Paper Mache Clay
Paper Mache Clay
I recently developed a new recipe for a sculptural material I call “paper mache clay.” This material is so easy to use and so easy to make that I now use it exclusively for all my paper mache sculptures.
It might be a bit more accurate to call this material “home-made air-dried cellulose-reinforced polymer clay,” but that’s way too hard to say (or type!), so for now, let’s just call it paper mache clay.
I usually make mine a lot thinner than shown in the photo, so it can be spread over an armature like frosting, but you can also vary the consistency, and make it thicker, like this, when you want more control over the modeling process. A very thin layer, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch is extremely strong, and it replaces the many layers of traditional paper strips and paste.
I’ve been making paper mache sculptures for over 50 years, and for almost all that time I’ve used the traditional paper strips glued together with wheat flour paste over a crumpled paper and masking tape form. Almost all the tutorials on this site are made this way.
However, I now use the clay recipe exclusively, because it allows me to create fine details easily, it dries extremely hard when applied in a very thin layer (1/8 to 1/4″ thick) and the clay dries much faster than traditional paper mache pulp. (And it only takes about 5 minutes to make).
Paper Mache Clay on Snow Leopard Sculpture
As you can see above, the clay can be modeled into fairly fine details. Using the clay for modeling feels much more intuitive than creating sculptures with paper strips and paste, and once the clay is dry it is a pleasure to paint.
The ingredients are inexpensive, and can be found at your local grocery store and hardware store. You will need:
- Cheap toilet paper (measure the wet paper pulp, and use 1.24 cups – some rolls contain more paper than needed)
- 1 cup Joint compound from the hardware store (get “regular,” not “fast set” or “light”.)
- 3/4 cup Elmer’s Glue-all
- 1/2 cup White Flour
- 2 tablespoons Linseed Oil
See the video below for details on making your clay. And if you try this recipe, please let us all know what you think of it–and also please share a photo of your finished work. We’d love to see how it comes out. (Can’t see the video? See the instructions printed below).
[Edit 2/12/2011 - At least one manufacturer (Dap brand) of joint compound has changed their formula, and this brand no longer works for paper mache clay. If you find that your clay seems "rubbery" instead of smooth and creamy, you may need to use a different brand of joint compound. ]
Making Your Paper Mache Clay
Ingredients:
1 roll of toilet paper
3/4 cup of white glue (Elmer’s glue-All)
1 cup of joint compound
1/2 cup white flour
2 tablespoons linseed oil
Tools:
You’ll also need a large bowl, (use one with high sides so you don’t splatter clay on your cupboards), an electric mixer, a measuring cup and a tablespoon measure. To keep t he finished clay from drying out, you’ll need an air-tight container. The recipe makes approximately 1 quart of paper mache clay.
Note about Toilet Paper:
Unfortunately, the people who make toilet paper don’t expect us to turn their product into great works of art, so they see no reason to include the kind of information that would make things a lot easier for us.
I use a brand called “Angel Soft,” in the “regular” 2-ply rolls. I buy it at my local Wal-Mart. Each roll contains approximately 1 1/4 cup of paper, which I measured by wetting the paper, squeezing out the water, and then firmly squishing it into a measuring cup.
Since brands differ so much, the first time you make this recipe you should take a few minutes to find out how much paper is in the first roll. Then adjust the recipe if your brand don’t contain about 1 1/4 cup of paper. Fortunately, this is not a chemistry experiment or rocket science–if your mixture contains a little more paper than mine, or a little less, your sculptures will still be stunning.
Step 1. Fill a high-sided bowl with warm water. Remove the toilet paper from the roll and throw it into the water. Push down on the paper to make sure all of it gets wet.
Step 2. Then pick up the paper and squeeze out as much water as you can. Pour the water out of the bowl and put your paper mass back in.
Step 3. You will want to break the paper into chunks about 1″ across. This will allow your mixer to move around the pieces and break them apart.
Step 4. Add all the ingredients to the bowl and mix, using an electric mixer. The mixer will pull the fibers of the toilet paper apart and turn it into pulp. Continue to mix for at least 3 minutes to make sure all the paper has been mixed in with the other ingredients. If you still see some lumps, use a fork or your fingers (with the mixer turned off!) to break them apart, and then mix some more.
Your paper mache clay is now ready to use. It will look a bit like cookie dough—but don’t eat it!
If you don’t plan to use your clay right away, place it in an airtight container to keep it from drying out. The clay should stay usable for 5 days or more, if you keep it covered. The recipe makes about 1 quart.
- My favorite online bookstore.
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Jonni,
Please forgive me if I asked you this before. I’m afraid I have a terrible memory. What is your opinion about utilizing used dryer softener sheets in paper mache, instead of paper strips? I am always looking for ways to recycle stuff, and thought the sheets might make the paper mache more like fiberglass when dry… Any thoughts from your end? I love, love, love your site! Thanks for your consideration.
Ann
Hi Ann. I don’t know if the dryer sheets would work or not. The only real issue would be whether or not the paste or glue you used actually sticks to them. I don’t know what they’re made out of, but if you can come up with a paste that works, you should have a super-strong “paper” mache. If you try it, please let us know how it works.
