Easy Mannequin Head Pattern
for Paper Mache
$12
This mannequin head pattern helps you display your hand-made products in style.
Or use it as an armature for your next character sculpture or portrait. It’s easy to make, because the pattern creates all the shapes for you.
How to Use the Mannequin Head Pattern:
Print the pattern, stick it to cereal box cardboard, and cut out the pieces.
Tape the pieces together, using the instructions included with the pattern, and in the videos below.
Add some weight to the bottom, with a bag of sand or rice, to make your mannequin head stable.
Cover your mannequin head with paper strips and paste, or paper mache clay. Then paint it, or add features to create a character sculpture.
Finished Size:
About 14.75 inches (377 mm) high, 6.75 inches (173 mm) wide and 8.75 inches (22 mm) deep. It’s about the same size as a woman’s head. The size can be changed by printing the pattern larger or smaller.
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.
Note: If you’ll be saving your pattern to and iPhone or iPad, those devices like to hide your downloaded 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. 🙂
$12
Watch these videos to see how to use your mannequin head pattern:
This first video shows how all the pieces of the mannequin pattern go together. This is a fairly fast project, and it only uses four cereal boxes, plus a couple of smaller cardboard scraps. That means that you can make several mannequins, and they won’t cost much money.
I used brown paper for the paper mache on my mannequin, partly because I really like the way it looks, but mostly because I have a lot of it. It’s the paper that comes stuffed in boxes when you buy something online. Be sure to watch the video above if you’d like some tips on how to use the mannequin pattern as a form for sculpting character faces.
To Make Each Mannequin Head, You’ll Need:
- The Pattern
- Access to a Printer
- Copy paper or full-sheet labels (I always use the labels)
- Glue stick if using copy paper instead of the labels
- Cardboard from 4 standard-sized cereal boxes or 8 letter-sized sheets of light chipboard.* You’ll also need a small cardboard scrap.
- Small piece of corrugated cardboard for the bottom
- Sharp scissors and a box cutter.
- Clear plastic tape and masking tape Note: Don’t use disappearing gift wrap tape – it isn’t strong enough.
- Paper strips and paste, paper mache clay, or Silky Smooth Air Dry Clay (you can find recipes by clicking on the “recipes” tab at the top of the site).
- Acrylic paint or spray paint, and varnish
* If purchasing cardboard in place of the cereal boxes, it will be sold as “light chipboard.” Medium or heavy chipboard is too stiff to bend well.
$12
When you finish your mannequin –
We would really love to see how it comes out. Please visit the Daily Sculptors page and upload some photos. 🙂
Do you have a question or need help with your pattern?
There are two ways to contact me: The fastest way to get an answer is to leave a comment below. I read all comments and answer them as soon as I can, usually within a few hours. One of my readers might also chime in to help – we have a very supportive community here on this site.
If you prefer to reach me privately, you can send me an email.
I get a ton of spam and I don’t want your email to get lost, so please put “paper mache” in the subject line so your email won’t be accidentally deleted. If you don’t hear back from me within 24 hours, assume the cyberspace gremlins ate your email, and try again.
Hi! I’m making a few of these to display Lion King masks. You mentioned printing a little smaller is a possibility. What would you suggest printing wise for middle school students?
The mannequin is about 22″ around if you print it at 100%. If you want it to be the same size as your ‘average’ middle school kid, you’d need to measure some of them and do some math.
What’s the skulls circumference? I have a big head that makes hats hard to purchase, and I’d like to scale the pattern to match my skull if possible! I’m hoping to make some of the various mask and headdress ideas I’ve had floating in my head.
Hi Anna. The mannequin is about 21.75″ at the widest point. I hope that helps. 🙂
Hello Jonni!
I just discovered you on YouTube and I’m already dreaming of the possibilities for creating with paper mache clay. I plan on making this pattern in a larger size (printed on 11×17 paper), but my actual question deals more with how I would go about using it as a form to make over-sized masks. I was thinking I could shape the mask around the mannequin head and then let it dry, take it off, and incorporate it into a mixed-media piece.
Do you think this would work for that purpose? Should I cover the finished head with plastic wrap prior to applying any paper-mache clay?
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Hi Sara. That’s a great idea. You will want to cover the mannequin with a plastic bag, held on with tape around the neck, before you add your paper mache clay. That will help you remove the paper mache clay after it’s dry. It also seems to help with getting the clay out of the dried paper mache. If your finished masks seem too heavy when using the paper mache clay, you could use a few layers of paper strips and paste first, and add details with the paper mache clay. Have fun! 🙂
How can I thank you for the new love in my life!! Your recipes and inspiration have filled my days with creation.
I have a very significant, for me, question:
I have posted my latest project on your sculptors page, my Melpomene, Mauritanian princess. I will soon have to start painting her. The goal is for bright, bold, glossy colours that will make or break her.
I haven’t a clue how to go about it. I read somewhere that in order for the colours not to bleed on paper clay, you first have to varnish the base structure, and it perplexes me. The patterns will be complicated and many: different colours on each body part.
Do you have some advice on how to go about each colour stage, to ensure that the colours will be impactful and will not lose their brilliance on a clay surface?
I would be so thankful to you.
I am, your loyal fan ?
Hi Lillian. You can paint directly over the surface of your sculpture (and thanks for showing it to us!). For the brightest colors, though, I recommend using either acrylic gesso, or a latex primer. Either one will give you a nice white ground to paint on, and you won’t need as much acrylic paint to achieve your intended results. I can’t wait to see how it looks after it’s painted – please post again when it’s finished. 🙂
Thank you Jonni. I will do that and I’ll post when it’s done.
Fellowed you for 3 years and now I am retired and have the time to PLAY.
Have fun! 🙂
Can I cut the patterns out on my Cricut or Brother Scan & Cut?
The pattern is delivered as a PDF file. I don’t have a program that will convert them to be used on a Cricut.
Hi Jacquie. My wife uploads the PDF to use with Cricut Design Space.
Here is a YouTube tutorial showing you how it’s done. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7ACc35fdaY
Great site for inspiration.
Steve
I have done this on my scan n cut. you can either scan the pattern and isolate the individual pieces or roughly cut the pattern to seperate the pieces to scan. Once scanned you can delete any odd lines that may show. Use the draw function to add the numbers to the pieces. Save to your machine, a USB or canvas workspace. Its a labour of love but well worth the effort to be able reproduce it any size that suits.
If you direct cut it will pick up all the instructional written details.
Also when you have the saved pieces cut them out on sticker sheets like jonni suggests when printing the pattern. Its quick to peel them off and lay on cardboard. The scan n cut will cut cereal box card but i dont recomend that if you are enlarging.