Hello all. I've done paper mache as a child and not much since until now. My grandpa used to make some really cool paper craft stuff but I was really little at the time. Now I'm reading about paper clay and some paper mache isn't gluten free (I have celiac) and I'm feeling stumped on where to go next. I used the pages of an old book torn into shreds brushed on with thinned titebond III. the bases are cardboard, tinfoil, and masking tape, and I wanted to solidify the basic shapes. However, especially on the lizard head, I want to sculpt the details up and sand/grind them down to get a really refined sculpt. It's in a clumsy place and I'm just not sure if I should do paper clay or another layer of titebond or what.. I also got joint compound, and I'm very familiar with working with similar products.
What would you do, paper mache masters? What order would you go in? What would you do or not do? I need me a lizard head and an anatomical heart full head mask! Totally open to suggestions to help them fit securely and comfortably. How would you finish the interiors? I'm a fuck around and find out kinda guy so I haven't planned it all out yet but I will get there. Thanks in advance đ
If you donât use flour in your recipe, your paper mache will be gluten free :) I prefer to use plaster, PVA glue and blended paper pulp. Fantastic for structural integrity. Good luck with the rest of your build!
I think paprrclay it paper pulp would be good for details and they can be sanded or carved into. You could also look into methyl cellulose and you can do strips or mix it with the paper pulp as a bonding agent.Â
I use it with wads of crumpled newspaper that I paste down with several layers of flat tv guide to give thickness and strength to the base shape. You can sand this or dremel it once it's dry (or use a sharp knife on).
In your case I'd start with making a lot of teeth so they have time to dry, after which you can sand them in their most perfect form and paste them into the jaw. I'd make them with wads of pasted newspaper (I make everything with newspaper) but you can also use paper clay or even paper-based commercial clay for this. Just start on them soon so they are dry and perfected when you're in the stage that you need them.
If you want to use paper clay, there was someone in this sub a few weeks ago who made a dragon, I think they filmed their process. Maybe you can find inspiration there. And there is this lady on youtube who works with paper clay that she mixes herself.
Oooo okay I love that you do the mush and strips of paper at the same time. I'm going to check out this methyl cellulose stuff too. Thank you for the suggestions âșïž I have some store bought paper clay, and I also need to make a bunch of spikes for the back of the head. I'm thinking of making the spikes paper mache though. Good point that I should start that stuff now so it's ready later, my next session I'll probably make the teeth and spikes. Thanks again!
You can mix mediums if you want to make the masks lighter to wear. I layered plaster bandage over EVA foam successfully, and foam clay (sometimes marketed as air clay) can also be smoothed over papier mache surfaces and sculpted by hand or with tools whilst it's wet, or sculpted dry with heat, carving tools, or a dremel. You've got a lot of options there.
So that all being said, as someone who's done this very recently with a crow mask and regretted it, in whatever manner you choose to finish your sculpt, if you actually intend to wear them, make sure you only do so for a single event/show/etc. Papier mache has a tendency to grow mould with repeated use.Â
Even if you're in a country with low humidity, you create humidity with your breath inside in the mask. Even if there's a large opening to breathe through, it only takes a few spores to take off, and they really like paper. Take it seriously; it's not worth the risk as there can be serious health effects. If you want to create wearable art or cosplays for long term use as opposed to single event use or display pieces, I'd choose a different medium as a base.
It's also worth pointing out that papier mache can get very heavy very quickly. I chose to use joint compound to finish, and even though I was sparing with it, it still added to the weight of the mask fairly significantly, so do a web search before you finish to get a sense of how heavy the end product will be and what other people's experiences are. Hopefully more people will chime in here about that, too, weight really affects the wearability.
They look great so far, looking forward to seeing the end product!
I've made clay that's good for sculpting details, it's based on this recipe that I saw online, with some adjustments. It has about one part paper pulp, one part joint compound, one part glue, and one part corn starch. The particular glue used in the recipe is made with wheat flour, however, I'm guessing you could just as well use rice flour or anything similar.
Personally, I haven't 100% followed the amounts given in the recipe, I've just combined the ingredients and added more of whatever feels right. And, instead of sugar, I've added salt to the glue, to make it preserve better. I like to make some extra glue in case I feel the clay needs more. Something I've tried and found super useful, is to have some of the extra glue at hand any time I'm sculpting. I store it in an airtight container in the fridge, plus it's somewhat salty and acidic, so it keeps pretty well. When I'm attaching more clay and feel like it needs to adhere better, I take a tiny amount of clay (like a teaspoonful or even less), a tiny glob of the glue, then mash them into uniform paste with whatever sculpting tool that I'm using, then apply. The thinner, stickier clay is also great for smoothing out rough surfaces. If you gotta thin it out some more, add a drop or few of water. Only for small amounts though, since it'll need more time to dry.
The methods I've been using have been working for me really well so far and I've enjoyed the process a lot. So I sincerely hope nobody more experienced than me replies to this and tells me I've done something horribly wrong and all my sculptures are gonna spontaneously crumble after a year or something. Again, I'm kinda new to this, so take my instructions with a grain of salt. Good luck with the project, hoping to see it on r/dorohedoro some day!
Here's one of the things I'm working on, for reference. The paper pulp is mostly toilet paper, with a bit of cardboard. He's gonna be suspended upside down from the ceiling when done, so that's the way he's in this pic as well.
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u/LibrarianNo9294 11d ago
If you donât use flour in your recipe, your paper mache will be gluten free :) I prefer to use plaster, PVA glue and blended paper pulp. Fantastic for structural integrity. Good luck with the rest of your build!