Techniques, Recipes & Drying

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We discussed the tools you need for papier-mâché (here). Now let’s learn how to use them!

Armature building An armature is the structure underneath sculpting material that’s used for support and strength. Papier-mâché requires an armature, to which the paper and paste adhere. Simple materials make up our papier-mâché armatures.

Cardboard cutting A cutting mat protects your work surface when cutting cardboard. Use a box cutter or craft knife and go slow. If you’re cutting a straight line, it’s helpful to use a metal ruler as a guide. Watch your fingers and use sharp blades!

Cardboard loosening Corrugated cardboard is great, but sometimes it needs more flexibility. Just roll it up backward and forward to loosen it up. Make sure you’re rolling with the corrugated lines parallel to your roll; this will soften your cardboard and make it easier to manipulate.

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CRUMPLING PAPER & TAPINGimage

This is my most-used technique. It’s intuitive, and once you have the hang of it, you’ll find you can make anything! It’s just what it sounds like: Simply crumple paper and tape it into shape. Keep the crumple a little loose (not crushed into the tightest ball you can make) so that you can shape it as you tape. This technique works best if you build up the sculpture with components of crumpled and taped shapes, and then tape them together.

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Taping to hold pieces together Use long pieces to join two parts of your sculpture. Make sure to press the tape down well along the contours of the sculpture.

Taping for strength Tape is an important part of the papier-mâché-making process and is used for strength and cohesion. If you view the armature as the skeleton, think of the tape as the muscle that keeps everything protected and strong. Cover your sculpture completely!

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Taping for stickability Tape also makes a better surface for the papier-mâché to stick to. Taping over plastic, foil, or wire helps the papier-mâché stick much better and prevents wire from rusting. Taping paper and cardboard prevents the papier-mâché from getting soggy.

Taping to fix holes and dips Sometimes your armature will have a dent or dip that you want to fill out. It’s an easy fix: Crumple a bit of tape about the size of the spot you want to fill, stick it on, and tape over it.

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SCULPTING WITH FOIL

Foil is an accessible and easy-to-use material for sculpting. It works wonderfully for the parts of your armature that must be strong, like legs and other supports. Because it can be bent and curved, foil also gives you a lot of control over the shapes you want to make. It can be a little sharp and pokey on the hands, but if you're careful, you’ll be fine.

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To shape my foil armature, I tear off a sheet of foil and squish it down (like crumpling paper), and then use my fingers to pinch it into shape. You can roll the foil between the palm of your hand and a table to apply more pressure. You can rub it against a tabletop to make a dense, flat surface. You can make long, snakelike shapes, and then bend them to your will. Think of foil as super-thick, easy-to-bend wire!

If you squeeze down your foil and it ends up too big, just open it back up and tear a little bit off until you get to the size that you need. One thing to remember: whatever you sculpt out of foil must be substantial enough to hold its own shape. Once you have formed shapes that you like, hot glue them to the rest of your armature. Make sure to add tape over everything!

PAPER TEARING

The only hard and fast rule I have for papier-mâché is about the paper. No matter the paper choice, you must tear it—don’t cut it. Tearing it gives the paper feathery edges that melt into each other and create a unified-looking outer shell. Cut paper creates hard edges that distract from the finished piece. Trust me on this one!

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How big and what size should the torn pieces be? A good rule of thumb is the larger the sculpture, the larger the pieces of paper you need. The smaller the project, the smaller the pieces of torn paper. You will need to experiment with this. You may find that the paper needs to be torn into smaller pieces if you aren’t able to smooth and manipulate it onto the armature.

Should you use strips? Squares? It doesn't matter! Tear the paper however you like and try it out. Mix up the shapes you tear. The important thing is to cover the armature with layers of torn paper and paste to create a strong shell.

Experiment with types of paper to see which one you love. You can use more than one type of paper on a sculpture!

MAKING PASTE

Paper and paste are necessary for making papier-mâché. Together, they form the outer shell of your sculpture and serve as a strong exoskeleton to keep all of the parts of your armature unified. I use traditional homemade paste and have included two recipes for you to try. These pastes are tried and true and I use them all the time with my students and in my own work. I hope you’ll try both and see which one you like better.

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USING PAPIER-MÂCHÉ

Now that we have torn paper and a bowl of paste, it's time to papier-mâché!

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Dip a piece of torn paper into the paste. When you lift the paper out of the paste, keep holding it over the bowl and, using your other hand, squeegee it off between your first and second fingers. The paper should be soaked through with paste but not dripping. Be generous here—don’t use paper that’s too dry. Your sculpture will end up weaker and less smooth.

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Tip

If your hands aren’t messy, you’re probably not using enough paste! Dig in there!

Now, smooth that piece of paper onto your armature. Repeat, overlapping the edges of the papers, until you have one layer completed. I recommend two layers minimum. You can add the next layer on top of the first wet layer; there’s no need to dry in between layers.

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Tip

When making multiple layers, use one type of paper and switch to another for the next layer so that you know when you’ve completely covered each layer.

DRYING

Your sculptures must be completely dry before you prime and paint them. If they aren’t dry, the paint will not stick and the sculpture may mold. If it feels cool to the touch, there’s probably a bit of moisture underneath, so let it dry longer. When in doubt, give it more time.

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Tip

If you don’t place parchment paper under your sculpture, it will stick to the pan!

Air drying Set your sculpture in a safe spot and turn a fan on it. Make sure to rotate it, and keep the air circulating until your art is dry. It will take about 24 hours to dry.

Oven drying Smaller sculptures can be dried in the oven. But take note! Only oven dry sculptures made from foil and paper; if you’ve used a plastic bottle or Styrofoam, do not use the oven, as these materials can melt and give off fumes.

Set the oven very low—170 to 200° Fahrenheit, maximum. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and set your sculpture(s) on it. Bake in the oven for about an hour, turning halfway through for even drying. Don’t leave your sculpture in the oven for too long or it may turn the paper brittle. If the sculpture isn’t completely dry after an hour, give it another half-hour or hour. It can work well to get the drying process started in the oven, and then finish in front of a fan.

DRILLING

Place a protective piece of wood underneath if you need to drill a hole in something. Keep a firm grip on the item to be drilled, and watch your fingers! Tip If you don’t place parchment paper under your sculpture, it will stick to the pan!

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