Hello everyone! Just wanted to share my paper mache mermaid, I used the paper mache clay to sculpt the face (First time ever). Hints and tips gladly accepted! Thanks for looking!
As long as some of us are showing off pumpkins, let me share my class projects with you. This is the first project of the session. Our second will be a tompte like Jonni’s. Can you guess that the theme for this session is holiday based? The class members seem to be enjoying themselves and they are a delight!
I made the pumpkin for my neighbor first. She wanted a “white” one, so I painted it an ivory color. When she got it, she used the colors from FolkArt — red, orange, green. I liked the “light” color (because my pumpkins tend to be dark red, orange, or yellow, which become a bit heavy for me).
I covered my pumpkins with Unbleached Titanium (off white on the warm side). When that was dry, I used the dry-brush technique. For the orange I used Cadmium Red Medium mixed with Cadmium Yellow Medium. For the green I used Cerulean Blue and Hansen’s Yellow. I dipped the brush in a glazing liquid and then into the color, trying to vary the color with each stroke. I tried to keep it light, and the undertone of unbleached white helped.
I hope that answers your question.
Here is another pumpkin I just finished. With this one, I tried to apply the clay with more texture, that is, not smooth it out as much. I see many sculptures on this site that I like, and many of them have totally different textures than my stuff, so I was trying to “reach out” and do things a little differently.
Thanks.
(By the way, the little paper figure on the pumpkin is “Flat Stanley, World Traveler.” A 6-year-old niece sent him to me and asked me to take photos with him about his adventures.)
I love the depth of color you get in your pumpkins. They are absolutely spectacular, so don’t go saying they’re not.
REx, thank you so much! This is going to be a great help. I know it’s a Halloween item, but wouldn’t a grouping of your pumpkins look fantastic on a Thanksgiving table?
Also, I added a little Dioxinine Purple (misspelled, probably) on the stem.
I know I’ve carried the pumpkin thing to the extreme, and I think part of that is because I don’t consider pumpkins to be only Halloween. I was very happy when my sister decorated hers for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and just generally a harvest thing.
I’ll work on a group of them next, of course. (Eileen thinks she is so smart! lol)
Hi Rex. I saw your neighbor’s pumpkin before this comment – and now I must find out how you painted them. They’re great – and about as close to spectacular as you can get! Even the stem looks realistic. Tell us the colors you used, puleeeze… And was the darker colors on the orange areas dry-brushed on?
And I see that my reply to your comment ended up in the wrong place – sigh. To clarify, all your pumpkins are wonderful, but I especially love the way you painted yours. 🙂
Hello I am trying to make a submarine costume for my four year old. My plan is to use balloons (the long kind you use for balloon animals) to get the basic shape, cover with plaster cloth and then one layer paper mache like you advised on your pokemon post. My question is will this be light enough for him to wear? The finished dimension of the piece are probably 3 feet long and 2 feet width. I am looking for lightest in weight and quick drying. Any other suggestions or tips would be really appreciated.
Hi Jasmine. It’s the lightest thing I can think of, other than creating the shapes with thin foam. People who participate in cosplay events use foam a lot, but I’ve never tried it. You can see how it’s done, more or less, on this page. You know I love to work with plaster cloth and paper mache, but for a four-year old the foam costume would probably be easier to wear and safer, in case he falls down. But it would probably be easier to do it the way you describe. I hope I haven’t given you too many confusing options. 🙂
Dear Jonni, I am very very new to paper mache – in fact never done it b4. However I purchased a 100+ year old mannequin and don’t really want to ruin it so thought I’d make a cast so I could mosaic it. I made some clay according to your recipe wrapped the mannequin in plastic wrap then applied it to the back approx. 1/4” thick then left it to dry. However because we have had a weeks rain it still feels damp. Would this be because the air is damp? I am going to do the cast in three/four pieces as I don’t want to ruin the original mannequin. Am I doing this correctly or should I do the whole cast then cut the cast away from original. The original cast feels like paper mache itself. Thank you so much hoping you may be able to help me. Loisfromdownunder
Hi Lois. If you’re using my paper mache clay recipe, it dries really hard. It would be almost impossible to cut it off the mannequin without destroying the original. Your idea of doing it in sections is much better.
