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My projects made of pulp all come out very rough....any tips on making smooth finishes? I find that sanding is very difficult. Somewhere I read that in Kashmir they finish the product with tissue paper...I tried that but the results were bad.
Also, in my laminated projects you can pretty clearly see the strips underneath.
I would prefer not to add plaster of paris as I think it adds to the weight. One of the things I like about paper mache is that it is so lightweight.
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:?
There are various possibilities. Firstly, how fine is your pulp? The finer it is the smoother you can make it. When I make some it can be so fine that I can roll it out to a strong sheet 2mm thick.
The next is to smooth it firmly as it dries. The back of a spoon can be quite good for this. Use a bit of paste to help keep it smooth if necessary.
For the third you should look at my posting on using tissue paper in the recent messages. You could make up this mix and then smear it over the DRY pulp. Again, smooth it more as it dries.
DavidO
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Correction - it's the post on 'Can You Use Toilet Paper Pulp on Papier Mache?'
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I haven't tried this personally yet, but I heard that if you put a thin layer on your papier mache before you sand it - that it will come out much smoother.
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You might want to try Paperclay (a cellulose clay that's sold in many craft stores) I used it to smooth the surface of this mask which I made using a balloon and newspaper strips. It looked pretty rough before I started and the paperclay smoothed it out nicely:
http://www.amethyst-angel.com/tutorials … lowres.jpg
You can sand the paperclay and then cover it with gesso and varnish.
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Hi guys, Im really new to PM, been at it about 3 weeks now. One trick Ive found for smoothing out my pulp sculptures to avoid the time spent sanding is to use a Dremel tool with a sanding bit. Im using Celluclay for my sculptures and Ive found that once dried it is more than strong enough to use the dremel for smoothing, and shaping fine details. I do this before painting all of my pieces. :twisted:
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Celluclay contains plaster and perlite. If you're sanding it, be sure to wear a mask. Celluclay isn't all that lightweight, due to the plaster.
What we need is a paper-based pulp that can be easily manipulated, but doesn't stick to your hands, and can be smoothed while wet. YEAH!
Sue
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