Ultimate Paper Mache

It’s time again to ask for some help from you, dear readers.

I’ve received several requests lately for custom work. I don’t do commissions, since I spend too many hours a day on my “real” web publishing business, and my garden seems to be taking up all the rest. And I don’t have a good list of professional artists that I can refer these folks to. Your help would be much appreciated:

Unpainted Paper Mache Shapes Needed

Yesterday I received an email from Gray Taylor, Senior Art Director at an advertising company in South Carolina. The project is pretty big. He needs basic (unpainted) paper mache shapes that will then be painted by an in-house artist. The painted shapes will be photographed, and the pieces need to be around football sized. They need all the pieces by October 1:

Dog, cat, bird, car/SUV, motorcycle, jet-ski, boat, RV, basketball/football/golf clubs, charcoal grill, lawn mower, kitchen sink, mounted deer head, guitar or musical instrument, family of nesting dolls.

By coincidence, Matt just sent in a link to a store selling these deer heads, but they’re already painted. If you know of anyone who could produce the these pieces, please contact him, or send an email to me and I’ll pass it on. He’ll probably need some photos of previous work, of course.

This is not the first request of this type I’ve received. It looks like there is at least a small market for custom paper mache work, for stage props (I was asked to do a woodland scene, with all the usual critters) and for store window displays. If you have a business that does this type of work, let me know so I can post a link to your website.

Elephants for Hindu Weddings

Two people have asked recently if I can make large elephants to be used in Hindu weddings here in the US. If you know anyone who might be willing to take on these projects in the future, please let me know so I can pass on the name if I receive any future requests. I’m sure the people who already asked me no longer need the beasts (and I hope the couples are now happily married), but the question may come up again in the future.

This would make an interesting home-based business, if you made the elephants over a form like the paper mache boxes you see in craft stores. There’s a YouTube video showing a guy making sculptures for the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration that way. But it would take a lot of research to know if there would be enough customers for the elephants once they’re done. Maybe the only two people who would be interested have already moved on.

Lighted Paper Mache Sphere – Ideas Needed

And finally, Ruth sent in this question:

I am hoping to make some paper mache spheres that can be illuminated with battery operated LEDs, so they need to be translucent. I plan to use punch-ball balloons and white tissue paper. Any suggestions or tips?

This question has come up before. It sounds like an interesting idea, but I’ve never tried doing anything like this myself. Any ideas for Ruth?

Thanks for your help, everyone.

Tagged as: custom work, lighted orb

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