I would probably use much thinner layers of paper mache clay, though – especially in a humid environment. If you can put it in front of a fan that would help. I don’t know how long it’s been drying, but with a 1/4″ layer it will take several days, and possibly longer. If it doesn’t dry before it starts to mold, take it off and try again with a layer that’s 1/8″ or so – you can add a new layer on top of it after the first layer is dry all the way through.
Very sweet little nursery for your new granddaughter! She will love it as she grows. My grandkids demand to see all my sculptures every time they come over. Enjoy! When will she arrive?
Hi there Joni It’s me again and I just finished a new project. My friend’s birthday is just before Halloween and I thought of presenting her with something unordinary. I sculptured a witch hand and then a witch shoe. Then I placed the shoe into the hand and filled it with candy. Once again I am sruggling with sending the picture. Patience
Hi Jessie. We really want to see that definitely unordinary birthday present. Did you try using this resizer to make your image smaller? Or is it a device issue that’s causing your problems?
Hi Sandy. Did you try to upload a photo of your Woodland animals so we can see them? If so, the file size might have been too large. I hope you’ll try this online resizer to make them smaller, and try again. 🙂
You are my new guru of mache – have grandiose plans for modern urns classically bent. My first project I forgot to put a plastic barrier between my new clay and a bowl I’m using as a substructure. So now I either scrap the whole thing to retrieve my bowl or carve it out and try to mend. I was just at the San Diego Zoo this morning and got so inspired to add animal like finials on top. You have all the best information that I am in need of right now. God Speed You Artisan You * not my photo but where I’m going in my head
You have some great ideas, Linda. By the way, if you used the paper mache clay recipe on this site and the bowl is ceramic or plastic, you can get the clay off by leaving it in water overnight. The clay isn’t waterproof, so it should come right off. We can’t wait to see your new urns when they’re done.
Hi all 🙂 I’ve been using paper mache clay for a while thanks to you Jonni! I usually make horses but I fancied a change! I thought I’d try using a pattern which worked well tho Im not sure how strong it will be with such thin legs we shall see how it goes!
Wow! That’s a great armature for your camel. Did you put some wire inside the legs, by any chance? It could help them stay straight. One thing we’ve discovered, also, is that it really helps to cover the legs with your paper mache first, and let it dry, before working on the body. You probably do that with your horses, but I thought I’d mention it, just in case. 🙂
I really hope you’ll let us see it when it’s finished!
Hi Jonni thanks yes it does have wire, although it’s only a light wire. I hoped combined with foil and card would be strong enough. I use metal rods for the horses legs so might have to use that instead. Yeah I do the legs first and mix the clay with cabinet makers resin glue to strengthen it. I do the same for the ears and tails. It’s called Cascamite here in the UK.
I hadn’t heard of that glue, but it sounds interesting. Especially for those of us who like to make giraffes and camels and other creatures with impossibly long legs. Thanks for the tip. I think you’re right about the foil helping to strengthen the legs.
Hi Jonni yes it’s very good at strengthening the clay. I mix it up as per the instructions (I did try adding the powder straight in the clay but it didn’t work so well) and mix it in the clay. It makes it a bit wet but when it’s dry it’s much tougher.
Also last week I tried adding powdered porcelain to the clay. I don’t add flour so don’t have any trouble with mould. It can last for weeks in a closed container. But today with the new mixture it absolutely stinks! Like yeast it made me feel sick. How’s that happened I can’t see any mould or visible changes in the clay? I really like the feel of it, much more like real clay, but Im confused what to do about it! Thanks 🙂
Hi Alex – Did the only mixture that went bad contain the powdered porcelain? If so, there must have been a high concentration of some form of fungus or yeast in the bag. However, I can’t imagine how that would happen. Does the porcelain smell funny if you just mix it with water and wait a few minutes?