This is kind of an old comment, but I want to mention that there’s a good deal of evidence to suggest that dryer sheets contain neurological toxins, and are “unsafe at any speed”. The fragrances alone can be nearly impossible to get rid of, from your fabrics or your machine. One might want to research them before continuing with any project involving them.
Good points, Xan. I haven’t tried this idea, but I did try another reader’s idea about using baby wipes. I worried about what the things are made out of, since they seem to be indestructible. I wasn’t happy with them as paper substitutes for paper mache, and then I started worrying about zillions of them in landfills. They probably have a 1,00-year half-life (and dryer sheets probably do, too.) Back in the day, I actually used a washrag and warm water to wash my baby’s bottom. And cloth diapers — but I always have been a revolutionary.
Hi JONNI
Thank u very much for the info.Plz let me know what is joint compound and white flour,is it cornstarch or wheat flour
Rgds…..
Jaya
Hello Jaya. The white flour is made from wheat, but cornstarch would probably work just as well. You might need to adjust the amounts to get the consistency you want. The joint compound is used in the construction trade – I put a list of terms that are used for this product in other countries on the paper mache book page, and that might help when you talk to the clerk at your local hardware store.
Well here Iam again to let you know that I make some Treasure Chests with your wounderful recipe and I send you some pictures, hope you like them!.Iwish God bless you always for all the knowledge you give for free !!
Thanks for sharing your photos, Morena. Your Treasure chests look very nice – it looks like a fun project.
Here is the inside of the Treasure Chest in case you were wondering what it looks like. I use vintage fabrics from India on this one!
About how long does this take to dry? Sounds fun, I can’t wait to try it!!
Hi Katie. The length of time it takes to dry depends on a lot of variables – like how warm or humid it is at the time, how thick the clay is applied, etc. It can dry hard in two days, in perfect conditions.
Enjoy,
Hi Jonni,
Thank u very much for the reply,and please forgive me for such a belated reply.
I will try with cornstarch.But regarding joint compound i m not aware of the names u gave.May i use plaster of paris as joint compound, if it is good to use please let me know the consistency.By the way i live in India,so please tell me about joint compound name here.For white glue can i use fevicol?
THANKS in advance,Jonni
Jaya, I don’t know what joint compound is called in India. It isn’t the same as Plaster of Paris, which will harden very fast, and you won’t have time to work with it. You might try the terms “drywall filler” or “joint filler” when you go to the hardware store. I’m also not sure if fevicol will be a good substitute for the Elmer’s Glue All brand we have here. The only way to find out is to buy the smallest container you can find, and do some experimenting. Unfortunately, the formulas for all these products is a little different with every manufacturer and every country, so we just need to try things out and see what works. Good luck.
If you were going to use the paper mache clay and create a large rabbit head as seen in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, what would you use as a form? Would this clay adhere to an inflated balloon?
Hi Tim. I’m not sure if the clay will stick to a balloon. I never use balloons for my armatures – I think it’s much easier to wad up some old newspapers into the general shape you want and cover it with masking tape. The clay will stay on the tape, although you can remove the paper and tape from the inside of the piece after it dries, if you need your sculpture to be hollow.
A rabbit head would be one large ball, with a smaller ball taped to the front for the muzzle. You can make ears out of cardboard, but if it’s going to be large, reinforce the ears with wire around the edges. Then tape the ears firmly to the larger ball in the right spots, and cover with your paper mache clay. Move the clay around with your knife or modeling tool to make the eyes and nose, and you’ve got yourself a rabbit. Enjoy!
Hi Jonni,
Thank u very much.I will follow ur suggestions and surely try with the clay.
Thank u once again for such a wonderful recipe
Rgds….
Jaya
i like the idea of your new clay recipe- but will it work with bowls?
i want to make a paper mache bowl that is thick enough to hold fruit etc- that i can paint on but id like it to look really smooth- i have made a bowl with newspaper strips then adding loo roll pulp then strips again.
to be honest- it looks a bit lumpy looking and thick- im sure i could do a strong one thats thinner- i was planning to smooth it out with my hands but the pulp didnt even out too well- will your pulp give me a nice smooth finish for a bowl? and if i use it do i put pulp straight on the bowl or strips first like i did last time? id appreciate your help im going bowl mad.
its in my blog, i think ive mentioned your recipe kin my blog and hopefully put a link in- if i havent mentioned you by name in connectionn with your recipe let me know- but i only have 18 followers on my blog- most of them dont read it!
Hi Rosielee. yes, you can get a very smooth finish. I’ve never used the clay over a form that has no give at all, so there is a possibility that the slight shrinkage during drying will cause the clay to crack. But there’s only one way to find out – give it a try!
To smooth the clay, dampen your knife and run the flat side over the newly spread clay. You can use a home-made sandable gesso to make it even smoother, if you want.
Hi… I am really excited to try your compound. I have used paper clay and paper mache as well as joint compound for sculpting. I have also used Durham’s Wood Putty… which is a powder that you add to water. It is NOT plaster of paris and dries hard with the color of wood. I have used that with glue mixed in but never thought of adding paper. I make dolls and need something I can sculpt that will air dry that is cheaper than paper clay. So I am going to try this. Hopefully I can do it soon and send you a picture. thank you so much.
