This week I attempted to build something with paper mache for the first time ever. Amazing! I can't remember doing this as a kid but can imagine that this would be fun with children ... and extremely messy. Even for grown-ups this is a great way to unwind - better than adult colouring books, folks! 😄
Prep
First, I needed a glue recipe and found a really simple one using just flour and water. Yes, it works!
Second, I needed paper. So, I picked up a stack of free supermarket brochures and ripped them to pieces. It's better to tear than to cut because you want rugged edges. The flour paste soaks in better, and it gives a smoother appearance when it's dry.
Getting stuck in
I wanted to create two pieces. So, I used a party balloon for the curved bit and a 10-litre plastic bucket for the base. The balloon sat in a flower pot so it wouldn't roll around. The outside of the bucket was wrapped in aluminium foil before getting started. I think I made a mistake here, but I'll get into this later.
Then it was just a case of briefly soaking the strips of paper in the flour mix, placing them on the mould and gently smoothing them. I whisked the flour mix every so often because the flour settled all the time. Occasionally, I topped up with water because there was still enough flour left. My 'paste' had more the consistency of a smoothie than pancake batter but worked a treat.
I soaked the slightly glossy paper a bit longer than the regular paper. You notice the difference when you feel them. Regular paper gets soft almost instantly. I made another mistake here as I discovered when I spray-painted my creations.
To get a strong structure, I let one layer dry before applying the next one. It doesn't need to be bone-dry though. Sometimes I would just wait for a few hours, other times I let them sit overnight. I think I ended up with 5 or 6 layers in the end, which gave me decent stability; especially the balloon shape became quite solid.
Extracting my creations
Getting the balloon sorted was easy. I let the air escape slowly to avoid an explosion that might rip apart my paper mache.
When I noticed that the balloon started to detach itself, I gently pulled it out. I was well chuffed with the result. 😎
Getting the paper mache off the bucket was a pain. It was so tight that I had to rip and cut it until it came off. I taped the fracture from the inside (you can see it in the photo) and covered it with fresh paper mache from the outside.
I'm not sure, but I think I should have applied some oil onto the aluminium foil. I came across this advice somewhere but forgot all about it when I started. The greasy layer might have made it easier to slip off the paper mache shape.
Finishing touch
I sprayed both shapes black which revealed my second mistake. The glossy bits of paper appeared much shinier than the regular paper. I hadn't even thought about that! So, the surface looks rather patchy. Also, I hadn't really thought through how I would engineer both pieces together. So, I ended up with something that looks a bit like a cross between R2D2 and Darth Vader. 😅