Alex, what a fabulous camel! Good luck with the legs, I would use rebar or coat hangers twisted together. That makes a rather strong wire. Try it your way with the foil, if it doesn’t work, the legs can always be redone. Not ideal but don’t get discouraged, things can always be fixed! Nice work!
Thanks for keeping us updated, Alex. As for replies, there’s a reply link in the line below the name of the person who responded to your comment. Click it (like you probably did this time) and the person will be more likely to see your answer. If someone leaves a new comment and you’d like to respond to them instead of to other people who have already responded, click on the reply link below the original commentor’s name.
Or just ignore these confusing instructions and click any reply link and start writing. It’s all good. 🙂
Alex, my first thought was consumed in jealousy! (I’m not the jealous type.) I love everything about this camel. The pose is perfect. Great work. Just speechless. Can’t wait to see it finished.
Thanks 🙂 I’ve changed it! Its a complete experiment this one I’ve never made a camel before and I’m using materials I’ve never used too. I used a bit of old tissue paper to stick down the masking tape and apoxy putty on the legs. I used 5mm rods inside of them.
Now I’m a bit unsure where to go I’m thinking of trying Creative Paper Clay on the body and apoxie sculpt on the head? Will that work ? I also want to try Sculpt Nouveau’s coatings too.
Hi Alex. It sounds like your ideas should work very well. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone use that combination of materials yet, so I can’t wait to see how it comes out.
I’m glad you’re having fun! Did you try to post a photo? If you did, it was probably too big, so it may need to be resized. We would love to see what you made.
It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything artistic. I got revved up to create something for Artprize this year. Artprize is in Grand Rapids Michigan…Google it…big event. I was accepted to a great venue..Met some great artists..and got some fantastic feedback. My hope was to get people to think about an idea. I’m in no gallery of have no website. Wait till you see my next project…Will blow your mind?
Well, sir, you have my attention. I know one thing for sure, I won’t have a better laugh today. Absolutely stunning. Those expressions are priceless.
(I walk my dog, Teca, in the desert, and we have been seeing many ravens (hundreds of them together). This grouping only seems to happen around this time of year.)
Absolutely. My neighbor had a pet raven, Poe. Me and my dog loved him. He would come over and ask for oranges or raspberries, sit on my arm. He even knew to pull weeds and leave flowers. Every morning he greeted us by landing on the roof, and we would go out and spend time with him. (Unfortunately, as humans have it, another neighbor shot him over two years ago. We are still in mourning.) Thanks.
Eileen, thanks for your note! You know me better than I know myself. Can’t wait to see your projects.
This morning I took the insides out of two more pumpkins. These had plastic bags with rice and paper inside. I knew the insides had to come out. The “experimental” pumpkin, with the paper and then the foil outside, I also decided to cut out. Good thing I did because the paper inside was soggy and would never have dried. So if anyone uses paper for the insides of a pumpkin, be careful about leaving paper inside that will stay wet and mold. Most of you probably already knew that.
I will send photos when I get these three finished. Thanks. I love this site and all the inspiration and ideas I see on a regular basis.
I have no recent experience selling sculptures. I believe Eileen goes to local art shows to sell her work – that’s how I did it myself, back when I lived in a big city. Maybe she’ll jump in and offer some advice. Other than that, you could contact local galleries. Or let your friends and relatives know that he’s for sale – they might know someone who would love to have him.
Kim, I love your dragon and it is definitely good enough to be sold! There are a bunch of avenues for that opportunity, only you can decide how you want to do it. I started by jurying for a local art show. You would need more sculptures though, depending on the show. You could also try the Etsy route or approach a gallery to see if they are interested. Be aware that galleries and most art shows will take a commission. Sometimes restaurants will display and sell for local artists. I’m sure there are other avenues as well, perhaps someone else could chime in?
