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Hello,
I'm so glad to have found this forum. 
I am trying to create pulp for a mixed media project I'm working on.
After tearing, soaking overnight, boiling, whisking and straining my newspaper, I added some ground chalk, PVA glue etc. (of course, all this mad scientist chaos happened BEFORE my husband found this site for me!)
I am left with pulp that doesn't really feel clay-like enough, nor does it seem all that amenable to moulding.
It is rather crumbly, and yet water comes out when I squeeze some in my hand. I have no idea how the finished pulp is supposed to look, or what I should be looking for in consistency. I was definitely expecting something smoother than I ended up with.
Any help would be greatly appreciated....don't know if I have enough water in the pulp, or if I should have used wallpaper paste or a flour/water mixture for the adhesive? argh!
Thank you in advance for any help you can give.
laurel
Last edited by laurel (2007-11-05 03:57:50)
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Is the paper kind of dissolved into fibers and small clumps, or still recognizable as paper?
It may need some beating, as with an electric kitchen mixer. If you want to try it, look at the wattage of your mixer. If it is under 300 watts, add more water to the paper so you don't damage the motor. If it's 300 watts or more, you can use less water. But since you added PVA, you may still have to add more water. It will dilute/wash out the PVA, but you can add more later. I think it's best to add whatever adhesive AFTER you get the pulp into the condition you want it. IMHO.
Beat it, then let it drain in a wire sieve until it's about the consistency you're looking for. Press it a bit if you need to. Then add more PVA.
Just keep in mind that this is not, and will never be, clay. Paper fibers, even when broken down to basics (or even if they've never been paper yet), will cling to themselves to form clumps. Even when there's a LOT of water in the mix, there will be clumps. Even when there is more water than fiber, there will be clumps. It's the nature of paper.
When paper fibers are cast, they are usually very wet. They are lifted out of the water on a screen, drained and maybe patted a bit with paper towels, then applied to the mold. If you are applying your PM to an armature or form, you might try applying it rather wet, then pressing it into shape (and to remove more of the water) with a napless cloth (dishcloths, old cloth napkins, old cloth diapers, etc).
The easiest way to apply it to a form may be to roll it out between two sheets of waxed paper to the thickness/thinness you want, then carefully apply in palm-sized or smaller 'sheets', and press the edges together. You can just take clumps and press them in place, too, but the results may not be quite as smooth. (Well, it could be, maybe, if you are more patient than I am...).
Just remember The Papier Mache Rule: Experiment, Experiment, Experiment!
Some ways work with certain kinds of paper best, with more or less water best, with certain adhesives best, etc. And some methods work better for some kinds of projects.
Just have fun finding them!
p.s. I find flour is good for baking, but not for PM. My opinion.
Sue
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Thanks Sue!
you have definitely cleared up a few little pulp mysteries for me.
and your tips really hit on what I was trying to work out.
After looking at the galleries, I think I will stick with this craft and the forum. I love sculpting, but am not so fond of what clay does to the skin on my hands. Amazing stuff can be done, and so many talented people. My kitchen will just have to suffer the consequences.
I really appreciate your help! I definitely had the paper turned to mush...I think it was too dry...I will keep experimenting.
laurel
ps. I am from washington state as well. I married an australian and have been living in melbourne, australia since the end of may.
hug a douglas fir for me, would you? I miss them....
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Padlock the door to your kitchen, you will find that you use so many of your kitchen implements to make pm and then turn around and wonder why you can't sift flour, blend soup or liquidize fruit. So far I have comandeered, a sieve, a colander, a blender, a liquidizer, two preserving pans, several bowls and a tablespoon. Then I turned my attention to my husbands tool kits..........
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ROFL....I just married a confirmed bachelor....and moved halfway around the world...he has NOTHING....unfortunately..kitchen utensils were not something I could bring with....but I am haunting second hand shops (Op Shops) and he has been really good about picking stuff up for me and bringing it home...although, instead of sieve, he brought a colander with LARGE holes...not so good!
I will slowly build up everything I need...again. I do have moments where I miss all the things I had gathered. Already, he is having to make more space for all my 'found' objects.
I have spent the day experimenting with pulp. The ideas are starting to form, and I can see that soon I will have more items for the craft than the cooking!
I am definitely falling in love paper mache and pulp...
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hi laurel,
i thought i would stop in and say hi...
I'm in australia as well.. only a 12 hour non stop drive from you in northern NSW LOL
when i
I'm working with pulp and want it more clay like i mix together aquadhere and wallpaper paste made up into a runny jelly consistency in a mixer untill fluffy and then mix the relatively dryish pulp into that...
just one more appliance to get LOL you might also find appliances on freecycle for your area to save a bit of money
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Oh what fun, Laurel. You can even go for a long weekend walk and catch up with Ellen!
Your pulp should certainly not be crumbly. Yes, a proportion of wallpaper paste (or methyl cellulose) should make a lot of difference. I would never advise flour. Like Sue (catperson), it's best left to cooks.
The original boiling and blizting of the paper is important but you can also achieve a lot in the final mix with a fork. Be prepared for some solid mashing if you want it to be claylike.
DavidO
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Hi everyone...thank you so much for the warm welcome!
the wallpaper paste did the trick...of course I made up too much the first time out, but learning as I go.
The pulp came out fantastic...did some small things just to practice shaping it and getting the idea. Some small medallions and beads for my altered book project (I've been a paper lover all my life, I think). Then I did a bowl in a mould. I also actually got my tree done for my mixed media project.
LOVE that wallpaper paste.
Much solid mashing as david said, and I had my 'clay'.
now I'm waiting for that sun to dry things out....and waiting...lol !
Is there a curing period? I think I need to check out the tutorials again and see if they mention that. I want to make sure everything is dried completely before I gesso and paint.
Right now, I am mixing everything by handpower, but let me tell you, my wish shopping list has been started
Thank you all for your friendly responses...and ellen,I guess I'll start walking!
laurel
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