OH.. and I thought about the name “Paper maclay”.
Thank you soo much for this “clay”.
Its easy to make and awesome to use.
thank you heaps =)
Sorry for my bad english, but I’m italian.
I’d like to ask you a question. In this paper-mache recipe you put the toilet paper in the warm water for few time. But in a lot of other recipes they usually put it in the wather for a night, and after they boid that water for 20 minutes.
is it the same?
The paper in the toilet paper available here in the States instantly dissolves when it’s placed in water. I know some people go to much more trouble to boil the water, or soak it for a long time, but I’ve never seen any need to do that. You might try it my way (which is much easier) and if it doesn’t work, go ahead and soak the paper longer next time.
Enjoy!
I’m wondering about the use of some type of colorant added to the paper clay. Have you tried this? What would your recommend?
I have used both natural powdered pigments and acrylic paint to color the clay. Both of them worked just fine. I think any water-based colorant would color the clay. It will dry somewhat lighter than it looks when it’s wet.
Thanks so much, Love your work! I can’t wait to try it!
Hi there! I used your Paper Mache Clay recipe to make a mask last month. It turned out very nice, and was super strong even though it was pretty thin in some places. I messed up the recipe a little and used whole wheat flour instead of white flour. It made the clay a little grainy and left a lot of yellowish spots, but once it was dry it made no difference. I wouldn’t recommend it, though.
I documented it all on my personal blog. There are some more pictures of the finished thing, as well as many pictures in-progress. Also a gazillion words. I ramble relentlessly. Here are the mask-specific posts:
http://leamony.blogspot.com/search/label/mask
Nice mask. And great blog, too. Thanks for telling us about your posts.
I know the goal with this recipe is to make a paper-based clay, but I’m wondering if you could use this recipe with other paper types [say, strips from a shredder] to make a solid form . I realize that the effect would not be smooth or sculptable as the paper clay with toilet paper, but for my purpose, having the strips of paper [and the print on them] be visible is perfectly fine.
So, would I soak the paper strips in water, squeeze out, and then dip into the joint compound/flour/etc mix?
Hi Rhet. I’ve never tried any other type of paper, but it should work. It would be different, of course, but there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m wondering, though, if you could get a solid form to dry completely through the middle.
Oh, I’ll use a cardboard form underneath — I just want to laminate it with the strips of paper for a few thin layers. If the project turns out well, I’d be happy to send you a picture!
Thank you for responding — it’s a great website, and you are very generous with your expertise!
I would like to know how many layers of the paper mache clay you need to put on….or do you just put one on? I am making a Moose head to go on the wall above the fireplace. It is very large, approx 3 feet by 3 feet. I have made the form with a wire mesh, and then newspaper and masking tape. I have a little more masking taping to do and then I plan to go ahead the get the clay or paper mache on. Another question I had, was about the sanding. Do you do that by hand? And what is the grade of sand paper to use? I know, so many question!!
Hi Nancy. I usually put on one layer of paper mache clay. Since you have a wire armature to support your clay, that should be enough. It sounds like a fantastic project!
I do sand by hand, and I use whatever sandpaper I have around at the time. I try to smooth the clay as much as possible while applying it so I don’t have to sand very much. Also, the home-made gesso helps to smooth out any small bumps, and it can be “sanded” with a lightly damp sponge – no dust.
I hope you let us see your moose when he’s done.
Hi! I am an artist based in New York (frankiewaite.tumblr.com) and I generally work 2D, however with all this summer time on my hands I’m trying to venture out and get my hands dirty. I can’t wait to use this clay, but I do have one question; How will it dry if it is not spread thin? I used to do some terracotta and kiln fire clayworks, so I’m really wondering if I have to work strictly off the base I create first, or if I can use this as an actual clay.
Danke!
Frankie.
Hi Frankie. The paper mache clay is a substitute for the traditional paper strips and paste, so it does need to go over a form. It won’t hold a shape by itself the way real clay does. You can make thick layers, but you’ll need to make sure it dries all the way through, which takes a long time if it’s thicker than 1/4 inch. It dries on the outside first, so it can appear to be dry even when the inside is still damp.
Thank you so much for the help! Beautiful art, by the way
Hi,i wonder if i most use elmers glue?
Becouse i’ve moved to sueden and i got no idea of where
to Find that glue.
Ask your local hardware store for a “PVA glue.” Buy the smallest container that they carry, and give it a try. The Elmer’s brand is not available in most countries, but you can get a PVA glue almost everywhere.
Hi there! My first couple of batches of the clay did not have linseed oil in them,
because I couldn’t get the cap off of the container! lol! Yesterday. I took the can back to the local hardware store where I had purchased it, and you should all of the strong men grapple with the cap. No one could remove it! Finally, with the assistance of a huge pair of pliers, it came off. This is a volatile substance, so I wanted to give a heads up to everyone – do not use a rag with it, and then crumple it up somewhere. You could end up with spontaneous combustion! EEWW!
Because of the volatility of linseed oil, I was wondering if using glycerine would do the trick. Since the linseed is for greater “manipulation” with the clay for finer detail, I was thinking that glycerine could do the same thing, and without the dangers. I used to make a type of dough with glycerine, and it was quite smooth.