Thank you for the advice , it is appreciated. I think I build my collection and try to sell some pieces at a festival. We have a very good one here the Peter Anderson Festival where I live.
Kim, that is a wonderful dragon. I wonder if people have any idea how long it takes to complete something like this. He would look right at home on my living room floor! Good luck with selling it. I have had no experience selling anything, so I was surprised when a woman visiting the neighbor asked me if I was the one who made a tapir and wanted $100 for it. I should have told her it has a baby and can’t leave it yet.
Thank you for the wonderful comments and advice. Yes it’s true about the length of time it takes to complete and all the work that goes into a paper mache piece of art!
Rex, that tapir should go for a lot more than that! I’m glad you decided not to sell it! I just need to make room for new sculptures so I need to sell some at shows. There are only so many shelves and windowsills to hold all the critters! Gifting is good too!
Thanks, Eileen. Of the hundreds of things I have made over the past seven years, I have around ten. So I understand gifting. Don’t understand selling so well. It is remarkable that you sell some. The area I live in is very poor and people here don’t have much money. (Don’t know how interested they are in art, either!)
I’m varnishing one pumpkin today and have three more drying. I’ve made at least ten batches of clay, that is for five pumpkins. Thanks for the comments.
Hadn’t done anything with paper mache since making masks using the old (elementary) school method almost 40 years ago. Could not be more delighted to find Ms. Good’s paper mache clay recipe since we’re having a Halloween theme and needed a Wizard. By gleeful accident, found a $3.50 (clearance) giant watermelon inflatable beach ball from Kohl’s because the “rind” looks like hair. Now, he’ll hang out above a black backdrop and can’t wait to blog in depth about this creation soon! Happy creating everyone and look forward to learning more from you!
Hi Jonni! I’m not sure if I replied to you about the leaves or not. I used craft paper (the roll kind). I stiffened and dyed them, then shaped them with hot iron tools (silk-flower tools).
Sherry, I absolutely love your tree. Can you tell us a little bit more about how you did the roots and branches. I know nothing about silk flowers, but how did you get the leaves stiff? My sister has me thinking about a fairy garden (for her) and this would be a perfect gift. What did you use for the armature to get the branches to stand up. Lovely.
OOPs! Pic didn’t come through! Says it’s larger than 250KB ???
Hello everyone! Just wanted to share my paper mache mermaid, I used the paper mache clay to sculpt the face (First time ever). Hints and tips gladly accepted! Thanks for looking!
Hi Lyn. Your photos finally came through – and your sculptures are wonderful – as always. Thanks so much for sharing!
love the scales on the tail! Beautiful colors!
As long as some of us are showing off pumpkins, let me share my class projects with you. This is the first project of the session. Our second will be a tompte like Jonni’s. Can you guess that the theme for this session is holiday based? The class members seem to be enjoying themselves and they are a delight!
Nicely done – your class must be a lot of fun. We’d love to see those Tomtes, too. I’ll bet every single one will have a personality of it’s own. 🙂
(In case anyone who isn’t in Eileen class would like to make one, you can find him here.)
Great. Of course, I appreciate anything pumpkin. Love the face on the one towards the camera. Thanks.
A couple of my pumpkin projects this year. Nothing spectacular, just different!
Another one that I made for a neighbor. She painted it, which I liked!
Another great pumpkin, Rex. I like those color variations. Did she tell you how she did it, by any chance?
I made the pumpkin for my neighbor first. She wanted a “white” one, so I painted it an ivory color. When she got it, she used the colors from FolkArt — red, orange, green. I liked the “light” color (because my pumpkins tend to be dark red, orange, or yellow, which become a bit heavy for me).
I covered my pumpkins with Unbleached Titanium (off white on the warm side). When that was dry, I used the dry-brush technique. For the orange I used Cadmium Red Medium mixed with Cadmium Yellow Medium. For the green I used Cerulean Blue and Hansen’s Yellow. I dipped the brush in a glazing liquid and then into the color, trying to vary the color with each stroke. I tried to keep it light, and the undertone of unbleached white helped.
