Comments on: Paper Mache Giraffe, With Some Thoughts About Art…

By: Jonni

Jonni — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:53:53 +0000

Good points, Xan. And you obviously know what you're talking about, since your paintings of animals are wonderful. I hope everyone visits your site to admire your work and get inspired.

By: Xan

Xan — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:48:14 +0000

I have a similar challenge in my painting (I do a lot of pet portraits, often from less-than-perfect photos). One way to get the feel for expressions in your given beastie is to spend a lot of time with that kind of animal, to see what’s normal for them. Maybe harder to do with a zebra, but horses might be more readily available. Alternatively, once you understand the physiology from pictures as Jonni suggests, you could just anthropomorphize to your heart’s content. Depends on what your goal is.

By: Jonni

Jonni — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:09:02 +0000

Hi Lisa. I struggled with those things too – I just don’t show photos of all the messy bits when I have to cut things off and start over.

The eyes nose and brow of any animal, including us, will be determined by the skull. I’ve been seriously thinking about doing a horse head project, like your zebra, and start out with the skull. I’d need to find photos online of horse skulls, but there seem to be lots out there. An alternative is to use drawings in art books for models. And I’d do a lot of measuring to avoid the frustration of working for hours on an expression only to discover that I’ve put the eyes in the wrong place, which seems to happen a lot.

Once the underlying bony form is in place, you can then add the eyeball and cover the top and bottom of it with eyelids. The smile is more difficult, since you have to look at so many photos from so many angles to get the expression right.

So – I don’t have the answers that will immediately help, but you will get it right if you keep at it. I’ve been thinking about getting the book “Creating Life-Like Animals in Polymer Clay” that’s out, because it might have some tips on getting those expressions. It’s a different media, but I can’t find any books on life-like animals sculptures using paper mache. Maybe when I get a little more confident, I’ll write one…

By: lisa

lisa — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 16:33:29 +0000

Hi,my name is lisa and I am working on a zebra head paper mache project. I have been struggling for years to get the smiling lips,ears.eyes,nose,and the brow that sits above the eyes,I see you have mastered all the above on your girraffe sculpture,can you help me tackle these problems? thank you.
lisa

By: Jonni

Jonni — Sat, 23 May 2009 23:11:35 +0000

Hi Rachele. I went through my photos and found enough to make a new post on how to make a giraffe, which you can see here. I hope it helps you with your camp project. (My giraffe took about two weeks to finish, but I think it could be done faster now that I have a better understanding of the process). Good luck!

By: Rachele Ramirez

Rachele Ramirez — Sat, 23 May 2009 19:34:55 +0000

We are wanting to make a giraffe head and neck for decorations for a class at youth camp. WE are using a jungle theme and all the classes have a different animal and we are showcasing the giraffe. Can you give us directions and maybe even some pictures of this process. Yours is absolutely gorgeous. Our camp is the last week in June, so we would need the directions and hints as soon as possible. We are crafty but not professionals. Thank you!

By: rein

rein — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 06:43:35 +0000

i’m really glad i found this site.. been surfing for paper mache projects..

By: Jonni

Jonni — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:43:57 +0000

How true. I actually believe that the need to create and build things – whether it’s art or tools or buildings or whatever – is an innate human need. It’s one of the things that makes us human, in fact. In today’s world, very few people ever have the opportunity to make things with their hands – things that begin as images in their minds, and then become reality after long, enjoyable work. How many of us have low-grade generalized anxiety that has no apparent cause, but is really the result of sitting in an office all day, and then coming home to veg in front of the TV? Maybe that ‘void’ you talk about is more common than we think.

By: Mika

Mika — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 18:30:28 +0000

ahhh, another comment from your newly found pupil. I do agree with you, mostly. I installed a rather large solo show a little over a month ago, and have had a deep lull ever since. I think this is partially because I don’t know what comes next. (and maybe partially because I fear the economic troubles for artist everywhere). I become out of whack when I don’t have a goal, a deadline or a destination for my work. A place to show the work, a community to share the work is a main motivator and a muse. It has been a challenge to keep the work moving without school. However, I tend to think what makes an ‘artist’ (and I use that term broadly) is the discipline to commit to the deadline, the show or the future space. An artist is someone who not only has skills and creativity to make the work,but feels a void when they aren’t utilizing that skill. I know my instincts to create are real, not only when I am creating, but when I am lost and low because I am not