Paper mache (or papier-mâché, if you prefer) can be made with many different paste recipes.
To go straight to your favorite recipe, click on one of the links below.
- Fast and Easy Raw Flour and Water Paste
- Cooked Flour and Water Paste
- Elmer’s Art Paste (Gluten-free).
- How to use Wood Glue for a Fast-Drying and Strong Mask or Sculpture.
- More Gluten-Free Alternatives.
The recipes listed on this page are for use with paper strips and paste. You’ll find my paper mache clay recipe on a separate page.
Note: If you’re looking for a faster, easier project, be sure to check out my new mask and sculpture patterns. They create all the shapes for you, so they’re lots of fun to make but take much less time.
Fast and Easy Raw Flour and Water Paste
This has been my favorite paper mache paste for years. It’s also the paste our friend Dan Reeder uses to make his wonderful dragons and monsters. However, keep reading to see when it might not be the best option for your next project.
Paper mache paste is easy to make, and it doesn’t really need a recipe. The most important tip is to use hot water (from the tap, not boiling) to make a nice smooth paste.
Ingredients for easy paper mache paste:
- Flour
- Hot Water from the Tap
To make the paste, just pour some white flour in a bowl. Add hot water gradually until you have a consistency that will work well. Mix with a spoon or whisk. If you have one, an immersion blender works great).
Watch this video to see how to apply paper strips and paste to an armature.
How thick should you make your paste? You want it thin enough so it looks more like white glue than pancake batter – although thicker paste will work OK, too, if that’s the way you like it. You really can’t make it wrong.
What kind of flour will work? You’ll need to use all-purpose white flour. Whole-wheat flour makes healthier bread, but it isn’t sticky enough to make good paste.
Make up just enough for one sculpting session. This is good advice for any paste made with wheat flour. Wild yeast is attracted to flour (that’s how sourdough bread is made.)
If the paste is kept over from one session to the next, the yeast will break down the flour and make the paste less sticky (and slightly stinky). It’s best to whip up as much as you need today, throw out any paste that’s left over, and make a new batch tomorrow – or whenever you need some more. (If you need a paste that can be kept for longer periods of time, see the Elmer’s Art Paste, below.)
Be sure to clean the bowl and utensils before the paste has time to dry – it will dry very hard. That’s good for paper mache, but not so good for the person washing the dishes.
Tips: This paste is easy and strong, but it will leave a floury residue on the outside of your sculpture. If you want the last layer of paper to be seen on the finished sculpture, you’ll need one of the clear paste alternatives below.
And if you have a gluten allergy, you’ll want to use one of the gluten-free alternatives.
See my patterns for paper mache wall sculptures and masks:
Cooked Flour and Water Paste:
Cooked paper mache paste will dry almost clear, unlike the raw paste, and the surface of your paper mache sculpture will be slightly smoother.
Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons of white flour
- 1 cup of cold water
Mix the white flour and water in a small saucepan. Stir until there are no lumps. A whisk works really well for this.
Put the pan on the stove at medium heat and slowly bring it to a boil, stirring constantly.
When it begins to thicken, be sure to watch carefully and keep stirring, to make sure it doesn’t burn. Stir with a silicone spatula if you have one. As soon as it starts to bubble, remove the pan from the heat and allow the paste to cool.
The paste will be somewhat runny when it’s hot, but it will gel slightly as it cools. You’ll obviously want to keep your hands out of it while it’s still hot enough to burn.
Tips: This is an excellent choice if you need a paste that dries clear. However, if you have a gluten allergy, you’ll need one of the options below.
Keep these recipes handy for your next project. Download my free recipe guide, The 5 Best Recipes for Paper Mache. It includes the recipe for my famous paper mache clay. To get your copy, click here.
Elmer’s Glue-All (Methylcellulose)
Methylcellulose paste – In the past I often recommend Elmer’s Art Paste for school classes, because you can make up a gallon of the paste in advance, and it never gets moldy. It’s also gluten-free, so you don’t have to worry about your students’ allergies.
Unfortunately, they don’t sell it anymore. However, you can easily make your own with food-grade methylcellulose. It’s really the same thing as the Elmer’s product, and you can easily buy it online. Watch this video to see how to make it.
Looking for an easy way to make headdress-style masks for your school’s production of The Lion King Jr? I have patterns for all the major characters – the patterns create the shapes, and you bring them to life with acrylic paint. See the Lion King Jr mask patterns here.
