Your Paper Mache Sculptures -
Paper Mache Pumpkin
We’ve been receiving some wonderful photos of paper mache sculptures from our readers, like this paper mache pumpkin from Angie and Alex.
And now we want to see yours. Just upload your photo (small file sizes, please!) into your comments. We would all love to see your latest creations.
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Hi….I’m not sure if you gave up on your baby rhino, Jonni……here’s one I just finished. He’s a big guy, about 55″ long. At least it SEEMS big, because I don’t have anywhere to put it!
Wow – what a beauty. Love the birds. And the ears. and that smile…
My rhino is currently waiting for me to find just a bit more time. It may get finished someday. Or not. That’s why I should never tell anyone about a project until it’s finished. Earnest Hemingway warned us (at least I think it was him) to never tell a story until it’s written down. I keep forgetting.
I hope you join our Online Halloween Party, by the way. I’m almost done with mine.
Saw this on Papier Mache on the Wild Side on facebook! You are such a great artist!
That is awesome, Steve!!! I am inspired!!
Dear Steve,
Please let me offer you my services. I provide a healthy and loving sanctuary in Oregon USA for baby rhinos who have been raised in captivity. The baby rhino is, of course, encouraged to bring his wee bird friends. Transitions go smoother.
As you know, rhinos need space to thrive. My heart and home are open. I would eagerly pay for first-class shipping to ensure your baby rhino lives his life in a nurturing home. I would send you updated photos of him in his new paradise.
Is he available for adoption? I eagerly and anxiously await your reply. He has an undeniable attitude and is simply adorable! You’re brilliant!
Kindest regards,
Carole
Please let me know if he is available for adoption. He would be the ultimate addition
Heh – I’d like to see the answer to that question, myself. By the way, have you seen Steve’s website? He has several new pieces now. But I’m still in love with that rhino, too. Sigh…
I don’t think Steve has ever told us where he shows his sculptures or if he sells them. I think he’s a professional cartoonist. If you find out more, please let us know.
Hi folks. Thanks again for the generous comments about my rhino. Currently he has been adopted by my 4 year old grandson.
Eventually I do intend to put all of my work up for sale. I’m still feeling my way in terms of figuring out the best way to do this, and frankly have no clue on pricing or marketing these things. For the moment I’d like to keep the bunch of them together in hopes of assembling enough sculptures to present a gallery showing here in Minneapolis (if I can talk someone into that). I’ve shown a couple pieces in group exhibitions locally. Once I’m ready to slap price tags on them I will post info on my website.
Including the rhino……I’ll make my grandson a Triceratops in trade.
Steve,
I love this little guy — and the birds just MAKE it. Best of luck in the galleries — I should think they’d snap up the chance to show these. And I’m with you on the pricing and marketing — if you get a clue, do share.
I tried it. It just ended up cracking and I’ll just have to hold the tail and cover teh crack with paint. Thnak you anyways! It is due wednesday. thats my best alternive. But thank you for everything. Now I just have to paint it, and I will show a picture when I”m done
By the way, the clay didn’t look like the clay that you had in the video. Mine wasn’t as smooth. But I also had to stir it by hand, no electric mixer/:
I tried it. It just ended up cracking and I’ll just have to hold the tail and cover teh crack with paint. Thnak you anyways! It is due wednesday. thats my best alternive. But thank you for everything. Now I just have to paint it, and I will show a picture when I”m done By the way, the clay didn’t look like the clay that you had in the video. Mine wasn’t as smooth. But I also had to stir it by hand, no electric mixer/:
This is Dr. Dapple with Boaris, his patient.
What great characters! Thanks for letting us see them.
This is Dr. Dapple. He is a foot tall and pleasantly plump. He tells his patients to eat whatever makes them happy.
I just have to share the Congo Dog. Also know as Bensenijs. My daughter has one named Stormi. I make it for her birthday.
He’s lovely, Dodie. He reminds me of a dog my brother had a long time ago. It was his favorite dog, I think. They’re very intelligent, aren’t they?
