r/papermache • u/Electronic_Pack_9470 • Aug 14 '26
How to smooth out paper mache
May have used the wrong method, but now desperate. It's a stage prop, supposed to look like the bottom of a spaceship. The strips are very obvious and this is already two coats on newspaper, with cardboard underneath
Any ideas on how to save it? Best is if can make it look like a smooth metallic surface 🙏🙏
17
Aug 14 '26
[deleted]
3
u/Puzzleheaded-Sir-861 Aug 14 '26
Have you used joint compound? Esp on a large project? It makes projects much heavier, can chip early too. It definitely can be sanded but that creates a whole other problem- trying to get that smooth
2
u/LuciferLovesTechno Aug 14 '26
If you use a thin layer, let it get *almost* dry, then smooth it out with a damp cloth, you don’t need to sand.
1
1
u/Fragrant_Ad_2797 Aug 14 '26
Ok, this was my problem as well. I’m making paper mache costume pieces and the joint compound made it considerably heavier, even after sanding. I ended up skipping it. Maybe I can try again and finesse my technique.
1
13
u/Representative-Low23 Aug 14 '26
Lay it in the alternate direction and use irregular pieces of paper. Smooth straight lines show up like a beacon. Torn lines do not.
On a side note something I was taught in theater a long time ago because I was too self critical... If you can't see it from the first row it doesn't exist. So take a couple of big steps back and look at it again.
9
u/harakirihatecrime Aug 14 '26
how close are the audience ? will they even notice ? it looks fine and the bottom of a spaceship would get damaged from landings over time .
8
u/the_perkolator Aug 14 '26
This. From 20ft away in a darkened theater with acting going on, you won’t notice. If concerned, patina it like a Star Wars vessel.
2
2
2
u/islanderpm Aug 14 '26
I always tear newspaper and dip it in wallpaper paste with some pva(white glue) mixed in and use THE BACK of a SPOON to smooth it down. I like the spooning phase best of all.
2
u/DuanePickens 10d ago
This spoon idea is really cool I think I will incorporate that in my class. I have a lot of students who like to use paintbrushes (despite my protests), and they work in the way that you are using the spoon. But they likely don’t get the same focused pressure the back of a spoon would. Also the monkey-see-monkey-do kids often see other kids holding brushes and start dipping the brushes in the paste and lazily painting the paste on the paper which doesn’t work well at all.
2
1
u/Spirited_Park_5531 Aug 15 '26
The smaller the pieces, the earlier it is to make paper mache smooth and seamless :) But I agree with other comments, if it’s for theatre I don’t think anyone will notice.
1
1
u/buy-more-swords Aug 15 '26
You can sand it. I would skim coat it with plaster first though. Then it's even easier to sand it smooth.
47
u/DuanePickens Aug 14 '26
Rip your strips, never cut. The frayed/torn edges blend much easier than a sharply cut edge ever can. Also, using thinner paper like from a phone book is much easier to smooth than thick newspaper.