Gluten-Free Options
If you need a paste that dries perfectly clear, you can use Elmer’s Glue-All (or any white PVA glue) mixed with just enough water to make the glue thinner and easier to spread.
I often use Titebond III wood glue with masks that need to be light and strong. You can see a video about that here.
Acrylic Gel can be used as paste. This is the product that I use when I add colored tissue paper as a final layer over a paper mache sculpture. You do need to make sure the paper mache underneath is completely dry, because the acrylic medium could dry first and seal moisture inside.
I use the gel medium with tissue paper for two reasons: It dries perfectly clear, and it doesn’t cause the fragile tissue paper to fall apart quite as fast as water-based paste does.
You do still need to handle the paper carefully, of course. You can see how the gel medium worked with tissue paper on a bullfrog sculpture here.
Wood Glue for Paper Mache
I use Titebond II wood glue for all of my Lion King masks, because it’s strong enough that you can use just one layer over the cardboard patterns. (Click here to see a video that shows how I use it.) It’s also what I use when I use paper mache inside a silicone mold.
You can find the wood glue online or in any hardware store or Walmart. It isn’t cheap, but you don’t need many layers and it dries much faster than any water-based paste.
Hi Jonni
I am brand new to the world of paper mac he. Very fond of the paper mache clay . I would like to substitute the flour water paste recipe for methylcellulose as a binder. I will be using the wurth brand with the cellulose product you recommended?
That’s an interesting idea. I think you may be the first person to try it. Let us know how it works out. 🙂
Hi there! J just came across your site looking for the correct way to paper mache. I was wondering which paste option is the best for putting over balloons? I plan on popping the balloon once the paste is dry but I want to make sure I do this correctly the first time. Thank you in advance!!
Hi Danielle. Any flour and water paste will hold the paper together, so there’s no ‘best’ recipe. The cooked flour and water paste dries clear, so if you want the color of the paper to show, use that one. Balloons are not easy to use, because they change their shape with the temperature of the air inside. I almost never use them, so you might want to look on YouTube for someone who makes pinatas or other items with balloons. They’ll be able to give you much better advice than I can.
I’ve been making balloon piñatas out of paper mache for 40 years (first for my children’s birthdays, now my grandsons). I do one each year for each child according to whatever they request. I typically use newspaper strips and flour and water, but I’ve begun adding some white glue to the mixture for strength. I’d be happy to send you photos of a few them if you’re interested.
Ralph Wahlstrom
Buffalo, NY
We would love to see them! You can post photos on the Daily Sculptors page. 🙂
I am task with making a people sized bunny out of paper for a local “unfolded” art paper show. I am planning to make him out of paper mache, sitting on a real bench so people can take photos with him. How do I make the frame?
Hi Doreen. I’ve never made anything that big, but you might want to watch this video about making armatures with internal patterns. It might be a good start.
Thank you, that was helpful. I think I may go to goodwill, get some xl pants and shirt, dip it in the paper mache mixture (glue and water), form the clothes by stuffing them. The after they dry, cover them with paper mache strips. Do you think that will work?
It sounds like a good plan, but I’ve never done anything like that, so I don’t know if it will work. I think the only way to know is to try it.
Hey Johni,
I am very new to the paper mache world and I would like to make some stools, lamps or chairs. Should I use paper mache paste or clay?
You can put any form of paper mache over a chair or stool if you need to make a more paintable surface. I don’t know of any form of paper mache that would create an actual chair all by itself.
Thank you!! I was thinkinh about using wood as my armature. Should I? Would it get moldy?
Also what is the difference between paper mache clay and paste?
Paper mache clay contains the paper, so there are no paper strips used, so you don’t need the paste if you use paper mache clay. Watch the videos on the recipes page to see how each product is used. Any paper mache will get moldy if you don’t seal it well to keep it from absorbing moisture from the air, and you don’t want to apply it to any material that has moisture inside it, like uncured wood.
I have been asked to make a extra large piggy bank to be used at a wedding instead of a wishing well. I have sourced a 90cm balloon to use as the shape/mold.
Have you ever tried, or do you know of, anyone who has attempted this?
I would appreciate any tips you may have.