I couldn’t figure out how to post a pic of mine but i thought I’d share that for a more elegant solution to decorating, I cut squares of patterned paper and glued then on with craft glue. It held really well too! Now he looks like a big quilted elephant. Also if you get the paper wet enough with the glue, if fits right into the details I created with your paper mache clay! Also for all those who struggle with paint it is a very easy solution.
I do really want to see this. Do you happen to have an account on Flickr or some other photo sharing site? We need the URL where the photo is located, but we can’t upload photos from your desktop. I do hope you’ll try again.
Hola Jonni!
Life is good here in Puerto Vallarta, México, where I’ve started a Paper Maché workshop focusing on practical projects. If you (or any of your readers) wishes to connect with our pursuits, I’ve set up a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/CasaDePapelPV
Here is one of them DropMocks with photos of some of the latest things I’ve been working on. I hope it works!
Cheers,
Paco
http://dropmocks.com/maxec
Hi, thanks for your site and advices, I enjoyed it very much!
is my first try in paper mache, great your recipes helped a lot!
by the way, I used soda to avoid mould.. it seems to work….
greetings, Hanneke
What a great lion! Real personality, too. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jonni, I’m a 7th grader and have recently been informed that we have to do a 3-D model of a topic we chose at school. My topic is Greek Comedy/Tragedy masks. For my 3-D model I chose paper mache and I have no ideal where to start on my masks. I know you may be very busy but I was wondering if you could possibly post a video or an article of how to make the general shape of the masks. I have chosen to use your raw flour and water recipe. I hope you can help, Emma.
Hi Emma. You’re in luck – Monica just wrote a guest post showing how to make a very basic mask shape for paper mache. You can also see how I built the armature for my Joker Mask, here. I used the paper mache clay recipe for my mask, but traditional paper strips and paste works well, too.
Good luck with your project. When you get it done, you might want to submit your work as a guest post – we’re really into masks this month – it doesn’t have to be a Halloween mask – we want to see them all.
these are so cool!
I am taking some of my paper mache items to the Coastal Carolina Fair. If I get any ribbons I will let you know.
Excellent. Good luck! And I hope you take some pictures to share with us when the fair is over.
Wow – It looks like you won every ribbon at the fair! Congratulations, Dodie.
Love the Rhino and the birds are whimsical. What a good use of the birds on the rhinos back.
Family Halloween costumes thanks to your paper mache clay recipe and tutorials!! (I’m having trouble getting the photo to upload, so we’ll see if this works!
Sorry, Molly – it isn’t possible to upload a file directly to the blog. Can you put the photo on a photo sharing site? If so, you can then copy the link to it in your comment, and I can make your photo show up here. I’d love to see the costumes, so I hope you try again.
I haven’t posted my other sculptures in awhile so here they are most of them
http://dropmocks.com/mho3W
paper mache Boston terrier
http://dropmocks.com/mhnXW
paper mache dachshund trophy
http://dropmocks.com/mheD4
paper mache rabbit (with my dog)
http://dropmocks.com/mhnXc
paper mache wolf (my personal favorite)
I finished those awhile ago but didn’t have the time to post them. I’ll post my creations when I’ve finished them.
Hi Monica. I tried to grab the photos from dropmocks, but I get the error message: MockList not found. I have no idea what that means. Perhaps you could send them to me and I’ll upload them from my end so we can see what you’re up to.
here a pumpkin i made using your paper pulp recipe
Wow – you really caught the spirit of Halloween.
Hi Jonni, heres a link to a video i made on how i did the pumpkin
http://youtu.be/rz-uLrpAc6A
Wow – great instructions! Thanks for sharing it with us.
Interesting … so you essentially used the strip mache as a mold. I’d wondered about using paper mache as a mold but hadn’t experimented yet. Glad to know it worked well for you.
it worked out really well and i was delighted with the results
This little crustacean is called a Quab. He currently resides at my blog with his fellow strange creatures. He is constructed of cardboard, paper mache, Jonni’s paperclay and ping-pong balls.
Thanks for providing this terrific site!