I hope that answers your question.
Here is another pumpkin I just finished. With this one, I tried to apply the clay with more texture, that is, not smooth it out as much. I see many sculptures on this site that I like, and many of them have totally different textures than my stuff, so I was trying to “reach out” and do things a little differently.
Thanks.
(By the way, the little paper figure on the pumpkin is “Flat Stanley, World Traveler.” A 6-year-old niece sent him to me and asked me to take photos with him about his adventures.)
I also used a little Burnt Sienna and Raw Umber along the way to tone it down a bit!
I love the depth of color you get in your pumpkins. They are absolutely spectacular, so don’t go saying they’re not.
REx, thank you so much! This is going to be a great help. I know it’s a Halloween item, but wouldn’t a grouping of your pumpkins look fantastic on a Thanksgiving table?
Also, I added a little Dioxinine Purple (misspelled, probably) on the stem.
I know I’ve carried the pumpkin thing to the extreme, and I think part of that is because I don’t consider pumpkins to be only Halloween. I was very happy when my sister decorated hers for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and just generally a harvest thing.
I’ll work on a group of them next, of course. (Eileen thinks she is so smart! lol)
Hi Rex. I saw your neighbor’s pumpkin before this comment – and now I must find out how you painted them. They’re great – and about as close to spectacular as you can get! Even the stem looks realistic. Tell us the colors you used, puleeeze… And was the darker colors on the orange areas dry-brushed on?
And I see that my reply to your comment ended up in the wrong place – sigh. To clarify, all your pumpkins are wonderful, but I especially love the way you painted yours. 🙂
Hello
I am trying to make a submarine costume for my four year old. My plan is to use balloons (the long kind you use for balloon animals) to get the basic shape, cover with plaster cloth and then one layer paper mache like you advised on your pokemon post. My question is will this be light enough for him to wear? The finished dimension of the piece are probably 3 feet long and 2 feet width. I am looking for lightest in weight and quick drying.
Any other suggestions or tips would be really appreciated.
Hi Jasmine. It’s the lightest thing I can think of, other than creating the shapes with thin foam. People who participate in cosplay events use foam a lot, but I’ve never tried it. You can see how it’s done, more or less, on this page. You know I love to work with plaster cloth and paper mache, but for a four-year old the foam costume would probably be easier to wear and safer, in case he falls down. But it would probably be easier to do it the way you describe. I hope I haven’t given you too many confusing options. 🙂
Dear Jonni, I am very very new to paper mache – in fact never done it b4. However I purchased a 100+ year old mannequin and don’t really want to ruin it so thought I’d make a cast so I could mosaic it. I made some clay according to your recipe wrapped the mannequin in plastic wrap then applied it to the back approx. 1/4” thick then left it to dry. However because we have had a weeks rain it still feels damp. Would this be because the air is damp? I am going to do the cast in three/four pieces as I don’t want to ruin the original mannequin. Am I doing this correctly or should I do the whole cast then cut the cast away from original. The original cast feels like paper mache itself. Thank you so much hoping you may be able to help me. Loisfromdownunder
Hi Lois. If you’re using my paper mache clay recipe, it dries really hard. It would be almost impossible to cut it off the mannequin without destroying the original. Your idea of doing it in sections is much better.
I would probably use much thinner layers of paper mache clay, though – especially in a humid environment. If you can put it in front of a fan that would help. I don’t know how long it’s been drying, but with a 1/4″ layer it will take several days, and possibly longer. If it doesn’t dry before it starts to mold, take it off and try again with a layer that’s 1/8″ or so – you can add a new layer on top of it after the first layer is dry all the way through.
Good luck with it!
Will try this again…Woodland animals…first paper mache attempt since grade school. I may be hooked however. What fun!
Very sweet little nursery for your new granddaughter! She will love it as she grows. My grandkids demand to see all my sculptures every time they come over. Enjoy! When will she arrive?
Sometime between Nov.8-15…soon!
