paper mache boxes
How to Paper Mache the Easy Way
By Sarah Gasu
Learning how to paper mache has to be one of the easiest ways to create anything from extremely detailed sculptures and art works to the brightly colored but ultimately doomed party piñata, and because it is so cheap you really don't have to worry when your creation is annihilated by a bunch of kiddies in party mode.
The art of papier-mâché, which incidentally is French for 'chewed-up paper' has been around for as long as paper itself. It has been widely used in many ancient cultures to create such things as decorative boxes and picture frames and was even used to make motives for decorating armour!
These days people still use it for a huge variety of things. piñata's and cute piggy banks using balloons for moulds are really popular but when made with many layers and properly treated the humble newspaper is often transformed into wonderful parade floats and even furniture!
Naturally the attraction to paper mache is; #1 it is so versatile, and of course #2 it is extremely cheap. You can use a variety of ingredients from wallpaper paste to PVC glue, but I personally choose to stick to the old fashioned way because it's not only the cheapest but it is also the easiest and will definitely give you the best result.
You only need 3 basic ingredients.
Flour
Water
Newspaper, and lots of it!
Preparation:
Take the newspaper and start tearing it into 2cm, or 1 inch strips along the grain of the paper. Then tear these strips into 3 or 4 shorter ones.
Tip: Paper mache is all about layering evenly, so if possible use different color newspaper to alternate with each layer. I always save the yellow advertising inserts often found in newspapers.
Paper mache paste recipe:
In a large pot mix 1 part flour with 5 parts water, combining till all the lumps are gone. You can use a hand whisk or electric mixer to do this.
Tip: If your creation is going to be a keeper then add a couple of tablespoons of salt to the mixture too as this will prevent mould forming in the long term.
You can use the paste raw but I like to cook it to get a really nice smooth consistency, so pop it on the stove and bring it to the boil while constantly stirring.
Boil for about 2 minutes until it thickens and forms a nice smooth paste. Let it cool.
Now you need a mold, you can use just about anything for this; it just depends on what you are actually planning to make, use your imagination.
Some Suitable Molds:
• Balloons
• Bowls & Plates
• Cardboard Boxes and Packaging Materials
• Chicken Wire or Mesh
• Empty Plastic Bottles
Note: If you want to remove the finished creation from the original mold you will need to apply some sort of release agent such as cling wrap, a very thin layer of Vaseline or washing liquid to the mold first so that it will come away from the paper mache easily. Balloons are ideal as when you pop them they peel away from the paper on their own.
How to construct your paper mache creation:
Having prepared your mold it's time to start layering.
If you plan to make a piñata then you need to attach a loop to the mould with which to hang the piñata. To do this, thread a loop of string through a paperclip and then attach the clip to the mold using masking tape.
Dip the strips of paper in the paste, or use a paint brush to put it on, but in the end it's gonna be all over your fingers anyway.
Layer your strips one at a time onto your mold and smooth down to remove any creases or bubbles. If making a piñata, mache over the clip but make sure you leave the loop of string free as you'll need this to hang the piñata. Also consider leaving a hole to insert the goodies.
Don't overlap the paper too much, just place one piece butting or slightly overlapping the last until you have covered your object.
Now begin the second layer. Hope fully you will have found colored newspaper to do the next layer, this works really well because you can easily see each layer and this prevents you overlapping too much which will give an uneven finish and lengthen the drying time due to some parts of your creation being thicker than others.
Once you have 3-4 layers leave it overnight to dry.
The following day repeat the process again; remember only 3-4 layers at a time.
Tip: If the kiddies are helping you, (and trust me, there isn't a child on the planet who wouldn't love to learn how to paper mache too) I'd recommend just making two layers at a time. The kiddies have a habit of laying on the paste a bit thick and overlapping the paper a lot, nothing worse than a permanent wet spot in your artwork!
How many times you need to do this depends on the end purpose of your creation. If it is going to be a valued art work then keep on layering 3-4 layers a day till it's nice and thick. If it's going to be a piñata then two sessions (up to 8 layers in total) will be plenty or the kids won't be able to bust open those piñata's for hours.
You can add features to your creation by attaching other things to the mold or the first layer (after it has dried) with masking tape. You can add things such as cardboard handles, or scrunched up paper rims and patterns, egg carton eyes and so on. And then of course cover this all with more mache layers.
Decorating your paper mache creation:
Once again, decorating depends on the end use. Poster paints, cheap. Acrylic, relatively cheap. Enamel or oil based paints, not so cheap.
Before decorating you need to cover the newspaper print, and to do this effectively takes many layers of paint. However, if you use white copy paper for your last layer then it won't be a problem and you'll save on money and time.
Alternatively paint with a layer of primer; seriously you don't want the print showing through.
If it is going to be a treasured artwork then you absolutely must seal it first with a paint sealer. Paint and decorate as desired then finish with a layer of varnish.
Traditionally piñata's are painted then covered in crepe paper frills.
Sarah has been organising theme parties for kids for 15 years and really believes in giving kids parties the personal touch, she shares many of her DIY ideas to help you do the same through her website => [http://www.thepartymums.com/decorations_for_kids_parties.html]The Party Mums, which is loaded with ideas to inspire you with every aspect of perfect party throwing for kids. The Party Mums are on Facebook too, [http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Party-Mums/74072824835]click here to become a fan and share your ideas with other party mums too!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Gasu
Related Resources
By Sarah Gasu
Learning how to paper mache has to be one of the easiest ways to create anything from extremely detailed sculptures and art works to the brightly colored but ultimately doomed party piñata, and because it is so cheap you really don't have to worry when your creation is annihilated by a bunch of kiddies in party mode.
