I was browsing online this morning and found a number of how-to paper mache books on Kindle that I’ve never seen before. Most of them are nice and cheap, and the “instant” delivery is nice, especially if you need something now for Halloween!
I’ve only read one of these books so far, (but I will be grabbing Dan’s book right after I get the post online). If you happen to get one of these books, please post a comment on this post and let us know what you think of it. If you make any of the projects, we’d love to see it. And if I missed one that you know about and really like, be sure to let me know.
So here, in no particular order, are the Kindle books I just discovered:
Halloween Papier Mache: Create Unique and Creepy Centerpieces, by Dan Reeder
$1.99, 116 pages
Any book by Dan Reeder is great – and I just now ordered this one – I couldn’t help it. (I don’t own a Kindle, but I do have their ap for PC.) I’m kind of embarrased to admit that I have his other print books on my shelves and I’ve used a few of his techniques at various times – but I’ve never actually made one of the sculptures in his books or used his famous cloth mache. The projects in this book are nice and small, so I think I’ll jump in and make one. Do you think I can get it done before Halloween? Only 8 more days!Of course, Dan’s other books are available on Kindle, too.
Do step by step a Fish – How to Create a Paper Sculpture with the “papietagem” technique by Marcelo Goncalves
$0.99, 31 pages
The author says this isn’t really paper mache. Although I can’t see far enough inside the book to see exactly how it’s done, it appears to be paper strips and glue. A Google search for the term Papietagem brings up a number of sites from Europe. The fish on the cover are very nice, and I may need to grab a copy, just to see how the fish were made. I’m hoping he’s using a mold, but I can’t tell from the description.
The same author has another book showing how to make a turtle with this same technique.
How To Make A Papier Mache Sculpture by Rachael Fillatre
$0.99, 45 pages
One of the first photos you see when you search inside this book is of the author working on her “plump lady” sculpture, which is quite large. This would be a great book for someone who would like to make figure sculptures, but isn’t quite sure how to go about building an armature – and who may be intimidated by all the details used by classical sculptors. This is a fairly simple figure, but it’s quite effective and enjoyable. Just one project is shown, bu the author includes a gallery of other projects at the back of the book.
Rachel also has a book on Kindle showing how to make a paper mache clown.
Papier Mache Manual by Paul C. Dass
$0.99, 30 pages
I did buy this one several years ago, because it includes a recipe for paper mache paste that I’d never seen before. I believe it uses fenugreek, a mucilaginous seed. The gallery of sculptures at the back of the book is quite impressive, showing items that are made for the tourist trade. As you can see from the photo on the cover, the finish can be very smooth – almost like sanded wood. If you’re interested in how paper mache is made in India, this is well worth the 99 cents.
Cardboard and Paper-Mache Furniture by Riccardo Ag
$23.00, 73 pages
This is the book that actually got me started looking at Kindle books this morning. A reader sent me an email with a link to some fabulous paper mache furniture (thanks Esther!) and, of course, I checked online to see if there were any books that would show us how it was done. This is the only book I could find on the subject of paper mache furniture. It’s kind of expensive for a Kindle book, so I don’t think I’ll be buying one — but the style is very similar to this cardboard furniture, made in France. I can’t tell you how often I’ve browsed through that site, wishing I could take one of their workshops.
Hi Jonni
I bought this book recently on Amazon for £1.87 ( about $2.40) . It was first published in 1990. The projects are pretty horrible! But the information is excellent..
Thought you might be interested
All the best
Drusilla
https://amzn.to/2DI03vT
Thanks, Dru!
I have made some small cardboard furniture over the last 3 years .
Since then I found a print book on amazon that shows the method I use, but it leaves out the paper mache. The book is “The Great Book of Cardboard Furniture” by Kiki Carton.
http://www.amazon.com/Great-Cardboard-Furniture-Step—Step/dp/0764341510/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1414207479&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=the+great+book+of+cardboard+furniture
I do paper mache my creations to make the surfaces harder and stronger.
I will try to post a photo of a small dresser I made to sit next to my bed.
I can’t seem to post photos off my phone, but I can email them.
i did some fish in the same manner as your small bird figure in the beginner tutorials. Cardboard center form, stuffed with plastic bags, wrapped in masking tape. I used regular pm flour/water/glue combo. Painted for fun. Did a few birds too! Very fun process!
I have Dass’s manual and you book with the dog on the cover on my Kindle and refer to them often. Bothe when working on projects in my studio and when I introduce projects in my art classes for the students to see. Love the easy acces to kindle books!
I have three of the kindle books and I can say that they are great ideas and instead of making the paper pulp, Jonni’s pmc could be used instead. The book by Rachel Fillatre has a nice way of making her armatures and can easily be found around the house. I also bought her book on how to make clowns and she uses bottles for armatures. Marcelo Goncalves book is really basic but very informative and the photos really guide you step by step. The Paper Mache Manual I would find it hard to follow here in the USA as some of the ingredients would be hard to come by, but who says some of the processes could not be duplicated? India has a rich history in art and I love indian art. I agree that the cardboard furniture book is really pricey and I think when I get to it, I will experiment and let you know if it will hold any weight. It will be fun but I will have to wait until the finances can afford that book.
the cover of a book with an abstract figure
Sorry for all these comments – I have been trying to upload photos and I get the message that the file is too big, so I go back and make the file smaller, then when I try to upload it, get the message that I’ve already “said that.” Wish I could find the comments and weed out the ones without photos – if you can, would really appreciate it. Thanks
Thanks for the kindle book list. The figure on the front of the Rachael Fillatre book is inspired by the Nana’s made by Niki de Saint Phalle. Niki is one of my all time favorite artists, and, although she worked in a version of fiber glass, her figures and the Nana’s are perfect for use as paper mache inspirations. She made them large – one for an exhibit in Germany was large enough for a line of people to walk through – and small enough to hold in your hand. I have 5 or 6 books about or by Niki, and recommend them highly – not only for ideas, but for appreciation. I hope that Rachael gives Niki credit. I have long wanted to make some Nana’s of my own, and will definitely get this book to get some ideas on how to do it. Here is a photo of one of Niki’s Nana’s. I have a callendar from a year ago that shows twelve of them, I believe she made dozens, as well as a tarot garden in Italy that took 20 years to construct.
I’m going to include a photo of one of her Nana’s and will post another “comment” with a photo of an abstract figure.
Good information, Terri! I just did a search and found one of Niki’s books on amazon, and I’ll be sure to order one.
If your images are now small enough, just add a reply to one of your previous comments and add a few words in the comment. The system won’t take a blank comment, unfortunately.If you still need to make the image smaller, you can use this online photo resizer. Our upload plugin can be a little picky at times, so I hope you’ll be patient and try again.