Any thoughts on this??????
Hi Ginny. I’m glad I’m not the only one who had a problem with that cap! I finally resorted to using a pair of pliers. And yes, you do need to be careful with those oily rags. I don’t recommend ever using a rag with any drying oil.
The glycerin idea sounds very interesting. Where do you buy it? I’d love to give it a try, since the linseed oil is the one ingredient in the clay that causes the most concern. Do you buy it at a pharmacy?
Years ago, my Mom and I used to make bread dough for sculpting – it had white bread crumbs, glue and glycerine. I used to buy it at a drug store in a little bottle. You figure that it has to be safe, because it is in products such as hand soap and lotion. My gut told me this would work for your recipe, and there wouldn’t be the danger of the linseed oil.
Funny about the cap! I wish you could have seen these guys yesterday. At first it was — let us big strong men help the little lady, and then when no one could do it, they went and pulled another can from the shelf. That wouldn’t open either, so they resorted to pliers!
Thanks, Ginny. I’ll buy some today and give it a try.
That is funny about the cap. I wonder why they haven’t redesigned it – we obviously aren’t the only ones who can’t get the darn thing open. But maybe if the glycerin works, we won’t have to worry about it any more.
Have you tried the glycerin yet?
Hi Ginny. I’ve looked in several local stores, and still no luck. The clerks say “I’m sure it’s here somewhere….” but after much time spent looking, we give up. I’ll order some online, and I know several other people already have it on hand and they’ll be trying it, too. Frankly, I can’t imagine why it wouldn’t work, but we can’t know until we try.
I’ll be interested in how the glycerin experiments turn out. I have a bottle of it somewhere. Rather use that up than buy some more potent flammable liquid.
Me, too! It took my brain a while to remember this, but it seems logical to me that it would work. Fingers crossed! And, it would eliminate the odor of the linseed oil! Yay!
You all might check with websites or places that sell supplies for making soap — many soap recipes include glycerin.
I’ll have an update on my paper mache project soon.
Hi Jonni!
Just made a batch of your clay – thanks for the great recipe & your generous knowledge.
In some earlier comments, you mentioned a homemade gesso used to make the sculpture really smooth. I need to do that too, so smooth in fact that I’d like the surface to resemble metal once painted.
How do I make (or buy) the gesso, and how is it used? You mentioned in other posts about sanding. Should I only sand once gesso is applied? Or can I sand the paper mache itself?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Marissa. You can sand your clay if you want, although it’s a lot easier to use the side of a damp knife and smooth it while it’s still wet. The gesso can be made with two parts joint compound, one part Elmer’s glue-all, and a dab of Titanium white acrylic paint. This can be smoothed with sandpaper after it’s dry, or with a damp cloth. Add several layers of gesso to get an absolutely smooth surface. And remember to use a face mask any time you sand.
Enjoy!
Thanks for the recipe, Jonni! My project got some press, and it’s been a busy couple of days. So, I haven’t gotten back to it.
Quick question: does the gesso get applied _after_ the clay is dry?
It took a while to make the clay, maybe because it was my first time. It’s been sitting in the fridge in an airtight container – hopefully for use tomorrow night.
If you want to learn more about the project, here is the write-up: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/The-girl-who-wants-to-light-Stanley-Cup-on-fire-?urn=nhl-258431
Your website has been my primary resource – can’t thank you enough for your gracious knowledge.
All the best,
Marissa
Nice write-up! congratulations.
Yes, I apply gesso after the clay is totally dry.
Jonni – I am so happy to have found your site. My husband teaches middle school and the theme for the year is movies – a lights, camera, action type theme. They asked me to make a 3-4 foot “Oscar” statue, but wanted me to make the face a wildcat since that is the school mascot. I made the form and had several layers of paper strips done, but had no clue how I would sculpt the face and other before I found your site. I know the paper clay will work. I am disabled, can’t drive, and have a very limited budget since I am also fighting cancer, so I have to work with what I have. Amazingly, there was some joint compound in our garage, and I have all of the other ingredients except for the oil – but I do have glycerin. I figure it cant hurt, so I am going to add it to the clay. I will send you a picture when I finish. Your site is amazing, and I am so excited to see the projects -Ithink they will be wonderful to make for Christmas presents! Thank you again!
I’m so glad you’re going to try the glycerin – I live in a small town and I haven’t been able to find it yet. I’ll order some online – but I do hope you’ll let us know how the substitute worked for you. And we’d all love to see Oscar when he’s done!
Instead of flour, could something like baby powder be used? I want to avoid anything edible, since I live in the South with lots of insects.
I’m not sure what would happen if you use baby powder. According to Wikipedia, it’s sometimes made out of cornstarch, which is, of course, edible. And cheaper to buy in the grocery department. Talcum powder might be OK, although I’m not sure since I haven’t tried it – I have used finely powdered calcium carbonate, and it seems to work. You have to add just a bit at a time because it absorbs water more slowly than flour.
But I’d thought that the gluten in the flour was part of what stiffened the paper and held everything together…. wouldn’t the baby powder just flake away?
[Of course, if it's being used in the paper clay recipe, here would be some other sticky things to hold the fibers...]
