We’ve been receiving some very interesting comments lately, complete with photos of new artwork made with paper mache clay. I’m going to showcase a few of them here, just in case you don’t have time to read through every single page on this site every single day (whew – that would take some serious time!).
You might recognize this first reader – it’s my dad. I bragged about the concrete garden bench he made for me a few months ago, and now here he is again with a brand-new chicken, made with paper mache clay. He volunteered to be my “technical editor,” and followed the instructions for the first project in my upcoming book (yes, it really is coming soon – I know I keep saying that, but now it’s really true…).
Pete's Paper Mache Clay Chicken
Handsome devil, isn’t he? And a nice chicken, too. Well done, Pete.
The photos below are smaller, but if you click on the person’s name you can go directly to their comment to read their description of they made the sculptures, and then click on the photo in their comments to see a larger version.
Terra Mar's Paper Mache Clay Frog
Terra Mar not only made a very nice frog – she also took photos of the process all along the way. You can find all the photos out on her Picasa album page. She followed the paper mache clay frog tutorial that I posted several months ago.
"Lean on Me" Sculpture by Eunice Kahlke
Eunice Kahlke shared this photo of her abstract sculpture, which she titled “Lean on Me.” She explains how she got that beautiful finish in her comment. I always love seeing people using the recipe in a totally new way.
Roxanne didn’t post a photo in her comment, but she gave us a link to her blog, where she shows off her human heart sculpture, made with paper mache clay. On that blog post she shows us the completed heart, plus the references she used to get it anatomically correct, and photos of the heart while she was working on it.
Harry Marsh's Dragon
Harry Marsh sent in two photos of a wonderful dragon trophy and a fly (or is it a wasp?). He used traditional paper and paste for the sculptures, but he added some inventive twists that he discussed in his comment.
Thanks to Pete, Terra Mar, Eunice, Harry and Roxanne for sharing your projects with us. Very inspiring.
- My favorite online bookstore.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
This little guy was done by the help of your tutorial for the blue bird. I absolutely love him and he sits on the top right of my computer screen and helps me study. My next hopeful project is the sitting baby elephant.
He’s cute! Be sure to let us see your elephant, too, when she’s done.
I used your paper mache clay recipes to make sculptures but substituted newspaper for the toilet paper to get a rougher texture. I am a full time student working on my BFA in studio arts and this was just the right material for the series I was working on….corsets. But these were being explored in an unconventional way, the theme was showing the different facets of a woman. This material was great because material could be embedded in in or over it. The one form has images and beads embedded in it indicating balance and time. The other hardly shows any of the paper mache clay as it is covered in encaustic and hardware: it is like armor. Thanks for showing me how to use this exciting material. One of my friends at school is now going to use the tp version from a rubber mold she made. Hope you like the pictures!
Wow – thanks for sharing your images, and for letting us know that you can use the paper mache clay recipe with newspapers. What an interesting art project!
This is the balance corset.
Another Human!
It took me longer to take decent photos and muster up the courage to post my work then it did to actually make this “Bronze” of my husband for father’s day. I couldn’t procrastinate it any longer though, I really feel I owe you Jonnie for all the amazing things I’ve learned from you here. When so many (with much less talent) are online to market and sell recycled knowledge, here you are, like a brilliant ray of paper mache sunshine, sharing your gifts with us all. Thanks again.
So here it is and there is a link I put in the ‘website’ field above to my Live Photo Album where the rest of this project’s pictures live. Including some of the real-life subject/husband, please let me know what you think of the likeness.
-I didnt use any photos or drawings as reference to do this sculpture, it’s all from memory. Certainly my ONLY work I could ever say that about, and a little proud of it. After 16 years though, I think I know his form and shape better then he does (thinks he’s been the same size since high school, Ha! giggle!).
-Approximately 6 inches tall, with a twisted chicken wire armature, attatched to 1/4 inch plywood base.
-First few layers done with Jonnie’s Paper mache clay recipe, though I played with the consistancy a bit.
-To achieve a surface I liked the feel of I used 2 different thick slips painted on with small brushes to build up the detail.
-One was just gypsum plaster, water, and a little earth clay.
-The other was a variation of the gesso recipe I learned of here, with joint compound, pva glue, milk paint and water.
-Then I just sanded and carved a bit for final shape, one gesso coat and final fine sanding for finish texture, and painted.
-The color is suposto be like a bronze (like the Hiesman Trophy) which I dont think showes well in any of my photos. But anyway, I mixed a matte medium to Jacard Pigment, Interference Green for an aged patina-ish effect with the same powder pigment in Antique Bronze and a color they call Mink over, sprayed with a Satin finish Krylon to seal… and Viola!
Any questions, comments, critisisms, or advice?
All are welcome, just please…… be nice.
Tani Hughes Tani@q.com
this is mine (i’m almost ten)
Recently with the paper mache recipe I made a snow man Christmas light, made his scarf and hat using the recipe, hardest was taking a part the kerosene lamp.
Wonderful, both of them! Thanks for sharing.
I recently made another snow man holding a teddy bear,
