How To Create Papier Mâché

Papier-mâché (pah-pee-yeh mah-shay) is an easy to make, hard material that can be used to cover a variety of surfaces. It is often used in arts and crafts to make a variety of sculptures, fruit bowls, puppets, dolls and much more. The surface is very easy to paint, allowing you to add patterns, bright colors and interesting designs to your finished product. This article details how to make the basic papier mâché that can be used for any project that you have in mind.

Step 1  

Cut a sheet of newspaper into long one inch (2.5 cm) thick strips.

Step 2  

Choose one of two methods to make papier mâché:  

• Glue mixture: Pour 2 parts white glue and one part water into a mixing bowl. These quantities can be changed to suit the size of your project. Or, if you have a stronger bonding glue, 1 part white glue and 1 part water will do the trick.
• Flour mixture: Combine 1 part flour with 1 part water.

Step 3  

Blend together your choice of mixture. Do this using a paintbrush or a mixing spoon. Blend until it forms a smooth consistency.

Step 4  

Find a surface you want to papier-mâché. Examples include a balloon, cardboard or a molded figure.

Step 5  

Dip a strip of newspaper into the mixture.

Step 6  

Remove any excess mixture. Do this by sliding two fingers from the top to the bottom of the strip of paper.

Step 7  

Lay the strip over the surface or figure. Smooth it out, using either your fingers, or a paintbrush. Be sure to get as many of the creases and bumps out as you can. You are aiming to get a very smooth surface for painting and decorating.

Step 8  

Repeat steps 5-7 until the entire surface or figure is covered.

Step 9  

Place the object on a covered surface to dry. Lay down newspapers or plastic to protect the drying area.

Step 10  

Let it dry completely.

Step 11  

Paint or decorate as desired.

Tips

• Put down a layer or two of newspaper on the surface you'll be working on.
• Add a couple layers of papier-mâché to your surface or figure - it will give it more durability.
• You can paint over the top of the papier-mâché with acrylic paint after it has completely dried. It sometimes helps to spray a couple of layers of matte spray in between the papier-mâché and the paint to prevent the paint from chipping.
• To keep your fingers from getting sticky, wear latex gloves.
• You can papier-mâché virtually anything: picture frames, old CDs, etc.
• Try using different types of paper instead of newspaper - kitchen paper towel works particularly well.
• Your pieces of paper do not necessarily have to be strips. Any small piece of paper, regardless of the shape will do, so long as you can handle it easily.
• Using thinner strips of paper will result in a smoother, less bumpy finish. Similarly, smaller pieces of other shapes will generally work better also.
• In addition, tearing the paper roughly, as opposed to cutting with scissors, will result in a smoother final appearance.
• Papier mâché is not waterproof or water resistant unless you seal it or use an additive in the mix. If you intend the item to be near water or outside, you will need to finish it with such sealants as tempera paint for children's craft items, to marine varnish for an outdoor sculpture.
• If you are making a piñata put the paper clip in the thing whatever your making before you do the newspaper
• If you want a simple white finish to your project, use plain white paper for the last two layers.

Warnings

• The glue mixture may be hard to clean off your work surface once it is set. If you are worried about getting glue on your work surface, put some newspaper down before you get started.
• Keep this project away from small children.
• Wait for the papier mâché to fully dry before painting it!