Yes, you do need flour or another form of starch for traditional paper strips and paste, but the clay recipe has glue and joint compound, so the flour isn’t needed for strength in the clay. But we don’t know how baby powder or any of the other recommended items would work until we try them – remember to take all possible suggestions as the basis for your own experiments, until we find out for sure they work.
Great point! I think I must be too far away from the baby scene – my son is 39! You had mentioned calcium carbonate before – do you have to purchase it in a huge bag? I’ve looked online and there seem to be different colors in small containers. All I would want would be white, but not a giganto bag! Help! Thanks!
I forgot to ask – where do you find calcium carbonate? You mentioned that you had bought it online.
I bought mine from Blick’s. They call it “powdered marble.” I’ve been told you can get it much cheaper from a sporting goods store, where it is sold as “chalk” for making white stripes on baseball fields.
Calcium carbonate (aka limestone, crushed marble, and calcite) is used to adjust pH in various things, and as a calcium supplement, etc.. This might be just the thing, sold for winemakers: http://www.homebrewit.com/aisle/p/6160A
This may be far fetched but aren’t suppositories made out of glycerin??? I know that I have used them before when something called for glycerin, I just melted them down.
Just wanted to say I love your blog and I can’t wait to try your recipe.
Hmmm… That sounds like a lot of work, and I’m lazy. However, it gave me an idea, so I checked Amazon.com and yes – glycerin is sold as an item to relieve constipation. The clerk in my local store was looking in the Band-Aid aisle. Maybe that’s why she didn’t find it. I’ll go back and take another look. (We learn something new every day…)
Good idea looking for soap-making supplies. This one looks quite inexpensive: http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Vegetable-Glycerin-16-fl-oz-473-ml/962?utm_source=gb&utm_medium=f2
It’s also sold in bottles for constipation relief, so you might find it without the suppository gels in the pharmacy.
How about white tempera paint? It is white, is a powder, wouldn’t be toxic. It’s a powder, like flour would be. Keep trying to get away from anything with food. I figure that will contribute to the longevity of the pieces.
Yes, that should work. Since the flour is only used as a filler, almost anything that absorbs moisture would work, and the tempera paint would make the clay nice and white. I don’t have any on hand, so if you try it, please let us know how it turns out.
Will do! I am pumped! This is so much fun to work with! Thanks a zillion for the recipe!
You might want to test this on something you don’t care about first. If what you have is powdered poster paints, the sizing might not be a problem, but tempera might have egg in it. My containers don’t list ingredients, but maybe yours do? It’s the sizing that might be the issue, bottom line.
From Wikipedia: “Tempera, also known as egg tempera, is a permanent fast drying painting medium consisting of colored pigment mixed with a water-soluble binder medium (usually a glutinous material such as egg yolk or some other size).”
And: “Poster paint is a tempera paint that usually uses a type of gum-water or glue size as its binder. It either comes in large bottles or jars or in a powdered form. It is normally a “cheap” paint used in theatrical backdrops or in grade school art classes.”
Thanks for the ideas, Xan. And yes – always experiment when you play around with the recipe, on something that isn’t terribly important. I’m amazed at how many times I’ve assumed something would work, when it doesn’t.
Thanks everyone for the tips! I think I am going to go with the marble from Blick, and the glycerin. f you have a Michael’s or an AC Moore close by, the glycerin is found in the Wilton baking supplies section. It runs $2.49 – $2.79 for a 2-ounce bottle. Have to check Rite Aid.
If I wanted to add objects to a piece like buttons, beads, glass etc, do you know if the clay alone would support the weight or would I need to glue these pieces to the form and try to mold the clay around them?
The glue in the clay might hold the items, but I’d test it to make sure.
Thanks, I’m about to try it. I’ll let you know how it works in a few days.
I’m using 2-part expoxy putty to hold the glass pieces in my current project. If I’d planned better, I’d have used Apoxi-Sculpt, but instead I’m soldiering on with just the log epoxy from the hardware store…
I started already on this piece but will try epoxy on my next project that will include moscics. I’ll have to learn about apoxy-sculpt, I never heard of it. Thanks Rhet!
Just found glycerin at WalMart. It is a 6 ounce bottle for $2.98 – WAAAY better priced than at Michael’s or AC Moore! Yay!
Great, Ginny. What department did you find it in, and what other items were near it on the shelf? If I have that info, I should be able to pick some up at my local store (their pharmacy clerk wasn’t able to help last time I tried).
OK – I found the glycerin at RiteAid, next to the peroxide, for about the same price quoted by Ginny. I made up a batch of clay using about 2 tablespoons of the glycerin instead of the linseed oil. So far, it’s working very well. The clay feels good and it was very easy to apply a thin, smooth layer. I’m making a baby chick right now (I have chickens on the brain at the moment). I should be posting a full tutorial about the chick in the next few days so you can see how the new mixture worked out. It’s nice and warm outside so it shouldn’t take long to dry in this weather. Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions about using the glycerin in the paper mache clay – it does smell better, and the cap was way easier to open:)
It was in the pharmacy section, although I couldn’t be more specific. When I asked one of the sales people, she went right to it and gave me a bottle. I know that I asked at the grocery store and they told me to look in the laxative section! Sheesh!
