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I have been making vases by covering glass bottles with papier mache... The first one I made turned out great! I painted and glossed it and it is perfect....... but all the others seem to be cracking! It's horrible! I was planning to sell these but unless I can stop things from cracking... I probably won't be able to... Help me Please!
Hi Stacey,
What a nightmare!
What stage are they at when they start cracking?
Jackie
It's horrible! They seem to crack in the drying process. Usually after I believe they are completely dry. and then I paint them... and then they ruin themselves... I'm frustrated... help!
I can't really say I've had this problem myself, but it could possibly be the glue you used wasn't strong enough, or maybe the thickness of the mache too thin? Or....did you dry them in heat? That could have caused it. It can sometimes take a lifetime to dry objects and I know it is tempting to stick them near a fire. The best way to speed up drying times is to put an electic fan (cold) on them - or leave them outside on a dry, breezy day!
If it is not any of these things, and it happens when you paint them, could it be that you haven't sealed them first?
Hope you manage to pinpoint what the cause is, and come back and tell us...
Jackie
Are you using pulp or laminated papier mache? papier Mache shinks on drying, and if using a mold as in a glass bottle, the bottle will not shrink with it, therefore cracking will occur
OK when you remove the Papier Mache from the mold, apply MORE layers or pulp consider the first part ie over the bottle as 1/2 of the work then redo over to complete, the first dry layer will absorb the pastes and moisture and soften enough to shrink with the final layer...........Gees, that seems difficult to explain!!!
Hope this helps Terry
well I have no intentions on trying to remove the glass, so I guess I'm going to be stuck with a few cracks. Only one vase has cracked bad. so I guess I'll deal with it. Thank you though.
Ah now I understand what you are doing, I have done the same thing leaving the bottle in as a linner.
Heres what to do
Cover the bottle with a layer of papier mache. let dry, it will crack as it shrinks, now when dry re do the whole thing, the original layer of papier mache will cushion and contract with the final layer and you get no shrinking.
I have also had bottles drilled and had electrical lamp heads attached and made lamp bases.
this way works well and your second layer, the finishing layer will have no shrinking hope this helps
Terry