I have been given out of date newspapers from my local newsagent and thought I would use the cooked flour and water paste. I have assisted my daughter to make a bust of Albert Einstein previously using flour and water paste, which was a success.
An artist will be painting it after I have completed the actual shape.
Hi Shirley. I find it difficult to add paper mache to a balloon, because the balloon changes it’s shape constantly, and the paper mache can get wrinkled or cracked. You also need a lot of layers of paper mache to make the item strong enough to carry around after the balloon is removed. I like to put a layer or two of plaster cloth over the balloon first, and after it hardens you can start adding the shapes of the head and legs with crumpled foil. The foil is very strong, so you shouldn’t need more than one or two layers of your newspaper and paste to make a nice strong piggy bank.
This is a really fun idea, by the way. I hope you’ll let us see how it turns out. 🙂
Hi, working on a cosplay and I as wondering about variations on materials for the recipe. Specifically, the glue one. Is there anything specifically in white pva that makes it work better than clear? Because I was hoping to use some of the stuff I already have and it’s clear. I was also wondering about paper, what gsm would be best, whether tissue paper would work etc. Thanks for the page, it’s been really helpful!
Hi Lee. There are a lot of recipes on this page, so I’m not sure which one you’re asking about. Do you mean is the clear PVA glue better than wood glue? If you’re using it for paper strips and paste, either one should work. I don’t know the weight of newspaper or the brown paper that comes scrunched in amazon.com boxes, but that’s what I use for the paper strips. Tissue paper can be used, but it isn’t easy because it will fall apart as soon as it gets wet.
Hi – quick question : if I use Vaseline to keep the paper mache from sticking, the inside of the mask is greasy! What’s the strategy for this? Do I just try to rub the Vaseline off? Is there a trick to it?
Hi Arielp. I assume you’re putting the paper mache into the inside of a mold that isn’t made out of silicone. I’ve never used a non-silicone mold, so I don’t have any experience with needing a release. The sculptor on this YouTube channel uses plaster molds, so she would be the best person to ask.
Hi, I was going to DIY my mask for Halloween this year. It’s going to be a Venetian Volto-style mask that I’ll need to make perfectly smooth, as well as it being strong enough to tolerate the cold of a Midwestern Halloween and being worn for a long period of time. (Where I live, it’s not uncommon for the first frost to be mid-October.) What recipe would you recommend?
Hi Audrey. The smoothest recipe is the ‘silky-smooth air dry clay,’ but any paper mache can be made really smooth by adding a paper-thin layer of drywall joint compound, and then ‘sanding’ it after it dries with a damp sponge. I live in Minnesota, too, but I haven’t spent a Halloween outside – but if you seal your mask with a good varnish, and don’t let it sit out for too many hours in the rain, any form of paper mache should hold up OK. But I haven’t tested it – you could do a small test piece and stick it in the freezer for a few hours, and see what happens. 🙂
Which of these recipes is the strongest once dried? I’m trying to make little assortment shelves to hold running medals and some of them are a bit heavy. I really appreciate all the work you’ve put into this site!
Hi Bec. The strength needs to come from the cardboard, not the paste. The cooked flour and paste will stick cardboard together very well, but be sure the cardboard structure itself is strong enough to hold your medals. There are some channels on YouTube that show how to make cardboard furniture – I’m really not an expert myself.
Hello, I would like to make a sculpture of some oyster mushrooms but I do not like the feeling of flour on my hands. Is there a recipe you’d recommend? It is my first time getting into papier mache in years.
I think some people use liquid laundry starch, or you could use Elmer’s glue.
I’m trying to design a floating urn for a loved one’s remains, which will float briefly and then sink and dissolve completely and is non-toxic to wildlife. Paper mache seems the best option. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Rebecca
I think the best paste to use would be the cooked flour and water paste. It’s easy to make, and dries clear. I don’t know if you’d need to use acid-free art paper or not – it would look really nice, though.
Hi Rebecca,
Did you ever figure out a solution to this?
Oh wow. That is such a great idea. I want to release my late husband’s ashes where we kayaked and actually had our wedding ceremony . This would be much better than just putting them in the water. I am thinking flour and water paste and very thin layers of tissue paper might work well.
Yes, that would be a nice way to remember him, and return him to a place that meant so much to both of you. 🙂
I am wishing we did that with my sisters ashes. We could have made a covered boat shape and sent her down the river……..
