Made by Marina Mueller
This was for me a new approach to my “stone heads” that I usually cast in concrete or synthetic ceramics for placement outdoors. I guess I got tired of all that weight, so I decided to try the “instant paper mache” recipe. It worked very well.
I stuck to the recipe for the first layer but added baking powder to slow down the setting of the plaster. I applied the mud ( in a very thin layer on the inside of my silicone mold, placed a cheese cloth carefully onto it and dabbed it down, and then went over it with the second layer of paper-plaster mix integrating it all. I had ample time to dab down and smooth, and after some 20 minutes the plaster mix started to heat up and set. It has set hard.
The piece is approx. 6” deep and 10” tall, and the wall thickness is only 3-4 mm. (Maybe I ought to reinforce it some more after all 🙂 )
When the piece was dry I primed it with the acrylic primer, and painted it with acrylics.
Now I can’t wait to try the “Paper Mache Clay Without Joint Compound” recipe in the same mold.
As for the baking powder retardant: I mixed 1/2 tsp of the baking powder (not soda) dry with the cup of plaster of paris, and it gave me double the usual working time with plaster.
Thank you, and happy crafting 🙂
Marina
Well obviously you know what you are doing. Your mask looks great! It is so smooth and perfect. I haven’t tried any of the techniques you’re using but I certainly know now where to look. Congrats on a beautiful piece of art!
Wow he’s weird! Wonderfully weird, I love him! Thank you for the tip about the baking powder too.
Thank you 🙂 Oh, and you are so welcome – after decades of trying to slow the plaster down by reverse mixing, vinegar and what not, I’ve found this baking powder trick just recently on the net, and now I hope it goes viral for the magic it does 🙂
Magnifiques têtes de pierre! Un grand merci pour ces astuces, hâte de pouvoir m’y mettre et, qui sait…. vous envoyer des photos dignes de vos œuvres.