Made by Angela Hicks
I use homemade paper clay utilizing news paper to make my projects. This is just one of them. However, the clay still seams to have a Fibrous look to it. How can I eliminate that?
Serenity Fairy House/Night Light
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I use homemade paper clay utilizing news paper to make my projects. This is just one of them. However, the clay still seams to have a Fibrous look to it. How can I eliminate that?
Includes Jonni’s famous Paper Mache Clay recipe, and tips on choosing the right recipe for your next project.
I love light shining out of sculptures and this one fits the bill. Very whimsical and inviting. I don’t mind the coarser texture on this. It kinda looks like stucco. Great job!
Angela, I love your fairy house. You remind me I’m supposed to be making one for my sister (and it’s supposed to look like the trunk of a tree). This looks a wonderful place for fairies to hang out.
What I do (now) with most of my projects is use the regular paper mache clay for the first layer and then make the air dry clay (with corn starch in the recipe) and add that as a final layer. With the air dry clay, I can wet my finger, run it over the clay, and make it as smooth as I wish.
I love the vine and flower crawling up the wall. I hope I remember that when I do mine. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks for the information! I am still learning how to use the clay that i make. I think i had to much water in the last few batches that i made, im still learning! But i’m having a blast doing so.
You can do with this information what you like! but I know what you mean. I spent about a year trying to make the clay that I liked. Finally, I began measuring the ingredients. Here are the measurements that I use, but you will learn quickly how you want your clay to work. Hope this helps.
JONNI GOOD’s PAPER MACHE CLAY RECIPES
For more information go to UltimatePaperMache.com
Jonni’s Paper Mache Clay (On Page 17)
1 roll of toilet paper, 72 grams dry; 330 grams wet
3/4 cup Elmers Glue-All, 195 grams (Not all glues work the same)
1 cup drywall joint compound, 40 grams (Not DAP)
½ cup white flour, 70 grams
2 T Linseed Oil (I use baby oil), 25 grams
Air-Dry Smooth Clay
½ c toilet paper 24 grams dry, 110 grams wet
½ c Elmer’s glue 130 grams
½ c joint compound 200 grams (NOT DAP)
½ c corn starch 70 grams
3 T mineral oil (baby oil) 34 grams
½ c flour 70 grams
Knead in up to another ½ c flour to the consistency you like.
Hi Angela. I love your fairy houses. They have a unique, whimsical look that makes them fun. I hope your business is doing well.
You can use a really thin layer of drywall joint compound over the paper mache if you’d like a really smooth finish. You can see how that’s done here. When I make something that has a lot of paper texture, I just say it looks ‘organic.’ But there are times when we have projects that do need a smoother look, and the joint compound works great.
Thanks! That helps!
By the way, I love using a thin layer of joint compound, also. A thin layer I put on a pig almost ten years ago is still good and hasn’t cracked.