Easy Pattern for a Paper Mache
Giant African Bullfrog Wall Sculpture
$7
A giant ‘faux trophy mount’ bullfrog? He’s big, he’s silly and he’s green – how could anyone not smile when they see him? And making him is fun, too!
My downloadable PDF Patterns come with full instructions.
There’s no waiting for your pattern to arrive, and no shipping costs, so you can start on your project right away.
Click here if you’d like to know more about how the patterns are delivered. (If you’ll be saving your pattern to and iPhone or iPad, they do tend to hide your files. You can scroll down this page to see how to find them.)
And remember – if you have any problems downloading your files or putting your pattern together, just let me know. I’m always happy to help. 😀
How to make your bullfrog:
This is an easy project because the pattern creates all the shapes for you.
- Just print the downloadable pattern on cardstock.
- Cut out the pieces.
- Tape them together.
- Add a layer of paper mache.
- And then give him a coat of bright green paint – or use colorful tissue paper for the lovely green, like I did when I made my own bullfrog.
Hang him directly on the wall, or use a wooden plaque for that faux taxidermy look.
$7
Watch the videos below to see how easy it is to make…
Putting the Pattern Pieces Together:
Adding the Eyes and Paper Mache:
Adding the Color:
Finished size: About 5.5” (13.97 cm) deep, 5” ( 12.7 cm) high and 6.5” (16.51) wide.
To make this bullfrog sculpture you will need:
- 110# card stock
- A printer
- Scissors
- Clear plastic tape (like Scotch tape)
- Peel N’ Stick Clear Laminate Adhesive Shelf Liner*
- 1 1/2″ Styrofoam balls for the eyes.
- Glue gun, to attach the eyes
- Masking tape (both narrow and wide)
- Aluminum foil, shredded paper or foam packing peanuts for stuffing inside the patterns to support them while you add the paper mache.
- Old newspapers and paste, or blue shop towels and home-made gesso (that’s what I used) or a batch of my paper mache clay (recipes in the Paper Mache Art Library)
- Acrylic Paint and Acrylic Medium
- Colored tissue paper (optional)
- Matte acrylic varnish
*You can find clear shelf liner in the housewares department of Walmart, or order it online. Or use clear tape. It’s to keep the card stock from getting wet when you add the paper mache.
$7
See My Patterns for Paper Mache…
Do you have a question or need help with your pattern?
If you have a question about putting your pattern together or painting it, leave a comment below or on the Daily Sculptors page. I read all comments and answer them as soon as I can, usually within a few hours. Some of my readers might ideas for you, too — we have a very supportive community on this site.
Wow, I love taxidermy but real mounts are very expensive. I am so surprised by how many animal mounts that you do. The frog is sort of funny because I have only seen one real frog head mount on TV.
As always, you done such a nice job. It is great how you are so willing to share with everyone of what you have learned. The pattern has so many pieces but works great to make the shape more real.
Thanks!!!!!
You’re welcome! 🙂
Hey,
I would like to do a frog mask, do you think that it is possible to do it with your pattern ?
I would like to use it for theater. And i also want to make epaulette with tree branch papier mache. Do you think i can use the papier mache clay recipe above wire ?
Forgive my bad english, i’m french.
And congrats for your work, it is fabulous.
Auriane
Hi Auriane. The paper mache clay is difficult to use around wire. It’s actually much easier to use paper strips with wire. It is possible to use the paper mache clay with wire, but it’s a little tricky to get it to look the way you want it to. Do a test first, and see if you like it. It might help if you wrap the wire with masking tape first.
The bullfrog could work as a mask, but if you wear it in front of your face you’d need to alter it. It’s almost as wide as my head, but much shorter, so you may need to print it about 50% larger (your local print shop will have paper big enough) and then you’d need to cut out part of the chin so it would fit. Frogs put their eyes on top of their heads, and we don’t – so you might have to look out of his nostrils.
If you use it as a headdress mask, it would work the size it is now. But you’d need to attach it to a cap of some kind. You can see how I did that with my Lion King lions here.
I hope this gives you some ideas you can use. 🙂
Mr Froggie finished with glaze
I love it! Did you actually use the patterns to cut out slabs of clay for this sculpture, or did you put the pattern together with cardstock, and then use that sculpture as the model for a free-hand sculpt? If I tried to explain your process to a friend who works with clay, what would I tell him?
I thought the glaze might not work but I’m pleased with how it turned out. Thanks for supplying the pattern Jonni.
The plan was to cut the clay to the pattern but there were more pieces than I thought there would be and too many joins to smooth over so I made the pattern with card and then used that to model the clay. Having something to take measurements from made it easier to get the right look. I made him wider through the mouth as my dad used to make a joke about wide mouthed-frogs 🙂
Hi Angela – your way does sound easier. I’ve tried to convince people to use the patterns to make models for drawings, too, but I don’t think I’ve convinced anyone yet. (But it’s still a good idea. 🙂 )
I think for drawing or paintings you wouldn’t need a 3D model (as it’s 2 dimensional 🙂 ) but for 3D work the paper model is excellent. I have a bear in progress now!
The finished frog
Yes I’m in a pottery club but it takes a while for the firings to come around. Will post when fired and glazed
Another view of him
I thought you might like to see my clay frog – based on your pattern which I made from paper first as a model
I tried the pattern but made my bull frog from clay.
Great bullfrog, Angela/ Will you be firing it in a kiln?
Sure will Jonni – and glazing it eventually. I will post a finished one when done but it might take a while as I don’t have my own kiln
Do you have a community center with a kiln you can use? I can’t wait to see how it turns out.