Lyman
http://dropmocks.com/mh5a3
Thanks for showing us your Quab. He’s adorable, if that’s a word you can use for a crustacean. Folks, be sure to click on the image link in Lyman’s comment, to see several photos.
Let me try this again with a single image of the Quab.
Three eyeballs – and he’s both backwards and forwards? Very inventive! Do you have your next project in mind yet?
Yes, actually. A friend asked me to create a life-size mounted deer head and shoulders out of paper mache for his son. It should be quite challenging!
hi jonni, here a prop i made for halloween using your Papier mache recipe, plus a video as to how i made it, Paddy
http://youtu.be/uVBCBuYaFB4
Great prop – and the video, too. Thanks!
Finally some photo’s to share of one of several bowls I have been improving on since finding your site and the PMC recipe. I hope this works, I put 3 photo’s on dropmocks
http://dropmocks.com/mj3RK
Wow – I love it. I’ve never seen a bowl like it before.
Wow these are great. Very well done
Thank you, they were in process a very long time, I did a simple bowl form years ago and then set them all aside, I started looking at them again this Feb. and then found this website and the PMC recipe, no turning back now
Thanks to Jonni and everyone for all their insights.
I am still working on horses. I made a saddle for my sorrel horse. I plan to make a rider for it. I thought I would show you the horse with just the saddle first.
The horse is very nice. You’re really catching the movement in a very natural way. And I love the saddle and bridle — he even has a saddle blanket! Are you keeping your horses and other pieces, or are you getting ready for Christmas? (If he’s going to be a present, we promise not to tell).
I also want to thank you for being the first person to try the new direct image upload feature that I installed a few days ago. I was afraid to mention it very loudly, because I wasn’t sure it would work the way it’s supposed to. You just proved that it does work, so I’ll update the instructions at the top of this page. Thanks!
My husband brought me a 10×14 building to make it into a craft shop. I plan to do a lot of projects for sale in our towns art gallery.
What a nice husband you’ve got. I would love to get my projects out of the kitchen!
If you get into that gallery, be sure to send us a link to their website, if they have one.
Here is my first really finished attempt at paper mache sculpture. I forgot his lips, but friend was happy with the fish just the same. I forgot to paint some markings, so one set of photos is 1st version and the other set is the second version, with more markings. Not really a fan of acryllics. How has oil paint worked for folks? Also, has anyone tried using pastel chalk dust to color their sculptures? Here is a video if anyone is interested http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEi-5luTcF0
Very nice fish, Kaitlin. I can see why your friend likes it.
I’ve never heard of using the pastel dust, like the lady in the video. That’s really intriguing. It looks like a good way to get all the subtle changes in color that is difficult with acrylics. I haven’t tried oil paints on paper mache, but I’m sure it would work.
Hi Catlin, very nice fish. I have used oil paints on the Jonniclay, over a year ago and its still fine. (actually someone just bought it for a Christmas present for their father who is in a nursing home, he used to breed the type of bird it was.)
I did lots of experiments with pastels, for colouring the work. Had varying results, on my first test piece I just did stripes of colours then used spray varnish, that worked well, but when I tried to do a full piece of work, I could never get it to work right.
You have to use spray varnish, if you use a brush it seems to mix the colours together where you dont want them mixed.
I had the same trouble that it sounds like you are having with the acrylics, hard edges, blending not working well, but with practice I have got better with them, I still much rather use pastels.
This is my bunny sculpture I am working on hope you like it
Yes, of course I like it. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Chris. I was just wondering how the paper mache would stand up to layers of spray Matte sealer. I have a spray primer for plastic, do you think that would work well with paper mache?
If it will stick to paper, it should work. You might want to experiment on something that isn’t important first.
I have been working on the rider for my horse. I still need to touch her but that has to wait until Christmas.
Very nice, Dodie. Is this going to be a Christmas present?
No – it is going into my collection
Decided to paint the horse like my granddaughter horse Major. I gave this to my daughter for Christmas and she loved. The rider looks like my granddaughter.
I can see why she loves it. Very nice, Dodie!
Hi, Jonni and all!
