PAPER MACHE

How To Make Paper Mache

Do you remember as a child making lots of different paper mache items? Most of us would have had the experience of this in our youth. It is possible to make a variety of fun and interesting products out of paper mache; you could design plates, bowls, animals, masks, the sky is the limit.

If you have your own children then it can be great and economical way of having fun together. It is actually known as an art form in certain parts of the world. For example there are intricate Kashmiri trinkets that are colourfully painted and which we would not recognise as paper mache unless we were told.

To make your own selection of paper mache products you would need three basic ingredients: paper, flour and water. Be prepared to make a mess of whatever work surface you use to prepare the ingredients. Always be ready to clean up spillages as they can quickly set solid and cause problems.

Take a bowl and fill it with five hundred grams of white flour, to this add water until the paste is gloopy. The actual consistency is down to you, some people prefer a thicker paste, others like a more liquid result. Make sure you remove all lumps; the paste needs to be even in its overall appearance.

The type of paper you use will have a bearing on how the actual paste should be. If you are planning to use old newspapers then you can get away with a thicker paste. When layering the paper and paste on to your project make sure you leave each layer time to dry sufficiently. This will increase the rigidity of the structure and also help to prevent the build up of molds or fungus.

Before you apply any paint you need to be one hundred per cent certain that each individual layer has dried out completely. If possible, place the item next to a sunny window or heat source to speed up the process. A hairdryer may also be used.