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Daddy Goblin volunteered to participate in my “plaster cloth mache” experiment.
(OK, I didn’t really give him a choice, and I didn’t actually intend to make him with plaster cloth. It just sort of happened… 🙂 )
This is the third post in the Halloween Goblin series. You can see the first one, where I explain the basic idea, here. And the second video shows how I quickly sculpted Daddy Goblins face with an oil based plastilina.
Remember that this was an experiment, so don’t jump in and make something with this method unless you’re willing to experiment, too. We won’t have any idea how well it holds up in the weather for several more months. I do hope to get a broken pumpkin made soon, and I’ll stick it outside in our Minnesota snow and rain to see what happens. I’ll keep you posted. 🙂
Although I was inspired by the cloth mache methods taught by Dan Reeder, I haven’t actually used any of his methods yet. That will come when I start on the bodies.
Now I have to decide if I make at least one body first, just to get a feel for Dan’s methods before I make the rest of the goblin family’s faces. Or should I play around and make an entire family of goblins, and make the bodies later?
They probably need some pets – maybe a raccoon and a crow because they’re thieves, too? What do you think?
If you’d like to see the video about making that African mask, you can see it here. Remember – they don’t sell the Elmer’s Art Paste anymore, but the same process works just fine with cooked flour and water paste.
If you have any experiences in ‘learning by accident,’ please share it below. And if you’ve ever done anything with plaster and glue, please let us know about that, too.
Check out the recipe for burlapcrete:
https://web.archive.org/web/20230330080651/https://annesley.wordpress.com/burlap-crete-explained/
It’s basically burlap soaked in cement. John Annesley used the technique to build a large house.
Another burlapcrete experimentor:
https://www.gallifreypermaculture.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/EarthbagWorkshopHandout.pdf
Interesting – thanks!
Some things to try:
* Paint the sculpture with silicone thinned with acetone. Don’t use until you’re sure you won’t want to add anything / paint the sculpture any more though, as silicone repels most things once dry.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_R0gEDZhAI&t=62s
* Paint the sculpture with paraffin wax + mineral oil.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HedRbIsM75M&t=433s
* Paint with Drylok Powdered Masonry Waterproofer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnRcXadnZZA&t=817s
* Add Xypex to initial plaster / clay formula.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VozKO84Rgzk
* Apply a wax / hot glue coating:
* Biodegradable : Mixture of beeswax + shellac + isopropyl alcohol
* Non-biodegradable: hot glue (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) + paraffin wax + mineral oil
You can add color + UV. resistance by adding lamp black / titanium dioxide / mineral pigments + metal stearates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45JhacvmXV8&t=1204s
I’ve seen some of those videos, and I’m tempted to try it. But the acetone kind of scares me. Have you tried it, and do you have some tips for doing it safely?
Acetone is fairly innocuous. Nail polish remover is acetone + fragrance. Your body produces it naturally from fat when you fast. So I don’t think the risk from the brief contact required to coat a mask / small sculpture is high.
However, it is highly flammable, and there’s evidence that high long-term exposure can cause liver damage.
To reduce the risk, I would do the following:
* Don’t use it near open flame (cigarettes, propane stove).
* Apply it outdoors or in a well ventilated room.
* Wear nitrile gloves (I like the 7 mil gloves from Harbor Freight).
* Wear a half or full mask respirator with cartridges rated for organic vapors, such as 3M 6001 Organic Vapor Cartridge
Good advice, Archer – thanks. 🙂
I think you’re right – I really should make at least one body, to figure out how it will be done. One of my readers suggested giving the characters more than two feet to stand on – they could be crouching to see if anyone was watching them, or pulling a big sack that was dragging on the ground. That would help with the balancing, without needing to pound a stake into frozen ground. But it will be more challenging to design them, so I should try one, first. 🙂
Hi Jonni!
You were wondering if you should try to make one body before moving on to the other faces. I think that would be wise because as you mentioned previously the goblins would appear to be running, and with the challenges of balancing and mounting such dynamic figures you’ll need time to find out what works best. I really like the idea of adding both a raccoon and a crow to the group, like a comic fairytale. I’m sorry I don’t have suggestions regarding your materials, but I’m quite anxious to see how it all works out.
Best of Luck!
Oops – I responded to you, but forgot to put the comment under your post. If you check back, you’ll see it above your comment, instead of below it. 🙂