Practical paper mache

Paper Mache
A Free e-Book by the Readers of UltimatePaperMache.com

Practical

How this e-Book Was Created
This project began on March 19, 2011, when I posted an article on my blog at UltimatePaperMache.com. The blog has a very lively community of paper mache sculptors who have been submitting photos of their work for several years. My readers and I both tend to make sculptures with ourpaper mache, rather than using the material for purely useful objects. Wouldn’t it be interesting, I thought, to spend a few months focusing our collective attention on more practical paper mache items, and then put all of our creative ideas into a freely downloadable e-Book. When I put up that post I had no idea that so many people would be willing to participate in this collaborative project. Thedeadline was May 30, 2011. In just 73 days, we received 29 submissions from our readers. The projects were inventive, fun, creative and, above all, useful. Some people submitted more than one project, and many of the ideas are so good that I’ll be making them myself when I have a bit of spare time. The people who submitted photos for this project also wrote descriptions of their work and, in somecases, detailed instructions that you can use to make your own. If you would like to leave comments and kudos to the folks who contributed to this project, you can do so at: http://ultimatepapermache.com/practical-paper-mache-a-reader-supportedproject While you’re there, I also hope you’ll take a look at the “non-practical” paper mache tutorials on the blog You’ll find tutorials for making animalsculptures, paper mache recipes (including paper mache clay) and hundreds of ideas and great advice from readers. This e-book is free to share, under the terms of the Creative Commons License. So, enjoy these practical paper mache projects, share this e-book with your friends, and be sure to come join the conversation at UltimatePaperMache.com.

Jonni Good
Webmaster - UltimatePaperMache.comAuthor - Make Animal Sculptures With Paper Mache Clay and Endangered Animals Color and Learn Book

- 2 -Practical Paper Mache - By the Readers at UltimatePaperMache.com

Paper Mache Paste Recipe:s
Most of the projects in this book are made from traditional paper mache -- strips of paper held together with paste or glue. One project uses a paper mache clay recipe that I developed -- you can findthe recipe for the clay online at http://ultimatepapermache.com/paper-mache-clay

Boiled Flour and Water Paste:
Many people use a paste that is made of white flour and water that has been brought to a boil. I did some experimenting and found that this paste is not as strong as raw paste, so you’ll need more layers of paper to make your finished sculpture stiff enough. However, it does dryclear, so many people prefer it. To make boiled paste, mix a heaping tablespoon of white flour with a cup of water in a small saucepan and stir until there are no lumps. Put the pan on the stove at medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool. The paste will be very runny at this stage, but it will gell as it cools.

Raw Flour and Water Paste:
This is thepaste I almost always use, because it’s stronger than boiled paste and you can complete a project with only a few layers of paper. To make up the paste, just pour some white flour in a bowl, and add water gradually until you have a consistency that will work well. (Use a small kitchen mixer so you don’t have any lumps). How thick should you make your paste? It’s actually up to you. Experimentwith thick pastes that resemble hotcake batter, and thin pastes that are runny and watery. You get to decide which ones you prefer. Keep in mind that it is the flour, and not the water, that gives strength to your paper mache sculpture. And also remember that each layer of paste and paper that is added to your project must dry completely to keep it from developing mold.

Papers to Use for Paper...