My new year’s resolution is to get more papier-mache done and out there myself, and to help introduce everyone I can to the wide (and wild) variety of papier-mache art out there.
Jonni, thanks for helping showcase the incredible variety in papier-mache art and artists. Whenever I tell people I’m a papier-mache artist, I see the visions of blobby balloon animals from kindergarten (and a shade of condension) in their eyes.
What I love most about papier-mache myself (out of many, many things I love about it) is that it can be done with so few (or no) purchased materials — gives me a chance to reuse all the odds and ends I collect (and relieve some of recycling bin overflow). I like to think of it as recycling through creative encapsulation.
Anyway, thank you for such an informative site. So many new ideas and techniques to try out!
Here are a few of my favorite creations so far (if I’ve done dropmocks correctly):
http://dropmocks.com/m4uU5
Liz Zerai
Hi Liz – thanks for sharing your beautiful critters with us – and you have a lovely site, too.
By the way, I haven’t changed the directions at the top of the page yet, but it’s now possible to upload images directly to a comment. I will update the instructions one of these days…
Thanks, Jonni. I’m hoping to have time soon to go through the tutorials you’ve posted about starting a blog, etc. so I can build a more informative and interactive website. Yours, and your book, have given me so much inspiration and provided so many great tips! The horse on the dropmocks link was made using the cardboard template method in your book (great chance to recycle pizza boxes
). And I’ve put your idea for using paper towels for dragon skin to good use, both on a dragon and on the elephant.
I’ll try uploading photos…I need to make them smaller, it looks like.
While I normally make Halloween props and decorations, here’s a Christmas decoration I made that’s largely paper mache (also a cardboard footing tube and PVC pipe):
Thanks,
Rich
Well done, Rich. I especially like the photo on your site showing them standing at the top of the stairs, flanking the front door. What a nice welcome to Christmas visitors. (Those photos must have startled some of your regular readers, who would be expecting something a bit more zombie-like!)
Just bought this “rocking tiger” at a flea market. Was told it dates from 1937 and was intended as a child’s toy.
I love that face. What a find!
This past summer I began making a full-size Nativity scene, using methods I found on your wonderful website – thank you so much for all the great information! I had only ever made paper mache pinatas for my children’s birthday parties, so there was a steep learning curve in this project. The camel, sheep and donkey were made similar to your baby elephant. I used your paper mache clay to transform a female mannequin into Joseph. The water pot started out as 2 baskets melded together with lots of paper and masking tape. The doves were wads of paper and cardboard beaks, tails and wings, with floral wire feet. It was a wonderful adventure and has blessed many people who have visited it in our church. There was even a nice write-up in our local paper (http://journalstar.com/news/local/god-s-guidance—-and-lots-of-newspaper/article_5e6c8413-c195-5532-b23f-07b607bf3959.html).
Thank you again for this website.
ps. my picture files were too big to upload directly and I’m not techno-savvy enough to know how to make it work…:( There are pictures on the newspaper site.
Wow – congratulations! If you’re interested in doing a guest post for us, you can send any images you have, along with whatever text you’d like to share with us. I’d love to get a closer look at that display, and I’m sure other readers would, too.
Hi Jonni, A couple of things I made as Christmas presents for people, the clock did not photograph very well, but you get the idea.
Very nice, Chris. I think the photo of the clock came out just fine. How the heck did you make those leaves on the tree (it’s a lamp, I assume?)
Hi Jonni, yes it is a lamp. I made the leaves seperately then glued them on. Was a last minute decision to make for Christmas, so has not been varnished or been delivered yet, I might yet change the colour, it might be a bit dark, will confer with my friend who it is destined for, see what she thinks.
I got your book last week. This is “Rosie” and she’s my first attempt. LOVE the book thank you sooooo much for putting it out!
Teri
Teri, the image didn’t come through for some reason. Perhaps the file size was too big. I hope you’ll try again – I really want to see how Rosie came out.
Hello, im Suzi (or Zisu) from Croatia and I love paper mache and this page ultimate paper mache. Great work.
I know that christmas is long gone, but here is my santa in paper, cloth-mache tehnic.
