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How to Create Papier Mâché

Papier-mâché (pap-yay mash-ay) or paper mâché (paper mash-ay) is an easy to make, hardmaterial that can be used to cover a variety of surfaces. It is often used in arts and crafts to make avariety of sculptures, fruit bowls, puppets, dolls and much more. The surface is very easy to paint,allowing you to add patterns, bright colors and interesting designs to your finished product. Thisarticle details how to make the basic papier mâché that can be used for any project that you have inmind.

Assembly

Clear an area. Papier-mâché can get a bit messy (what good DIY project doesn't?), so toprotect your grandma's beloved dining table, lay down a few newspapers or other scrapmaterial to keep clean up at a minimum. While you're grabbing newspaper, also get a hold of:

A bowl or large container

Flour, wallpaper powder, or white glue

Water

Your base structure

Paintbrush

Newspaper (for your project -- not for clean-up duty)

Tear the newspaper into long strips. The ideal width would be around one inch (2.5 cm)thick, but each project requires different shapes and sizes. And you'll want to go around yourproject three times, so tear quite a pile. Don't opt for the scissors -- a torn edge blends betterthan a cut edge.

Steps

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There is no wrong size your strips could be. In fact, if you want to add volume to yourstructure by molding the strips, you'll need different sizes. So tear away freely.

Choose your method to make papier mâché. There are a few slight variations that willresult in the same product. Use what you have at your disposal.

Glue mixture: Pour 2 parts white glue and one part water into a mixing bowl. Thesequantities can be changed to suit the size of your project. Or, if you have a strongerbonding glue, 1 part white glue and 1 part water will do the trick.

Flour mixture: Combine 1 part flour with 1 part water. Easy as pie!

For super large and intense projects, you may want to substitute white glue for thewater.

Wallpaper powder: Pour 2 parts wallpaper powder and one part water into a mixing bowl.This method is good if you're thinking seriously long-term -- it can last years.

Blend together your choice of mixture. Do this using a paintbrush, a mixing spoon or mixingstick. Blend until it forms a smooth consistency.

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If it's too thin or thick, adjust accordingly. Add more adhesive base if it's too thin, water ifit's too thick.

Find a surface you want to papier-mâché. Examples include a balloon, cardboard or amolded figure. In addition, you can papier-mâché two objects together to form a new creation!The mixture will take to anything.

If you're using a balloon, consider painting it with cooking oil beforehand -- that way, whenit's dry, you can slide it out easily.

The Creation Process

Dip a strip of newspaper into the mixture. You're going to get your fingers messy! Themessier you get, the better job you're doing.

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Remove any excess mixture. Do this by lightly sliding two fingers from the top to the bottomof the strip of paper. Hold it over the bowl so it drips back into the container.

Lay the strip over the surface or figure. Smooth it out, using either your fingers or apaintbrush. Be sure to get as many of the creases and bumps out as you can. You are aimingto get a very smooth surface for painting and decorating.

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If you'd like to create a shape (a face, say), bunch the strip into the form you want, place iton your surface, and then layer another strip on top to smooth it out. This can createvolume, texture, and detail quite easily.

Repeat laying strips. Do this until the entire surface or figure is covered three times over.This is especially important if you're removing the base when it's dry -- it needs to be sturdyand hold its own.

Put your first layer on horizontally, the second vertically, and so forth. It will help show youwhere you've been before and strengthen the piece.

Place the object on a covered surface to dry. It'll need a day or so to completely dry,depending on the size of your piece. Leave it untouched until tomorrow, then see if it's readyfor painting.

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6 Start coloring. Paint or decorate as desired. Enjoy! (And be sure to tell everyone you did ityourself.)

Some schools of thought say to start with a white primer. If you're using a light color on thepiece, you may want to use this method (otherwise some print may stick out).

Video

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It will take more than 40 minutes to dry.

You can papier-mâché virtually anything: picture frames, old CDs, etc.

Your pieces of paper do not necessarily have to be strips. Any small piece of paper, regardlessof the shape will do, so long as you can handle it easily.

Try using different types of paper instead of newspaper - kitchen paper towel works particularlywell.

If you are using the flour-water method, white flour makes for a smoother finish than does wheatflour.

Papier mâché is not waterproof or water resistant unless you seal it or use an additive in themix. If you intend the item to be near water or outside, you will need to finish it with suchsealants as tempera paint for children's craft items, to marine varnish for an outdoor sculpture.

In addition, tearing the paper roughly, as opposed to cutting with scissors, will result in asmoother final appearance.

To keep your fingers from getting sticky, wear latex gloves.

You can paint over the top of the papier-mâché with acrylic paint after it has completely dried. Itsometimes helps to spray a couple of layers of matte spray in between the papier-mâché andthe paint to prevent the paint from chipping.

If you are making a piñata put the paper clip in whatever you're making before you do thenewspaper

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Wait for the papier mâché to fully dry before painting it!

The glue mixture may be hard to clean off your work surface once it is set. If you are worriedabout getting glue on your work surface, put some newspaper down before you get started.

Keep this project away from small children.

Glue/flour/wallpaper powder

Water

Bowl

Mixing spoon/stick

Newspaper (for surface and structure)

Base structure

Paintbrush

Cooking oil (optional)

How to Make Papier Mâché Objects

How to Make Glue for Paper Mache

How to Make Papier Mâché Eggs

How to Make a Heart Pinata

How to Make a Paper Mache Locket

How to Make Paper Mache Flowers

Warnings

Things You'll Need

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