The art of papier-mâché, which incidentally is French for 'chewed-up paper' has been around for as long as paper itself. It has been widely used in many ancient cultures to create such things as decorative boxes and picture frames and was even used to make motives for decorating armour!
These days people still use it for a huge variety of things. piñata's and cute piggy banks using balloons for moulds are really popular but when made with many layers and properly treated the humble newspaper is often transformed into wonderful parade floats and even furniture!
Naturally the attraction to paper mache is; #1 it is so versatile, and of course #2 it is extremely cheap. You can use a variety of ingredients from wallpaper paste to PVC glue, but I personally choose to stick to the old fashioned way because it's not only the cheapest but it is also the easiest and will definitely give you the best result.
You only need 3 basic ingredients.
Flour
Water
Newspaper, and lots of it!
Preparation:
Take the newspaper and start tearing it into 2cm, or 1 inch strips along the grain of the paper. Then tear these strips into 3 or 4 shorter ones.
Tip: Paper mache is all about layering evenly, so if possible use different color newspaper to alternate with each layer. I always save the yellow advertising inserts often found in newspapers.
Paper mache paste recipe:
In a large pot mix 1 part flour with 5 parts water, combining till all the lumps are gone. You can use a hand whisk or electric mixer to do this.
Tip: If your creation is going to be a keeper then add a couple of tablespoons of salt to the mixture too as this will prevent mould forming in the long term.
You can use the paste raw but I like to cook it to get a really nice smooth consistency, so pop it on the stove and bring it to the boil while constantly stirring.
Boil for about 2 minutes until it thickens and forms a nice smooth paste. Let it cool.
Now you need a mold, you can use just about anything for this; it just depends on what you are actually planning to make, use your imagination.
Some Suitable Molds:
• Balloons
• Bowls & Plates
• Cardboard Boxes and Packaging Materials
• Chicken Wire or Mesh
• Empty Plastic Bottles
Note: If you want to remove the finished creation from the original mold you will need to apply some sort of release agent such as cling wrap, a very thin layer of Vaseline or washing liquid to the mold first so that it will come away from the paper mache easily. Balloons are ideal as when you pop them they peel away from the paper on their own.
How to construct your paper mache creation:
Having prepared your mold it's time to start layering.
If you plan to make a piñata then you need to attach a loop to the mould with which to hang the piñata. To do this, thread a loop of string through a paperclip and then attach the clip to the mold using masking tape.
Dip the strips of paper in the paste, or use a paint brush to put it on, but in the end it's gonna be all over your fingers anyway.
Layer your strips one at a time onto your mold and smooth down to remove any creases or bubbles. If making a piñata, mache over the clip but make sure you leave the loop of string free as you'll need this to hang the piñata. Also consider leaving a hole to insert the goodies.
Don't overlap the paper too much, just place one piece butting or slightly overlapping the last until you have covered your object.
Now begin the second layer. Hope fully you will have found colored newspaper to do the next layer, this works really well because you can easily see each layer and this prevents you overlapping too much which will give an uneven finish and lengthen the drying time due to some parts of your creation being thicker than others.
Once you have 3-4 layers leave it overnight to dry.
The following day repeat the process again; remember only 3-4 layers at a time.
Tip: If the kiddies are helping you, (and trust me, there isn't a child on the planet who wouldn't love to learn how to paper mache too) I'd recommend just making two layers at a time. The kiddies have a habit of laying on the paste a bit thick and overlapping the paper a lot, nothing worse than a permanent wet spot in your artwork!
How many times you need to do this depends on the end purpose of your creation. If it is going to be a valued art work then keep on layering 3-4 layers a day till it's nice and thick. If it's going to be a piñata then two sessions (up to 8 layers in total) will be plenty or the kids won't be able to bust open those piñata's for hours.
You can add features to your creation by attaching other things to the mold or the first layer (after it has dried) with masking tape. You can add things such as cardboard handles, or scrunched up paper rims and patterns, egg carton eyes and so on. And then of course cover this all with more mache layers.
Decorating your paper mache creation:
Once again, decorating depends on the end use. Poster paints, cheap. Acrylic, relatively cheap. Enamel or oil based paints, not so cheap.
Before decorating you need to cover the newspaper print, and to do this effectively takes many layers of paint. However, if you use white copy paper for your last layer then it won't be a problem and you'll save on money and time.
Alternatively paint with a layer of primer; seriously you don't want the print showing through.
If it is going to be a treasured artwork then you absolutely must seal it first with a paint sealer. Paint and decorate as desired then finish with a layer of varnish.
Traditionally piñata's are painted then covered in crepe paper frills.
Sarah has been organising theme parties for kids for 15 years and really believes in giving kids parties the personal touch, she shares many of her DIY ideas to help you do the same through her website => [http://www.thepartymums.com/decorations_for_kids_parties.html]The Party Mums, which is loaded with ideas to inspire you with every aspect of perfect party throwing for kids. The Party Mums are on Facebook too, [http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Party-Mums/74072824835]click here to become a fan and share your ideas with other party mums too!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Gasu
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