics but I think this will be fun to try. You actually have more lee way with paper mache than with clay. For one thing, you can go big, big and nothing breaks during firing as it can when making handbuilt things in the kiln. Thanks.

[notmyfault]

Great Instructable. One time when I needed some large plaster chess pieces, I used 2 liter plastic bottles. I covered the bottles first with paper mache, then followed that up with a thin layer of wall patching plaster. I was able to sand the wall plaster really smooth. Then I followed that up with gold and silver paint. It made a chess piece that was a lot lighter than one that was solid plaster. I did not have to use as much plaster either. NMF

[Desert Moon]

This is great. Thanks much. Really liked it. Will be doing this with the grandkids.

[FELECIAROX]

thank-you soo much...this was very helpful! I did some paper mache in my art class and I really liked it, its a fun thing to do when your bored or just feel like doing something with newspapers and plastic bags that just keep piling up. Its also a good way to save money on decorations for holidays, I made some for Christmas and Halloween and put them on my window sill. Thanks again!

[Earthy Eric]

Nice instructable, cool ideas. I'm still working on mine, hopefully I'll get it posted by the end of the week..