They are fun! And so cute – they’re perfect for the new nursery. 🙂
Sandy, those are perfect. Some of my favorite wall masks ever.
Aww they are perfect 🙂
Hi there Joni
It’s me again and I just finished a new project. My friend’s birthday is just before Halloween and I thought of presenting her with something unordinary. I sculptured a witch hand and then a witch shoe. Then I placed the shoe into the hand and filled it with candy. Once again I am sruggling with sending the picture. Patience
Hi Jessie. We really want to see that definitely unordinary birthday present. Did you try using this resizer to make your image smaller? Or is it a device issue that’s causing your problems?
My first crude attempt at making some Woodland animals for my “soon-to-be” granddaughter’s nursery. I enjoyed the process and hope to continue!
Hi Sandy. Did you try to upload a photo of your Woodland animals so we can see them? If so, the file size might have been too large. I hope you’ll try this online resizer to make them smaller, and try again. 🙂
You are my new guru of mache – have grandiose plans for modern urns classically bent. My first project I forgot to put a plastic barrier between my new clay and a bowl I’m using as a substructure. So now I either scrap the whole thing to retrieve my bowl or carve it out and try to mend.
I was just at the San Diego Zoo this morning and got so inspired to add animal like finials on top.
You have all the best information that I am in need of right now.
God Speed You Artisan You * not my photo but where I’m going in my head
You have some great ideas, Linda. By the way, if you used the paper mache clay recipe on this site and the bowl is ceramic or plastic, you can get the clay off by leaving it in water overnight. The clay isn’t waterproof, so it should come right off. We can’t wait to see your new urns when they’re done.
Template for making balls.
Reposting smaller image size.
Hi all 🙂 I’ve been using paper mache clay for a while thanks to you Jonni! I usually make horses but I fancied a change! I thought I’d try using a pattern which worked well tho Im not sure how strong it will be with such thin legs we shall see how it goes!
Wow! That’s a great armature for your camel. Did you put some wire inside the legs, by any chance? It could help them stay straight. One thing we’ve discovered, also, is that it really helps to cover the legs with your paper mache first, and let it dry, before working on the body. You probably do that with your horses, but I thought I’d mention it, just in case. 🙂
I really hope you’ll let us see it when it’s finished!
Hi Jonni thanks yes it does have wire, although it’s only a light wire. I hoped combined with foil and card would be strong enough. I use metal rods for the horses legs so might have to use that instead. Yeah I do the legs first and mix the clay with cabinet makers resin glue to strengthen it. I do the same for the ears and tails. It’s called Cascamite here in the UK.
I hadn’t heard of that glue, but it sounds interesting. Especially for those of us who like to make giraffes and camels and other creatures with impossibly long legs. Thanks for the tip. I think you’re right about the foil helping to strengthen the legs.
Hi Jonni yes it’s very good at strengthening the clay. I mix it up as per the instructions (I did try adding the powder straight in the clay but it didn’t work so well) and mix it in the clay. It makes it a bit wet but when it’s dry it’s much tougher.
Also last week I tried adding powdered porcelain to the clay. I don’t add flour so don’t have any trouble with mould. It can last for weeks in a closed container. But today with the new mixture it absolutely stinks! Like yeast it made me feel sick. How’s that happened I can’t see any mould or visible changes in the clay? I really like the feel of it, much more like real clay, but Im confused what to do about it! Thanks 🙂
Hi Alex – Did the only mixture that went bad contain the powdered porcelain? If so, there must have been a high concentration of some form of fungus or yeast in the bag. However, I can’t imagine how that would happen. Does the porcelain smell funny if you just mix it with water and wait a few minutes?
Alex, what a fabulous camel! Good luck with the legs, I would use rebar or coat hangers twisted together. That makes a rather strong wire. Try it your way with the foil, if it doesn’t work, the legs can always be redone. Not ideal but don’t get discouraged, things can always be fixed! Nice work!
