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Hi there:
I am a Elementary teacher and we are doing a project for mothers' day. This is the first time I do paper mache. My class and I are doing a vase,
they are ready to be finished, How do we finish them? what kind of paint should I use? should I put a layer of white paper before painting, so it won't consume too much paint? what about the barnish? Can I use clear glue as a barnish?
I hope someone can help me. At school we have TEMPORA paint.
When putting the base, and lid to the vase, should I glue it to the balloon before putting layers of papers? in what part of the process should we put the lids and base for the vase?
Thanks!!
Hi Edy,
One of the easiest ways to seal papier mache is with neat pva glue. But I wouldn't recommend this if you are using poster paints. They are both water based and so will dissolve together and make an awful mess! You either need acrylic paints and pva sealer, or poster paint and something like a polyurethane varnish.
You could use white paper as a final layer before painting, but most of us use a couple of coats of white emulsion paint.
I don't think it would be a good idea to stick anything to the balloon -they are not very receptive to this sort of thing! 
) The balloon will inflate and deflate slightly at every change of temperature in the room, and so distort your piece, or it could even burst! Better to cover the balloon with sufficient layers, let it dry, remove the balloon and then cut away/add on lids and bases as required. For this you can use cardboard (cereal packets are ideal). Stick them to your vase with masking tape then cover with more strips of papier mache.
Hope this helps. Good luck with your vases.
Jackie
Jackie, thankss for the advice.
I am out of time with my projects, Can we use TEMPORA paint, and use a varnish on top of it? would this work?
Thanks!!
Yes Edy - you can use practically any paint on papier mache. Just make sure that whatever you use to seal/varnish it, is not one that you wash your brushes out in water.
Jackie