When I was growing up, paper mache was always made with a mix of water & Elmer's white glue. But, I just saw someone mention using a mix of water & flour. How do you make yours? What are the benefits and disadvantages of the different methods?
Also, what other materials do you use? I remember using strips of newspaper & covering a balloon. I'd love to hear everyone's different ideas. I hope to do this with my daughter sometime.
Thanks!
I've decided to try to make a piggy bank with my daughter. I started the form last night (using a rectangle tissue box and rolled up paper, he's gonna be a big piggy!). We got some white glue, paint, and spray varnish. We'll use the water/white glue mix for this project, but we may try the water/four mixture for projects that won't involve our daughter! I know she won't be patient enough to wait for each layer to completely dry! :)
Thanks for all of the responses!
we once used an old metal garbage lid and covered the top to make a paper mache Enterprise, which was fun but time consuming. We used paper mache'd paper towel rolls for the nacelles. The balloon kind is easy to do if you dont blow the balloon all the way up so it's likely to pop easily. We always did water and flour, I'd never heard of the glue.
Paper Mache is so easy and so rewarding (some internet sites call it papier mache`). There are two ways to do it. You can use newspaper strips soaked in wallpaper paste and press it over the shape you wish to make..such as a balloon (for a circle) or a bowl (for a bowl shaped item). You can use the same type of strips of newspaper with the second way to do it...using powered glue paste. Hard to find that here in the USA however. I would use wallpaper paste if I were you. It makes the best projects. However, you must remember to use thin strips of newspaper, use acrylic paints and dry throughly when using. I have also seen it done with Elmer's glue but have not tried it. Wallpaper paste is so cheap at Lowes, Menards, or Sherwin William's it would be a shame not to try it. Good luck.
Water and flour makes glue or I believe corn starch and water makes glue as well.
How fun! You can make figures out of the balloons and cover them with the paper mache. Try looking balloon figures up on google.
I use all purpose white flour and water, with large strips of newspaper. Elmers and water is good to "professionalize" the creation by using it and strips of cloth after the original creation is finished (it gives it a skin-like look). I rented books about it and dabbled in it for a bit.
I start with rolled up balls of paper, styriphome sometimes inside and wire hangers cut into3- 5 inch peices for attaching body parts.
balloons make excellent tongues, have a hot glue gun handy because finishing touches are easier this way. Also i have notices that when making monsters rather than other things a mix of two paints sort of "swirled together" for the finish is neat, especially since their skin is wrinkly.
We made big piggy banks out of balloons and used egg cartons taped to the ballon to shape the feet and nose. Covered it all, let dry, and painted. Glued ears, googly eyes, and pipe cleaner curly tail. Very cute. Very messy.
We used water and flour mixture.
You can use either white glue or carpenter's glue diluted about 1/3 with water, or wheat flour as your paste. It's good to add some salt in humid climates so mold won't become a problem. Google "paper mache recipes" for more detail. The glues are probably a little stronger when finished, but the wheat flour is traditional and works well (this is what wallpaper was pasted up with before commercial glues became available).
For the basic structure, any kind of paper strips will work, including brown paper bags, paper towels for texture, facial or toilet tissue for a smoother finish, or layers of gift wrap tissue for translucent color. I've even heard of including dryer lint. Go crazy!
We always used flour, salt, & water as kids (and many are still in the garage 20/30 years later)... but as an art student used the glue and water mix.