I suppose because of glycerin suppositories. I’ll check tomorrow at Rite Aid and let you know where it is there.
Yay! I KNEW it would work! I have been experimenting this weekend with glycerin and the crushed marble powder. It is pretty smooth, but somewhat sticky. Didn’t know if I should add more toilet paper….
Just read your article and I love the idea of your clay!
I’m wanting to make a mask just for fun, and am thinking of paper mache-ing it. Do you think I could make a mask using your mache clay recipe?
And I would like to also ask, is the Elmer’s glue a very specific type of glue? I come from Australia and I’ve never come across such a name for a glue. Would using PVC glue be the same thing?
Either way, thanks for the recipe!
Have a lovely day!
Elmer’s Glue-All appears to be a PVA glue with some modifications to the formula. However, whatever PVA-type glue happens to be available in Australia should work as well. Just to make sure, buy the smallest container you can find and do a test batch to see if the clay works the way you want it to. I did an online search and found Clag Hobby Glue, a PVA glue that might work. But the only way to know for sure is to give it a try.
Wonderful! Thank you very much for that!
Haha, I had to use that glue quite a bit for many of my primary school projects. Thanks for searching that up for me.
I shall give it a try then, when I’m not swamped with Uni assignments….grrr!
Have a lovely day!
Hello again Jonni,
I have been away for a while but I remember talking to you about this issue before you changed your web page to this nice blog format.
I was making a modified “Porcelain” recipe..
4? ?Parts PVA
1? ?Part Karo Light Corn Syrup? ?OR? ?1? ?part Glycerin
8? ?Parts Wallboard compound
2? ?Parts Acrylic paint
7? ?Parts General Purpose Flour
I made it twice, once with Glycerin and once with Karo Light Corn Syrup both worked well but RiteAid Glycerin was difficult to find and relatively expensive at 4$ for only 6 OZ.
Karo Light Corn Syrup is safe (we can eat it) cost much less than Glycerin for a bigger 16 OZ bottle and is easy to find.
I used Karo Light Corn Syrup to replace linseed oil in your Toilet Paper Clay recipe because I didn’t have any linseed oil.
It worked well. I’m still making my model with this Toilet Paper Clay recipe (that too was interrupted as well as my visits here). The PM clay looks great and works well. Also I like to add salt (1 heaping teaspoon of salt to your basic recipe) as a preservative and know you think it corrodes but it has worked well in my experience.
Just wanted to mention the Karo Light Corn Syrup replacement for linseed oil…
Thanks for this great place to learn and share about PM.
Bob C.
Thanks, Bob. This is great news. I went to every store in town to find glycerin, and it is expensive. And the salt idea is good for people who live in more humid areas. I’ll put a link to your comment on my latest post so people are sure to see it.
I noticed on this blog at the top you mention to get the regular joint compound. I unknowingly purchased the lightweight. What is the problem with using the lightweight? Also what wire do you use, guage, material, etc.? I have problems finding anything heavier than a 12 guage, which isn’t too sturdy.
Hi Nikki. I do use the regular joint compound, but my dad used the lightweight version, and his chicken came out just fine. I would go ahead and use the stuff you already bought.
On my latest little chicken I used 16 gauge tie wire, which is quite flexible. Since the sculpture was very small, it still worked out OK. When I need the lightweight wire to be sturdier I double or triple it. However, I usually have the wire over a crumpled paper armature, so the strength isn’t that important.
Just tried making a batch and it worked.
I didn’t use any form for my first sculpture which is a Koi.
I found out when it hardens it ‘s pretty solid.In fact you can sand it smooth, I even used a Dremel tool to sand some areas and it held up fine.
I’ll send some pics after I paint my sculpture. Thanks for the recipe!
Jonni, glad I found your website. I haven’t tried any recipes yet, but I have a couple of bits of information for clarity and a question.
General Info:
(for readers without construction materials background or in other countries)
Wire: The number of the wire is the gauge; the smaller the number the larger (and, therefore, stiffer) the wire. Think of it as the denominator of a fraction: a quarter (1/4) is larger than an eighth (1/8). 1/12 is larger than 1/16. And #12 wire is larger in diameter than #16. And different metals are stiffer than others … copper, aluminum, iron, steel. And for larger projects, electrical conduit and/or any number of metal lath materials used for plaster walls, corners, and shapes, plus coat hangers, or tie wire for concrete reinforcing rods (rebar).
Joint compound: is for filling the joints between sheets of gypsum wall board, commonly known as “sheetrock”. And the whole wall is called “drywall” because the assembly of the wall does not require water the way a plaster wall would. The gypsum (plaster) has been preformed into a board/sheet with paper on both sides.
Elmer’s glue: (which in the U.S. we say the same way we say Kleenex to mean facial tissue) is as you noted a version of PVA. Its common name in construction is either white glue or carpenter’s glue, which sometimes is yellowish.
Glycerin is indeed generally found in the laxative section of the pharmacy. (Our grandmothers also talked of “castor oil for that what ailed you,” but I am NOT recommending it for this use!) In other crafts, glycerin is used as a retardant, e.g. to keep paint (acrylics) from drying out too quickly. But for that application, it is used in very small quantities, just a drop or two for a quart of paint.