Hi Jonni,
I’ve chosen a life size greyhound for my first project (I know….I’m nuts.) I just winged it on the armature and taped the feet to the table. It’s somewhat balanced, but I’m worried about it being too heavy or wobbly when I detach it from the table. Right now I have a couple big pencils boxes propped against only one front leg to keep it from swaying. (I’m sure you’re laughing by now. I’ve been laughing at myself since I started this thing. If I had a video, you would die laughing at me stretching to grab tape, etc.)To give it more support, I attached dowel rods to the forelegs that act as bones. The feet will add a little weight once I add paste to the foil feet forms.
Do you have any suggestions on how to keep critters with 4 legs standing, besides attaching them to a base? I don’t want a base.
That is a challenging first project! If all four legs are on the base now, then the paper mache will keep everything aligned properly. Just make sure the legs are far enough apart so it can’t be easily tipped over. You might want to add paper mache to the legs first, and the area around the shoulders and hips that attach them to the body, and let it dry. Then remover the tape that holds the feet to the base, and put it on the floor. It it stands up the way you want it to, you can finish the rest of the sculpture. Good luck with it! 🙂
That makes great sense. Thank you very much.
Can I use gesso or modelling paste instead of joint compound or flour?
What are you trying to make with those ingredients? If you’re looking for an alternative to flour-based paste, acrylic modelling paste would probably work. A lot of people use laundry starch, although I’ve never tried it.
Hi! I am super excited to try your patterns for a production of Disney’s The Lion King, Kids! If we do go with the paste option, what type of paper are you using to cover the cardboard pattern. Is it brown butcher paper?
Thank you so so much for sharing your knowledge and love of art!
I’m using the brown paper that comes crumpled up in Amazon.com boxes, but it’s almost the same weight as newspaper. Newspaper works just as good, but doesn’t look as nice in a video, so use whatever soft paper you have on hand. And have fun with your production – I hope it’s a huge success! 🙂
Have you ever tried Topping Joint Compound in the paper mache recipe? Topping mix is what pro tapers use over the standard joint compound for a much smoother finish. It is made up of much finer particles than the basic drywall mud.
No, I haven’t tried that – I don’t think our local hardware store carries it. Have you tried it?
Not yet. I may in the near future. On another topic, I was diagnosed with severe celiac disease so no gluten. Would corn starch be a reasonable substitute for flour in the paper clay recipe, and if so,how much?
Yes, you should be able to use corn starch instead. I don’t know the exact amount to use, but just slowly add it until you get the consistency you want.
As an artist and art teacher, I have used various types of ‘glue’ for papier-mâché projects. I prefer corn starch and water in a 2 to 1 ratio and cook the batch over low heat stirring as the mix bubbles and becomes translucent. I add a few drops of peppermint to minimize mold and keep the mix refrigerated between uses.
I haven’t tried a recipe like that, but it looks interesting. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Our local Menards carries it. Do you have a Menards near you, Jonni? The description states it has low shrinkage.
*I’m referring to Topping Joint Compound.
I didn’t realize that I had run out of all-purpose flour, and only had bread flour (multiple bags of it for some reason?) and I’m happy to say that it worked flawlessly for the cooked flour recipe. probably the best success I’ve ever had with paper mache 🙂 Thank you for all the resources on the site, they’ve been a life saver for this project!
I’m glad you’re having fun with it! And thanks for the tip about the flour. 🙂
Hello my name is Alicia. My daughter name is Ivy and she is 7 years old. We have been looking for a paper mache recipe that works well with multiple crafts. With your recipes we were able to make some beautiful masks, bowls and other things. Our pieces held up well and was very easy to make.
With your recipes, we were able to have fun making the things we did. We had an awful experiences with recipes we found online in the past. So I want to thank you, thank you so very much for giving my daughter and I a fun experience and memories that we can share when she is a mom like me. Alicia and Ivy
Hi Alicia and Ivy – I’m so glad you’re having fun with paper mache! 🙂
I have an antique mold to make small Easter eggs. Can I use your Paper Mache clay recipe to fill the mold and then go from to finish them when they dry?
The paper mache clay has a slight texture, and I haven’t had good luck with it in molds. However, the air dry clay works, in small candy-sized silicone molds. If your mold is plastic or silicone, the air dry clay should work. If it’s plaster, the air dry clay might stick to it, even with a release, and it could destroy the mold.