Make a sculpture out of paper mache.
Paper mache dates back to ancient Egyptian times when it was used for funeral masks. You can create paper mache sculptures right from home. This is a fun project to do with children because they like to get messy and make crafts. You only need a few household supplies to get this project started and some armature wire or chicken wire on which to lay the paper. You can even use a balloon as your armature. The general idea is to wet strips of newspaper with an adhesive, such as water mixed with flour, and lay them over the armature to create a sculpture.
Instructions
1. Decide how you want your sculpture to look and how large you want it to be. Sketch it on a piece of paper.
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2. Bend armature wire into the shape of your intended sculpture. This will be the skeleton of your sculpture.
3. Tear a newspaper into long thin strips about 1 to 2 inches in width.
4. Add white flour to a bowl of water slowly, mixing it with your hands as you go. You want it to be the consistency of cream.
5. Dip the paper strips into the bowl one at a time and wipe away the excess water and flour mixture by running the paper strips between two fingers. Place the strip on top of your armature.
6. Keep layering strips until the whole armature is covered. You should overlap the strips to make sure the armature doesn't show through. Allow the sculpture to completely dry.
7. Paint the sculpture with acrylic paint. Allow to dry.
8. Cover the sculpture with a thin layer of varnish using a sponge brush. Allow to dry. Repeat if desired.
Tags: armature wire, paper mache, paper strips, sculpture with, your armature