And that raises a question in my mind about the advisability of using Karo syrup as a substitute for glycerin — not that you have recommended it, but since a reader did. I’m wondering if the high fructose corn syrup, although increasing malleability, and maybe stickiness, while working with the paper mache clay, might be a problem when dries into sugar … or does the stuff ever dry?!?
Thanks again for being so generous with your information through this website. I hope these comments help someone as well.
P.S. Does WordPress provide a way to post a blog in reverse chronological order? I’ve seen that done elsewhere, and when I land on the page the most recent questions and answers are at the top.
Hi Jean. Thanks for your definitions and explanations about the joint compound and glue – I know it will be helpful to people who aren’t compulsive remodelers, like I seem to be.
You have an interesting point about the Karo syrup. I’m sure it does dry, since it must just be corn sugar mixed with water. But the sugar would be attractive to fungi and bacteria, which may be the reason Bob uses a bit of salt in his recipe.
The white flour normally used in paper mache paste is also a refined carbohydrate that makes great food for tiny critters, so the Karo probably wouldn’t be any more attractive to mold than regular paper mache, once it dried. More experiments need to be done. I’m still hoping a high school class will take on some of the experiments so they can be a bit more scientific than I tend to be.
And I’m not sure if there’s a way to make last comments show up at the top of the page. That would be particularly helpful on this blog, I think. I’ll do a search and find out.
Please revise the above to read:
Joint compound: is used in “taping and floating” drywall. It is applied over the tape spanning the joints between sheets of gypsum wall board, commonly known as “sheetrock”. And the whole wall is called “drywall” because the assembly of the wall does not require water the way a plaster wall would. The gypsum (plaster) has been preformed into a board/sheet with paper on both sides.
hi I was wondering how you make the gesso alot of other sites say to boil and do other stuff how do you make it….just mix it all together or what ? just need some help on that one……
thanks
I just mix it up, myself. However, I haven’t tried any of those other recipes you mention – I haven’t even seen them. So I don’t know if my way of doing it is better or not. If you do try one of those other recipes, please let me know how it turns out.
Question: If the linseed oil or the glycerin in to help with the manipulation, could baby oil be used in lieu of either of the above products (to eliminate concerns of availability or safety or cost)?
A possible idea: I have done a lot of sculpting in cement and found that if I mixed the dry pigments into the wet cement mixture (to get the color throughout the mix, it tended to dry out really quicky and made it more difficult to sculpt. I started to vary this by getting the main sculpting completed and then in the final process/layering of a thin cement paste mixture, I would dip my fingers into the pigment and then quickly “paint” it over the surface. Then I might lightly sand off a bit, add a light layer, etc. This gave a really interesting effect, kind of like layers of rock of varying types/colors look. And with the animals it did the same thing, looked like the natural variations in fur/hair coloring. Just thought I’d throw this out there in case anyone wants to try this.
Hi Nikki. I don’t know what oil they put in baby oil. It might work, but I haven’t tried it. Linseed oil is a drying oil. That’s why it’s been used for centuries in oil paints. Will baby oil dry? Don’t know. If you try it, please let us know how it turns out.
The painting idea sounds interesting. I do know that pigments added to concrete will affect it’s strength and set-up time, which you mention. I use a similar technique to “stain” my sculptures, when I want a natural-looking, uneven coat of color. I mention it in my video about the African elephant I made with paper mache clay. The process can’t be completely controlled, and I think that’s why I like it. I haven’t tried using powdered pigment over wet paper mache clay, but I imagine you could get some very interesting results. Do you have a website where we can see your concrete sculptures? I’d love to see them.
No web site (yet!) but I’ll let you know if/when that ever happens. If you’d like, I can try to send you a couple of photos.
I’ll try the baby oil and see what happens. Since the linseed oil is also for drying purposes, it might not work, but then, again, glycerin isn’t for drying, either. Who knows the possibilites out there! I just need to make sure that this is safe for my grandkids to be using.
You can add a photo from your desktop here in the comment section – then everyone can see your work.
Before giving the paper mache clay to your grandkids, read the label on the joint compound. It isn’t edible, so I don’t recommend the clay for very young kids, with or without linseed oil.
thanks for the reply…just another question….have you ever made a picture frame with paste?
Good point , but no worries as they are beyond the eating everything stage (thankfully). They are really creative and always looking for things to try. Into dragons at this time and want to make one like they one we saw on your site. I’m just trying to stay 1 step ahead of them!
Hi Jonni, Yes you’re right I added salt to your TP clay recipe to retard any mold that may want to start because I mixed up a fairly large batch and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It turns out I was interrupted for about 2 months and did not touch any of my PM projects but I’m happy to say, having just checked the batch in the fridge, it is still viable and mold free.
I did get to use it before I was interrupted and can report it dries hard and firm with NO friability evident anywhere. I mentioned in post number 36 above the two experiments I did with my “Porcelain” recipe exchanging Karo Light Corn Syrup and Glycerin with little difference, both dried hard and sanded well. In fact with a fine jewelers metal file I was able to get a kind of “polished finish” on both. I was surprised.
I now have experimental and practical evidence (not just speculation) that the less expensive and easier to find Karo Syrup works well to replace linseed oil in your TP clay recipe, at least for me.
