This is a reader-supported site. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Thanks for your support! 🙂
A few weeks ago our friend Lezlei Young posted a photo of Camilla, her very large giraffe, on the Daily Sculptors page. To put it mildly, we were all impressed. That’s why I was so excited when she agreed to show us exactly how it was made. Thank you, Lezlei!
©2019 Lezlei Young
How I created Camilla the Giraffe
Thank you Jonni for giving me an opportunity to share Camilla the giraffe’s story! I am a 65-year-old mixed media artist living in the Dallas area. Camilla the giraffe is the largest art project I have ever done! Camilla was made as part of the decorations for my church Vacation Bible School. The theme was “In the Wild” this year.
Here is how I created Camilla the giraffe!
Step 1: I purchased and downloaded the Ultimate Paper Mache giraffe pattern from Jonni’s website.
I printed the pattern directly onto cardstock paper. I cut out everything and glued designated pieces onto corrugated cardboard according to the instructions. The cardstock paper worked great for the other pieces and allowed me to easily shape and glue the pieces together! So easy to put together! Loved the results!
Step 2: I downloaded the paper mache recipes that were provided with my purchase and decided to try the “Boiled Paper Mache” recipe. I loved it! It required less flour, easy to prepare and dried hard, smooth and transparent. I prepared my newspaper strips and covered the assembled head with three layers of paper mache. Jonni’s tips on using the smaller pieces of newspaper to get in the smaller areas worked great!
Step 3: I have a great brother! I called him, and he came over and built the giraffe body “skeleton” from pieces of scrap wood from my hardware store (free!) and a couple of purchased 1X2 wood pieces.
Step 4: I used a large round balloon to fill out the giraffe stomach – really gave the belly a great shape.
I cut the outline of the giraffe’s back from cardboard and glued to the wood. This helped me to keep the shape I wanted for the back as I added the crumpled-up paper to fill out the body.
I also cut out cardboard shapes that I taped above the front legs to help to achieve the shape I wanted for the top of the legs.
I used paper towel rolls to “round out” the edges of the wooden legs.
I used pool noodles to fill out the neck of my giraffe.
I created a tail by wrapping newspaper around a piece of scrap wire that I could bend to help shape the tail.
I used foil to give her hoofs the desired shape.
Step 5: Once I was finished filling out the body, I covered the entire body, legs and tail with masking tape. I added extra crumbled paper to give Camilla some “knees”.
Step 6: I then covered the body and legs with 3 layers of paper mache.
Step 7: I decided to paint the head of the giraffe BEFORE I attached it to the body just to make it easier for me to reach the head. Camilla is about 7 feet tall.
I then attached the head to the body securing it with masking tape and paper mache using Tyvek for the first layer to strengthen and then 2 layers of newspaper paper mache.
Step 8: Both the head and the body were painted first with white gesso followed by a coat of titan buff. The giraffe markings were hand painted with burnt sienna and yellow ochre that I mixed as I painted. I add some darker “shadows” in the giraffe markings by added black to the burnt sienna yellow ochre mix.
Step 9: Finishing. I gave Camilla’s eyes a coat of clear finger nail polish. I cut and glued brown wool roving to create Camilla’s mane and to add hair to the end of her tail and the inside of her ears
Step 10: Another call to my brother to take Camilla the giraffe to the church!
Camilla took about 8 to 10 hours of “hands on” time to complete.
Thank you so much Jonni! Can’t wait to try one of your other patterns!
Lezlei Young
Related Posts:
Lezlei, I love the Giraffe – amazing and very inspiring. I am in awe! Thank you so much for sharing. Great brother, by the way.
Lezlei, you took everyone to church with that creation. Thank you very much. Camilla is perfect. Your techniques were interesting and informative, and creative. What a beautiful thing you have made. I admire your talent — and dare I say ambition to do something that large.
I saw the pumpkins and other stuff on your mantel. Do you make them? Great collection.
So, what’s next? (Great brother to help you.)
WOW!! Very impresive! Great job!
Oh my goodness. I have Camilla envy. She is beautiful and looks like she could be walking over to eat some leaves. I am not an original artist. Have to see so I can do. What I truly want is a chimp and a gorilla. Then I will see what I can do. You did such a marvelous job.
Wow!! What a wonderful job!! You’ve inspired me to get going
for my summer project. Thanks for sharing. I’m sure it was a
great addition to vacation Bible school.
This is wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing this inspiring work!
Leslie, your work is simply superb! I want to reach out and pet Camilla, she looks so real. Please continue with your paper mâché work. Who knows what grand creature you’ll come up with next?
Leslie, Beautiful job and thank you for showing details and your artistic abilities. Hope the Bible School enjoys it.
Fabulous! What a beautiful and well thought out job on both the sculpture and the tutorial! You really are an artist. The Bible school children are going to love it, what a treat! I do wonder where Camilla will be residing after bible school is over….she looks great in your living room! Now that would be an interesting conversation piece!
Love this. Thank you for sharing.
Just beautiful! You’ve inspired me to work on something large instead of my small pieces. Great job! Where will Camilla live once she’s finished her summer at Bible School?
Congratulations on a job well done! Thank you for posting the tutorial!
Totally unbelievable!!!
Unbelievable talent. It’s like you had a giraffe posing for the sculpture. Perfect proportions. Will he be living in that 2 story entry in the picture? Great decor addition. What’s next? Another African beauty? Lion? Cheetah? Your house looks big so maybe a baby elephant?
I am in awe of your talent!!
Magnificent!
Wonderful to see Camilla come to life with your talented hands. Lovely work. And congrats to you too Jonno for your lovely instructions.???
Lezlei, I love your giraffe. I’m 70 and want to build a huge dragon. You’ve truly inspired me to do it. I’m also a multi media artist. I live south of Houston. I wish we were closer. We could visit and talk about our projects. Thank you for sharing.
Lezlei!
You are a wonder! I know you had Jonni’s pattern and tips but Camilla is amazing. I had a truly memorable opportunity to pet a baby giraffe about 45 years ago and your results are really lifelike. Thanks so much for sharing!
Oh Leslie, I LOVE your Giraffe and decision/commitment to keep going with the entire body! Wow, what a wonderful project, (and you do have a nice brother). Thanks for posting and sharing your process!! Pool Noodles!! It’s very inspiring and the kids are going to Love it.
Great job!
Fantastic. Creative. Good work.