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I just had a thought and I wondered if anyone has tried this. I've been wanting to make a life-sized figure. I wondered if I could use my dress form* as a temporary armature for papier mache. I don't want to cover the form and leave it covered, I just want to use it to mold a piece until it dries.
I figured I could cover the form with plastic wrap to keep it from getting wet and to get the paper to release when it dries. I could either do a thin layer of PM over the whole thing then cut it off in two halves or cover half with PM, make one half of the piece then do the other half and join the pieces later.
Problems I can forsee:
1) If I cover the whole thing then I would have to make sure that the piece is solid enough (but not bulky) to hold it's shape when cut off and that I can actually cut it off without damaging my dress form. Perhaps I could just leave a very thin covering on the sides so that I could cut through it more easily?
Advantages: It would be easier to do the whole thing than just half and the form can be left standing up.
Disadvantages: Removal of the dried PM, removing it too soon or the bottom not drying properly and having it lose it's shape when removed.
2) If I make two halves and then join them, how do I make sure my halves are even? How do I join the halves? I think that I might have to lay the form down so that the paper doesn't slide or fall off the half I'm working on - this could be a problem with work space and the form might roll a lot.
Advantages: I'd be less likely to trap my dress form in the paper, which could happen with the method in #1.
Disadvantages: Joining the halves could be more difficult because the halves may not be even or exact. The piece losing it's shape after removal. Dents or damage from the dress form rolling around because it's not as stable laying down as it is standing up.
3) Once removed from the form it would not have an armature. How stable could it be? Should I add something, maybe just more PM to the inside to make it more stable?
4) If it works this would give me a nice life-sized torso but if I wanted a full figure I would have to come up with a way to add a head, arms and legs. Legs would be much more difficult because they would have to support the structure. I realize I could have a rod or something attached to a baseboard that could run up the entire piece and support it but I think the legs should at least be sturdy enough to help stabilize and support it. What do you think?
5) Since my torso would now be very life like I'd want my head, arms and legs to match, since I'd be doing them more free form that may be more difficult for me ... unless I don't make a "human" head, arms and legs. Hmmm *light bulb appears over head*. Oh, I just got a great idea, but I won't tell you that yet. 
6) Would I have to make the piece so bulky in order to hold it's shape that it wouldn't really be a good looking torso once it was finished? Or would it be okay to start off with a thin layer on the form, just enough to hold it's shape and bulk it up by just adding more PM to the inside make it more stable? Or would I be better off using the form to make a mold and then filling the mold to make my shape? I can't remember the term for this, is it a negative mold? I really prefer not to make a mold though.
*Dress form aka Dressmaker's Dummy. Basically it's a mannikin without a head, arms or legs.
So has anyone tried using a similar method? What are your experiences?
Even if you haven't tried this, does anyone have any other ideas, thoughts or tips on how to make this work?
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Wow! Good thinking. You've really considered the process and the potential pitfalls.
I will just offer some thoughts: -
if you are considering making a negative mould, why not do it on a real person who has all the necessary body parts!
To make a laminated form in such a size, it would have to be quite strong before removing it. Do an experiment over something smaller (wide bowl or something) with layers of bond (office) paper and kraft (brown packaging) paper interlayered. My guess is that you might need twelve layers for the strength you need. It wouldn't be too bulky.
For removal from the mannekin (if you do it that way), make align marks across where you are going to cut. Cut carefully all around. Once you are sure it will release, stick a few strips of fabric across the join on one side to act as hinges. Remove and join the whole.
Of course, people often begin freeform, with chicken netting.
If you have a hollow body form, I would not advise layering inside because it is more likely to lose shape as the moisture is absorbed. If you have access, you could take cardboard tubes, or make squared hollow rods and fix them in from one side to the other. In this way, you could form quite a strong internal structure.
I'm sure someone else will add their own twopenn'th
Good luck
DavidO
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...For removal from the mannekin (if you do it that way), make align marks across where you are going to cut. Cut carefully all around. Once you are sure it will release, stick a few strips of fabric across the join on one side to act as hinges. Remove and join the whole.
...DavidO
Thanks for the input! I especially like the idea of fabric as a hinge. I had thought that the PM might crack or tear if I opened it up like a book and wondered what I could do to prevent that. Great idea.
I don't think I could find anyone who would sit still long enough for me for me to use them as a form but I might be able to use my own legs as a mold.
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Hi! I'm new here, but not new to PM. I thought I would contribute some thoughts.
First, I would cover the mannekin with SEVERAL layers of plastic to protect it (I am assuming that it is fabric). Then I would cover the whole thing with PM. I would think that 3 layers would be enough to make a form rigid enough to remove, as long as it is completely dry when you remove it.
For cutting, a pair of bandage scissors is wonderful! They are fairly small, with a lip on the tip of the bottom blade that can slide under bandages (or PM) without puncturing or cutting the victim.
You might even be able to cut straight down the front of the piece, then bend it along the spine to remove it from the mannekin. Once it's free, tape it back into the proper form.
A clever way to make proportionate arms and legs: Lay someone down (they have to be the right size) on a large piece of paper and trace the outline of their arm or leg (in the position you want). Separately, make outlines of the other dimensions of their limbs (showing proper thickness). You may want to make separate outlines for each major bone on these outlines, such as forearm, upper arm, thigh, lower leg, foot, hand, etc. SAVE THE ORIGNAL OUTLINES. Use the patterns to trace onto cardboard. Then either use opposite slots (half a slot on one piece, half a slot on the other like you find in cases of wine bottles) to turn the flat drawings into 3D arms & legs, OR cut them in half lengthwise and hot-glue them in place. If you are using slots, I would use tape or something to make sure they stay in place, as sometimes they tend to try to flatten out.
Now crumple pieces of paper to fill the Vs of the limbs to make them rounded, and cover with PM. Attach to torso with more PM.
If you add a bit of PM "skin" to the connecting end of the body piece (marking where the real connection is, so you don't make it too short), you can make slits on the extra (which I would make as long as 6"/15cm for thigh connections, which must provide support), then use the strips of extra "skin" to attach to the torso, then applying several additional layers of PM for strength.
TIP: if you find you need to waterproof PM for some reason, use real shellac, which is thinned with denatured alcohol (aka "shellac thinner"). Apply two layers very thinly, so you don't soak the fragile paper to the point of collapsing.
Sue
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