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Hello
Sorry to bother you all, I'm new to paper mache, and was wondering if you might give me some advice?
I'm trying to make a dragon head for my costume for the Harry Potter book launch (I'm dressing my mobility scooter up as a dragon). So far I've paper mached two balloons (like in diagram one), (using paper strips and glue) - one normal balloon to be the round bit of the head, and half a long balloon to be the jaws. I've been doing it for days but they still feel a bit soft and fragile, I don't know that they would hold up to much.
I have some paper clay mix, and I was thinking of using that on top of my paper stripped balloons to make it harder and stronger.
1) would this work?
2) If so, how long would it take to dry? the launch party is on the 20th, and I wouls need to paint and varnish too!
3) how do you know when you have enough coats?
I've done a little picture series of what I plan to do:
http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/6403 … ullav7.jpg
Hope that makes sense! Sorry for the lack of MS paint skills
Any help gratefully appreciated! I really want a good costume to hide my scooter - any costume I ever wear is ruined by having to sit in my bright blue cripplecart. Not very magical 
thanks,
Sophie
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Sophie, the principal of what you are doing is sound, you may not have left yourself enough time before the launch though. Although if you can devote a week the following may well work
What you will need to do is layer your balloons with a lot of layers of paper, in the case of this I would break the unspoken rules and just use PVA, it sets hard and will dry fairly fast. If you have the patience, layer once with newspaper and PVA and then leave for about 1/2 an hour, Come back and do the same thing again, leave, and so on until you have built yourself up about 7 or 8 layers. That should give you enough rigidity to glue together the head and jaw and then layer over that with at least one more layer. Then you can add the pulp. for things like eyes, ridges etc use armatures of cardboard wherever possible as it will be faster than waiting for solid pulp to dry.
Have a look at my gallery page
http://www.papiermache.co.uk/gallery/item/7021/
this was made using a cardboard armature and layers of newspaper, before painting and varnishing. It is in a smaller scale than you are proposing but the principal is the same. I built up the eye sockets using balled up newspaper, very tightly scrunched and the ridge using an old cereal packet.
For a nice strong laminate you can use a layer of newspaper and then a layer of kitchen towel and then another of newspaper and so on. I am not sure why this works but it does. Also I would make sure that you varnish the finished piece using Yacht varnish/marine varnish. It gives another layer of rigidity and will protect your dragon's head from rain.
Best of luck.
Charlotte
Last edited by newmodeller (2007-07-03 12:46:01)
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If you can, aim an electric fan at it, which will help dry it faster.
Sue
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newmodeller - thank you so much! That is brilliant, I'll do as you say, and hopefully we'll have a workable dragon by the 20th 
I think it's almost ready for sticking the bits together, as soon as this layer dries. I do indeed have a week, I'm home for the summer holidays, so I have time to devote to it
That is an ace dragon, I like how it's a puppet
CatPerson - a fan is drying my paper mache as we speak! thanks for the tip
Thank you both, I'll post again when I've got something worth showing 
Sophie
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Hi
Well, I managed it I made a dragon out of my scooter, and I think it looked pretty darn good. I have pictures, and an account of how I made it, here: http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.ph … msg1930483
(sorry, I don't have a gallery)
Thank you again for your help, and hope you approve of the finished product!
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Wow, I can't believe you are new to papier mache. That is fantastic. I love the painting you did on it. Are you planning to take it up as a hobby now? I'd love to see some more stuff from you. Great work!
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Sophie you surpassed yourself, Well Done!
How are you going to top that.
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What a FANTASTIC job! Absolutely brilliant, as Harry would say.
Superb paint job, too.
I can't wait to see what your next piece of work will be. A lifesized replica of Hogwarts???
Sue
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Great job! Now my daughter wants one. lol
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Sophie-
YOU'RE NEW AT THIS!?!?!?! I think you've found your calling. Fantastic paint job, as well. I am sooooooo jealous. You must have been the hit of the evening.
I had intended to crochet Mrs Weasley's sleeves for a costume, but ran out of time (or was it inclination?). My kids got dressed up (we went to a Grand Hallows Ball) and had fun waiting around for 4 hours or so..then spent the next 2 days reading (which was easier to do 10 years ago!) Sad to see it end but it's been great fun - especially these days when there is so much negativity in the world. How cool to see the kids (and us old folk) excited about something positive- and a BOOK, no less.
I second the suggestion of the model of Hogwarts (don't think life size, though - hahahaha). Or a special HP bookcase or shelf to hold your books. (see: the cartonnistes website - not traditional papier mache, but really cool cardboard furniture). Or a trunk like the one Scholastic Books is selling on Amazon.com with the complete series inside. I'll post the site addresses shortly.
Donna R
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Thank you everyone
Yes, I'm pretty new at paper mache. I made a piggy bank out of a balloon in primary 4, but otherwise I've never really got into it. I remember it being very messy, and taking a long time, and I'm quite an impatient person. It wasn't as messy this time round, but them I've probably honed my fine motor skills in the intervening 12 years
Usually I do beading and the odd bit of cake decorating, and I sew too. I used to do oil painting, but it's so messy and time-consuming it's not really feasible at the moment. I was a bit worried about this project actually, as usually I hate painting with acrylics, I find they dry too fast. It wasn't til I discovered oils at Advanced Higher that I realised I actually like painting! I think now I've tried it successfully, I might do some more paper mache, although it'll have to go on hold for a bit, as I should really be devoting the rest of my summer to starting work on my thesis and special subject. I'm woefully behind at the moment
If anyone wants it, there is going to be a tutorial of how I did it on the polymer clay encyclopedia I think, not that it is particularly strange or unusual. It's probably done all wrong too, as I just sort of winged it, everyone will be able to tell me how I've butchered the art of paper mache...
thank you again,
Sophie
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There's no such thing as butchering the art of papier mache. But if you come up with something new, by all means, let us know.
People have used all kinds of paper, dryer lint, every kind of adhesive imaginable, on armatures that you would never think of using as armatures. And the surface decoration! Everything from beads to dog hair to unraveled rope to corn flakes to dog food.
Of course, not everything works. PM is an experimental person's craft, probably more so than any other art form.
Sue
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