Its about 90cm tall.
Alo please visit my web site.
Hi Jonni,
Our school has an annual auction & this years theme is the circus. The children make the centerpieces. Our class in responsible to make 4 centerpieces with children between the ages 3-6. Do you have any ideas or thoughts. It can be challenging with young children but I know we can do it!
Thank you,
Deb
Hi Deb. I don’t work with kids that age, so I don’t really know what they can do. Check out the tutorials on this site and see if you think there’s anything there that would be fun for your kids.
Jonni, first, thank you for this website! I recently started playing with paper mache. I was just “winging it”.
experimental if you will. My sculptures so far start differently that what I have been able to find elsewhere. I roll tubes of paper, and create a framework, and build from there. Do you know anyone else that does this? I am curious how far/big i can go with this method, or other artists thoughts on this type of building process. I am so excited about this medium! Thank you so much for sharing your art and site, you are inspiring! Tina
Hi Tina. I have not seen anyone using a system exactly like yours, but it’s intriguing. It reminds me of some of the armatures made by Monique Robert, but they are definitely different. Do you have any photos of the sculptures after they’re completely finished?
I have been doing this for 2 weeks so far, I will post picture when I get one completed, please wish me luck as i am flying by the seat of my pants in some areas. I am originally a pencil and paint artist, but had lost my creativity. Trying this medium out has really brought me joy, i thought paper mache was balloons and paper, pinatas etc. It is so much more!
Tina,
I love your armatures! I’ve been playing with paper rolls too, and trying to remember / recreate some of the masks I wore and saw created for children’s theater when I was kid. What size paper are you rolling?
The rolls I’ve played with, and remember seeing being used, were full size newspaper sheets, rolled on the diagonal into about 1/2″ diameter tubes. The tubes were then combined and taped with masking tape to form open armature masks. Mostly I remember them being used for animal masks (horse, unicorn, crow). I think they may also have been used as the basis for things like wings as well.
The benefits were that as the person wearing the mask, you could still see (and breathe). As the parent, you could see and recognize your kid in the show. And as costumes they were both interesting and very inexpensive to make. (Newspaper — free, Masking tape — cheap, and spray paint.)
They were also pretty durable. And very easy to fix if something broke. They tended to collapse vs. really break. And mache-ing would have fixed that.
You’re reminding me that this is part of what I wanted to explore when I picked up paper mache again (about 2 years ago) … and I got off track.
The masks I remember were probably 12-18″ high and about 12″ wide. I’ve done simple wall mask using rolled paper armature that was about 3 feet long. I’ll see if I can find some pictures.
I have 2 sets of old encyclopedias, and was wondering how I was going to recycle all of them! lol. Just for amusement I figured i would make something silly, but as I went, it became suprisingly strong, and then I looked into paper mache and said ah ha! I do roll them diagonal, rather tightly, and tape to hold them. They come out about 1/4 inch, you can make them as long as you need by splicing one end into the other and taping. So far, after the first covering, if I see a lump or shape I don’t like, i shear it off and patch. I construct and deconstruct until Im happy. Yesterday I bought a bag of yesterdays news cat litter, going to soak it and see if their may be possibilities with it. I can’t wait to see your pictures
Tina
Hi Jonni,
your website is a great help for all of us who want to take ’flour glue’ and torn strips of newspaper to the next level. It is not a simple kindergarten balloon craft anymore, it is art, even I don’t really call myself an artist. I work with paper maché over 10 years and learned lots of techniques by experience and by some great Teachers like you.
Here are some of my favorites.
With regards, from Brighton, United Kingdom.
Gabriela
ooops, sorry, I just had some computer problem and it uploaded my goblin few times, please ignore!
Heh – no problem. It was easy to fix. And I’m glad my computer isn’t the only one with a mind of it’s own. I love your sculptures, by the way. They have great personalities.
here are some of my favorite pieces that I have made
Dodie, the upload thingie didn’t work for some reason. Your images might need to be made smaller in your image editing software, or something. I hope you’ll give it another try – I always enjoy seeing what you’ve made.
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