Thanks yes I used 5mm rods in the legs in the end as the card and foil wasn’t strong enough.
I’m a bit confused where my replies should go? On the last comment or on each person’s post? Sorry!
Thanks for keeping us updated, Alex. As for replies, there’s a reply link in the line below the name of the person who responded to your comment. Click it (like you probably did this time) and the person will be more likely to see your answer. If someone leaves a new comment and you’d like to respond to them instead of to other people who have already responded, click on the reply link below the original commentor’s name.
Or just ignore these confusing instructions and click any reply link and start writing. It’s all good. 🙂
Alex, my first thought was consumed in jealousy! (I’m not the jealous type.) I love everything about this camel. The pose is perfect. Great work. Just speechless. Can’t wait to see it finished.
Thanks 🙂 I’ve changed it! Its a complete experiment this one I’ve never made a camel before and I’m using materials I’ve never used too. I used a bit of old tissue paper to stick down the masking tape and apoxy putty on the legs. I used 5mm rods inside of them.
Now I’m a bit unsure where to go I’m thinking of trying Creative Paper Clay on the body and apoxie sculpt on the head? Will that work ? I also want to try Sculpt Nouveau’s coatings too.
Hi Alex. It sounds like your ideas should work very well. I don’t think I’ve seen anyone use that combination of materials yet, so I can’t wait to see how it comes out.
I LOVE your Camel!! I can’t wait to see it completed!
My first time trying papier maché. Thanx for a fabulous pattern. I haven’t had this much fun in ages!
I’m glad you’re having fun! Did you try to post a photo? If you did, it was probably too big, so it may need to be resized. We would love to see what you made.
Trying to share again….
It’s beautiful, Sabina! Thank you so much for sharing your photo.
My 2018 Art Prize entry. “Duped”
It’s wonderful, Steve. I can see why it won a prize! Both the donkey and the man have great expressions. Have you been sculpting for a long time?
I’ve done sculpting in the past….first attempt at paper mache….I learned how to make the paper mache paste here…thanks!
You’re certainly welcome. Do you show your work on a website or gallery?
It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything artistic. I got revved up to create something for Artprize this year. Artprize is in Grand Rapids Michigan…Google it…big event. I was accepted to a great venue..Met some great artists..and got some fantastic feedback. My hope was to get people to think about an idea. I’m in no gallery of have no website. Wait till you see my next project…Will blow your mind?
OK – now you have our attention. When will your next project be done? Waiting is hard… 🙂
? it’s going to be a while…I’ll stay in touch ?
Wow. Does that represent the Democratic Party this year? lol I sure want to see your next piece! Are you on facebook?
Actually it wasn’t meant to be political. I was trying to portray how people can be manipulated by con men who promise a future reward. ?
Well, sir, you have my attention. I know one thing for sure, I won’t have a better laugh today. Absolutely stunning. Those expressions are priceless.
(I walk my dog, Teca, in the desert, and we have been seeing many ravens (hundreds of them together). This grouping only seems to happen around this time of year.)
In my opinion, ravens are wise birds…they know what’s going on!
Absolutely. My neighbor had a pet raven, Poe. Me and my dog loved him. He would come over and ask for oranges or raspberries, sit on my arm. He even knew to pull weeds and leave flowers. Every morning he greeted us by landing on the roof, and we would go out and spend time with him. (Unfortunately, as humans have it, another neighbor shot him over two years ago. We are still in mourning.) Thanks.
Oh no…what a shame. There’s a price to pay to taking life needlessly. ?
This is a horse I just did,
Very nice, David. I love the pose. Thanks for sharing it with us. 🙂
PUMPKIN ALERT:
Eileen, thanks for your note! You know me better than I know myself. Can’t wait to see your projects.
This morning I took the insides out of two more pumpkins. These had plastic bags with rice and paper inside. I knew the insides had to come out. The “experimental” pumpkin, with the paper and then the foil outside, I also decided to cut out. Good thing I did because the paper inside was soggy and would never have dried. So if anyone uses paper for the insides of a pumpkin, be careful about leaving paper inside that will stay wet and mold. Most of you probably already knew that.
