Making paper mache

[Booldawg]

Got to knock up a 'bird' outfit for my daughters school play. I thought about inflating a balloon and wrapping it in paper mache to do for the head.

Whats the best glue to use for the paper mached? I thought about a sachet of wallpaper paste - would that be ok?

[mxyzptlk]

Trying to remeber some 40 years since I last did that, I thought that it was just pieces of newspaper well soaked in water. Can't remember adding anything, but I would think maybe some wallpaper paste (weak) would do the job

[wolf63]

Feathers would be good too - depends how long you have to make the outfit.

Is it 'Claire's accessories' that has all the really cheap and gaudy tat that young ladies like? They might have something.

[rowanwitch]

wallpaper paste is fine make the top layers in tissue paper to give a better surface for painting

[Mosaic]

Just a mask will be as effective as a 'full head' - imagine a kind of carnival mask with a beak made by folding a triangle of card. Paint and embellish as above.

[mayviabelle]

I use pva glue, but this might be of use to you http://www.papiermach...ed-with-papier-mache/

[Jemisa]

Its gonna be a big bird then?

jem

[Booldawg]

thanks all. I went down the weak wall paper paste route. TBH Mrs Booldawg took over the show as junior booldawg and I were just 'getting in the way' *rolls eyes*

I've bought some crepe paper to tear up in strips and glue to cardboard 'wings'

[joko]

nooh dont make it too weak!

it must be strong and thick to dry hard!...the paper will not stick and it will stay soft if you use it weak...

if its too late, you could add a few more layers with thick stuff then add pva to set really hard...

[pastafreak]

I spent several years making papier mache to sell. I always used PVA glue,and ordinary newspaper...though brown wrapping paper is excellent as it has a lot of body to it. Tissue paper will add interesting texture.
You need to make sure each layer is completely dry before adding another.

[katdarn79]

Redhelen, Yeah we used to use flour & water too.

[Booldawg]

aaargh Pasta! wish I'd read your post before attempting it. We just did all the layers in one go...

[joko]

it will still work...it will just take ages to dry, possibly days ...you must make sure as when you pop the balloon it could collapse

[maggiebee]

Could help speed up the drying process with a hairdryer.

[DaisyNonna]

Flour and water works.

[pastafreak]

erm....oh well!
Stick it on a radiator...lol

It used to take me a week to 10 days to make a bowl-that's before the painting. ;-)

[DaisyNonna]

Cardboard, stapled and painted would be much easier.

[Booldawg]

I think you're right Daisy! As Joko said, the drying time may be a problem. Its as wet as it was last night...

Well the play's not until 6th March so always time for a plan B.

[joko]

i would suggest making it the way daisy says...with card...you can just cut 2 side profiles of a bird and staple together... then use the newspaper stripes tosmooth off the edges

you could even just use a ceral box with a hole cut in one of the long thin sides and slotted over the head...cone of card for a beak, cur off the corners, then smooth off edges a bit by gently 'squashing' the rigidity out of them, pressing them etc then smooth off more with papier mache,

[rowanwitch]

http://www.ehow.com/h...e-bird-face-mask.html