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Hi,
I am hoping I can get the help here.
My children are on summer holidays and I desperately wanted something cheap to do and considering I love arts and crafts I thought of making animal banks using papier mache!!
Two attempts and I think this last one is going to be put in the bin as well much to the upset of my children.
Ok... We've blown up the balloons to the desired size - then put glue and strips of newspaper all over it. Then we waited for it to dry and then added our designs eg snout for a pig, - head, wings, tail for a dragon, - head, ears tongue for a dog. Then we pasted another layer on but the whole thing seems to collapse. On mine the balloon has reduced in size and with my children it just seems unstable and as we are gluing the whole thing is collapsing in on itself.
We are determined not to give up and if this lot doesn't work we will try again so any advice would be truly grateful.
Thank you in advance
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Paper mache is a great, messy way for children to create. It sounds like you are not using enough layers.When you blow up your balloon go ahead and tie a string to the knotted end. Then I find it easier to set it in a bowl to help stabilize it while I work. Put your first layer of strips on (not using too much water, just enough to get the paper to lay correctly) Using your string to hang the balloon, put it in front of a fan to dry. If your balloon is collapsing it is probably from a change in temperatures, like putting it out in the sun? The heat will make the balloon shrink. Using a fan will help it dry very quickly, but won't collapse the balloon. Repeat this process a minimum of 3-4 times. About 6 would be even better to give it the strength needed to hold up in it's own, especially with kids. Try layering each layer in a different direction; the first one up and down and the next second side to side. This will help with the strength issue as well as let you know where one layer ends and the next begins. Make sure each layer is dry before putting the next on, especially if your using flour paste, trapping moisture can cause mold. After it's all dry, you should be able to pop the balloon and have a nice sturdy base for your banks.
An alternative would be to use something more solid as your base. Here is a site where the artist gives great instructions making banks from empty salt boxes. http://ultimatepapermache.com/cheap-art … piggy-bank
With kids, this might be a good alternative, since they don't have to go through so many layers for strength, and they won't lose interest LOL.
Good luck with it, and cheers to you for involving your kids in an activity that promotes bonding (no pun intended) and a love for creativity.
Joey
Last edited by jojoringer (2009-07-27 14:52:34)
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Because you said you let it dry sufficiently, my guess would be that you didn't build up enough layers and the banks couldn't support their own weight, which is why they collapsed. Structural integrity aside, considering how heavy coins can get, I'd say you're going to need to do quite a few layers for a functional bank.
You may find it helfpul to alternate the layers with different colors of newsprint so you can tell you're getting complete coverage with each layer (i.e., one layer black and white newsprint, one layer color, alternating between each every two layers). Otherwise, you may get thinner areas that you thought you covered, but didn't, which could prove to be structural weak points.
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You need to work very quickly when using balloons. They will only stay fully blown up for a very few days. You need to get each layer on and dried as quickly as possibly, but without changing the temperature of the air inside the balloon. If the air inside cools (I'd avoid using a fan as this will cool it very quickly), the wet papier mache will fall in and resemble craters on the moon.
Leave the balloon hanging up to dry in a room where the temperature will stay the same. Build up as many layers as you can as quickly as you can until you have about 6 layers. You can slow up after that!
I have detailed more about this is my ebook: http://www.papiermache.co.uk/papier_mac … ign_ebook/
Hope your children get a lot of fun from their projects. Oh yes, one other tip...buy good quality balloons! 
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And keep the glue thin, no matter what kind you're using. Some people think that thick glue is better, but it isn't.
The others are right about more layers being needed.
Sue
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Wow I've never had a problem with the fan collapsing my balloons. I haven't used one in ages, but decided I needed hollow round piece for another sculpture, so I I have one going right now that I have been working on for 3 days (I have a 3 year old and interruptions are frequent) I use the fan to dry each layer with no troubles. I have had issues putting them out in the heat and then bringing them back into the cooler house. But of course we have temps hovering around the 100 mark here every day. THAT will cave 'em every time LOL.
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Hi,
I myself followed the instructions for piggy bank in this site .........follow the link http://ultimatepapermache.com/ i've brought into use cola cans.......still in process but its coming out well. Iam making it as B'day gift for my daughter.
Best of luck for your project
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Thank you all so very much. I cannot wait to try all these ideas.
We are having a go today - I know where we went wrong I though you had to wait 24hours between layers so of course the balloon was collapsing.
I can see us getting very into papier mache - I am training to teach so think all my school children will enjoy getting messy too
Thank you once again for all your responses
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Interesting to read the replies about heat collapsing the balloon - my experience has been the opposite! I find heat (whether from sunlight, fans or radiators) will expand the air inside the balloon - it's when the balloon cools down that it contracts and takes the paper layers with it.
If I could add a few suggestions:
- 1st layer: use newspaper but dipped in water only - no glue. It's a bit tricky but then if the balloon does collapse the layers are less likely to follow suit. A bit of cooking oil or petroleum jelly (vaseline) smeared onto the balloon will help.
- Brown parcel tape (the sort that has one side pre-glued, you just dip it in water) is good for the first few layers, it's much stronger than newspaper and dries quickly. Or office/photocopying paper, lining paper (used for decorating, as on walls), woodchip paper (gives a bit of a texture) - all of these will give a much stronger base than newspaper.
- don't get the layers too wet - some of the crinkling is due to uneven drying. Whether you paint or dip the glue, give it a few seconds to absorb into the paper, particularly if it's a fairly heavy sort, and then wipe or shake the excess off before putting it on. Heavier papers are easier to shape that way.
- personally I only do a few layers at a time - 3 at most - and then make sure they're well dried before going onto the next layer. I get better results from consistent gentle heat rather than forcing it with radiators or putting into strong sunshine (as if! I live in the UK ....). If I'm not in a hurry I'll put a coat of diluted PVA glue on every now and then to help hold it all together - but I often go on to model pulp over my balloon shapes so they do have to be fairly strong.
Whatever method you use, hope you have fun!
Antonia
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Antonia, you are correct: when placed in the sun, the paper-covered balloon expands as the air inside heats up and expands. But most people only come back to the collapsed shell and don't realize what caused it.
It will even happen with a plastic ball covered with concrete. Even cured concrete can't take the stress of the expansion. (Guess how I know this?)
Widboudicea, you can easily apply three layers before you let it dry.
Also, don't make the pieces of paper too large, or they won't fit the curve of the balloon, and will wrinkle, causing a lumpy surface that takes considerable sanding to smooth out.
Paper torn into triangles usually fit curves much better than actual strips. Do some experimenting to see how large you can make them without causing wrinkling.
Remember that a smooth wet finish helps to produce a smoother dry skin.
Everyone will improve with practice!
Sue
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