A few thoughts on the potential confusion about wire gage “standards”, there are many of them.
Listed below are different standards for wire gauges and using your 16 gauge wire as an example the actual diameter follows the various standards. This is a bit “in the weeds” but may be helpful to some people and reduce confusion.
For 16 gauge wire:
1. American Or Brown & Sharp = 0.0508“
2. Birmingham or Stubbs Iron Wire = 0.065“
3. U.S. Standard = 0.0625“
4. American Steel & Wire Co. = 0.0625“
Bob C.
Thanks, Bob. As always, your help is much appreciated. I’m quite excited about the ability to “polish” the clay, although I might not have the patience to actually do it myself. Do you have any recent photos of your work?
Hi Jonni, I have two works in progress (WIP) using a variation of your TP clay and have attached a picture as requested. One is the head of a serpent and the other is an abstraction of the human form. My 1st attempt at sculpting the human form.
Bob, it looks like you’ve made a great start on your human – and I’m quite intrigued by your serpent. I haven’t built up the courage to tackle an open-mouthed beast, myself. Do you have any pointers for us?
Hi Jonni, Not being particularly familiar with the shape of a serpents head and its opened or closed mouth I went online to find as many relevant images I could find. The main observation I made was the closed mouth, when seen from the top, had the basic shape of a somewhat shortened arrowhead, a very muscular arrow head at that.
The open mouth was remarkably open and almost unhinged if opened enough, very much slimmer and no longer looking like an arrowhead at all. So the idea was to decide how open and slimmer I wanted and how to capture the transition from the shorter triangle shape to a longer, slimmer and more open position. This says nothing about finding out and then modeling what is seen inside this gaping mouth. The attached picture above show the lower jaw just pushed in place to give me an idea of the proportions…. Still a WIP.
I am an airbrush artist, and I airbrushed the egg first and decided I wanted a dragon or dinosaur in it. I looked at sever diffrent media, then someone suggested paper mache, looking on the internet I found your web page and paper mache clay. I loved working with it and I think my first try was pretty good. I have since made more creations I will post later. thank you for your great website.
What a nice dragon! It’s so much fun to see all the inventive ways that people are using paper mache clay.
Hi Jonni!
Thank you for the wonderfull «papier mâché» clay recipe. I fond it very usefull in my Pepakura sculpting works. Here’s a picture of the shell of my unfinished Shrek head. I have some detail to add and some sanding to do but I’m happy of the result I get.
Great work of your’s!
Nice!
I wanted a very quiet and well behaved dog for my new writing room. Unfortunately, mine are neither quiet or well behaved, so out of respect for my carpets, I decided to make my own dog. Thanks so much for the recipe Jonni!
He’s perfect! Just waiting, politely of course, for a bit of attention from his favorite person. Lovely!
Awesome job!
S/He’s adorable!! I think you’ve got something there.
I have a little tiny dog, carved from dalmation jasper, that I call Jasper, my GOOD dog! lol!
What did you do with the surface? Is it painted?
Thank you guys.
I did paint the surface, Xan. I must confess though, I didn’t fully read Jonni’s wonderful directions before I started , so I missed the part about smoothing the clay out once it was applied. My surface was NOT smooth. I sanded it as best I could, then applied a layer of spackle to help smooth it. That worked great.
The paint is a layer of yellow acrylic which nearly blinded me with its brightness, then a layer of white acrylic wash to help calm that down, then a layer of brown acrylic wash pulled up in places with a dry rag.
Spackle! Introducing a whole new household product to the mix! LOL!
I like the way the finish is mottled and irregular. It’s very organic. I really love this piece!
And take note, folks. Xan’s a true expert when it comes to dog art, so her kudos mean a lot. Congratulations, Janee. Your pup has made quite an impression on us all!
Ooooh thanks for pointing out Xan’s link, Jonni! Fantastic work, Xan!
Hi everyone!
Just want to confirm the importance of spreading the clay with a wet knife. It makes clay very smooth and allow to be sure that the clay is on contact with the surface underneath plus it takes less clay than just pressign it on the surface.
I’m working on a new Pepakura based futuristic helmet (which I modelised myself) and I need very smooth and angular surface (since it’s not an organic model).
I will post a picture as soon as I can.
Excellent suggestion, Simon. Thanks.
Hello,I am interestd in learning the art of paper mache.I stumbled on your sight and was amazed by how great your sculptures are.I am interested in trying your recipe and want to know if it would be good for minitures and sculpting on its own. I’m interested in adding figures to an HO scale model train. Any ideas or help in this aea is appreciated. Is it possible to use your recipe for such small sculptures?. I prefer mking my own cheap clay and recyclables. Thank you so muh for your time and sharing your talent. Patty
Hi Patty. The paper mache clay is spreadable, and it’s possible that it could be modified enough to stand up on it’s own — perhaps by using more paper in the recipe. However, this is something I’ve never tried myself. I’ve seen some wonderful little houses made with the clay, but I think the artist used a cardboard armature. This is something that needs some experimentation – if you try it and discover that it works (or that it doesn’t, even) please let us know.
I am going to be trying this soon with some young people I teach. I work with teens and adults with autism so it should be interesting.
That sounds really interesting. Be sure to let us know how your class turns out.
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