I will send photos when I get these three finished. Thanks. I love this site and all the inspiration and ideas I see on a regular basis.
My Dragon now that it is painted!
Now that it is painted , do you think I could sell it? any help would be appreciated. thanks Kim
I have no recent experience selling sculptures. I believe Eileen goes to local art shows to sell her work – that’s how I did it myself, back when I lived in a big city. Maybe she’ll jump in and offer some advice. Other than that, you could contact local galleries. Or let your friends and relatives know that he’s for sale – they might know someone who would love to have him.
Kim, I love your dragon and it is definitely good enough to be sold! There are a bunch of avenues for that opportunity, only you can decide how you want to do it. I started by jurying for a local art show. You would need more sculptures though, depending on the show. You could also try the Etsy route or approach a gallery to see if they are interested. Be aware that galleries and most art shows will take a commission. Sometimes restaurants will display and sell for local artists. I’m sure there are other avenues as well, perhaps someone else could chime in?
Thank you for the advice , it is appreciated. I think I build my collection and try to sell some pieces at a festival. We have a very good one here the Peter Anderson Festival where I live.
Very nice! What a show-stopper!
Kim, that is a wonderful dragon. I wonder if people have any idea how long it takes to complete something like this. He would look right at home on my living room floor! Good luck with selling it. I have had no experience selling anything, so I was surprised when a woman visiting the neighbor asked me if I was the one who made a tapir and wanted $100 for it. I should have told her it has a baby and can’t leave it yet.
Thanks for showing us.
Thank you for the wonderful comments and advice. Yes it’s true about the length of time it takes to complete and all the work that goes into a paper mache piece of art!
Rex, that tapir should go for a lot more than that! I’m glad you decided not to sell it! I just need to make room for new sculptures so I need to sell some at shows. There are only so many shelves and windowsills to hold all the critters! Gifting is good too!
Thanks, Eileen. Of the hundreds of things I have made over the past seven years, I have around ten. So I understand gifting. Don’t understand selling so well. It is remarkable that you sell some. The area I live in is very poor and people here don’t have much money. (Don’t know how interested they are in art, either!)
I’m varnishing one pumpkin today and have three more drying. I’ve made at least ten batches of clay, that is for five pumpkins. Thanks for the comments.
I have made a faux taxidermy paper mache unicorn head and the surface has turned out bumpy. Any tips on how to get this smoother would be welcome!
Hi Claire. This recent video I made might help: https://www.ultimatepapermache.com/make-paper-mache-smooth
Howdy, y’all!
Hadn’t done anything with paper mache since making masks using the old (elementary) school method almost 40 years ago. Could not be more delighted to find Ms. Good’s paper mache clay recipe since we’re having a Halloween theme and needed a Wizard. By gleeful accident, found a $3.50 (clearance) giant watermelon inflatable beach ball from Kohl’s because the “rind” looks like hair. Now, he’ll hang out above a black backdrop and can’t wait to blog in depth about this creation soon! Happy creating everyone and look forward to learning more from you!
We can’t wait to see how it turns out. 🙂
Thank you. I used white utility paper (on the roll) and stiffened/dyed it, then shaped like you would a silk flower.
Thank you Jonni for your paper mâché clay recipe. It has made my art so much easier! Here is my latest creation:
It’s beautiful, Sherry. Very nicely done. What did you use to make the leaves?
Hi Jonni! I’m not sure if I replied to you about the leaves or not. I used craft paper (the roll kind). I stiffened and dyed them, then shaped them with hot iron tools (silk-flower tools).
Thanks Sherry!
Sherry, I absolutely love your tree. Can you tell us a little bit more about how you did the roots and branches. I know nothing about silk flowers, but how did you get the leaves stiff? My sister has me thinking about a fairy garden (for her) and this would be a perfect gift. What did you use for the armature to get the branches to stand up. Lovely.