I suspect that the density of your lizard and the type of adhesive you're using are contributing to the dry/wet/dry condition.  Your past two projects were thin and weren't getting wet on the inside, so moisture could wick through and dry faster.

Both Elmer's white glue and yellow wood glue are PVA glues (Polyvinyl acetate), but the yellow glue has extra additives in it. I doubt that one would be much different from the other for PM purposes, but I could be missing something.

The problem with PVA glues is that they aren't really waterproof.  They're somewhat water-resistant, yes, but not waterproof.  When you spread a layer of wet glue (or glued paper) onto the top of the previously dry layer, the dry layer will absorb some of the moisture from the wet layer.

One thing that might help is not soaking the paper with the glue or glue/water combination.  Try brushing your strip of paper with the glue only on one side, using just a thin layer of glue, and apply it immediately and smooth it down.

Some PM people are great fans of PVA glues.  I'm not, and the problem you're running into is one of the reasons why.

Emulsion paint and latex wall paint are the same thing. This kind of paint is waterbased, so you're duplicating the gluing process of adding moisture to the lizard. Just let it dry well before you go any further.

Acrylics should be all right on latex, as they are both acrylics.  After you apply your first solid layer of wall paint, you shouldn't have that softening problem again.

It sounds like you're doing fine.  It's just that your lizard is substantially different from your prior projects. Solid and dense objects coated with a sealing type material that completely surrounds them are different from thin layers that aren't coated on the opposite side (inside, like the balloon project). The more kinds of methods you use will teach you what to expect from each.

TIP:  never, ever attempt to apply a waterbased paint onto an oil-based paint.  It doesn't matter how dry the oil-based paint it, the waterbased paint won't want to stick to it. It will kind of stick in places, and run or just fail to stick in other places. And what does stick will scratch or peel very easily.  Applying oil-based paint onto a water-based paint is fine.  You just can't apply more water-based paint on top of that.  Once you use oil-based paint, you're committed to stay with it.

You're doing fine.  And you'll learn more from your mistakes than your successes. (Don't ask me how I know!)

Sue

Well Lenny the lounge lizard is almost finished and he did dry quite well...finally!  Ive got him just about painted now and will open a gallery to post him when he's done...I need to take my own pic first, so guess Ill have to comb my hair.... Debra