Papier mache
DEFINITION
A light, strong but pliable material composed of wastepaper torn into small pieces or strips and made pulp-like when soaked with glue of starch and water or flour paste. The material is popular for functional and decorative objects because it is easily made and when dried, can be painted and varnished and made fairly durable. American artists who have used papier mache include Eugenie Gershoy, who found the material cheap and accessible during the Great Depression of the 1930s; Hope Atkinson, who made folk-art style papier-mache "companions" to soothe her loneliness; and Raymond Scully who worked in the medium to create religious figures.Source: Ralph Mayer, "A Dictionary of Art Terms and Techniques"; AskART database.<br><br>A material, made from paper pulp or shreds of paper mixed with resin, wallpaper paste, or flour and water (2:1 by volume), which can be molded or modeled into various shapes when wet and becomes hard and suitable for painting and varnishing when dry. Other substitutes (less likely to mold or mildew) are white glue and water, liquid starch and water, and methyl-cellulose paste and water (one 2 oz. package per gallon of water).Papier-mache's permanence is relative of course, but its light weight, minimal expense and the ease of its making recommend it for many uses.Celluclay is a powdered-paper product for making papier-mache.Papier-mache is a French word, literally meaning chewed-paper. The equivalent Italian term is carta pesta. It is known to have been used for low reliefs in Italy in the fifteenth century, and was occasionally popular in Europe for ornamental furniture, etc.Papier-mache is almost always formed on an armature. An extraordinary variety of free and inexpensive things can serve. Consider cardboards of any type, cut, folded or curled and taped together with any combination of wood, wire, crumpled paper, Styrofoam, and pieces of scrap plastic packaging.To slow mold in wallpaper paste or flour and water paste, add 3 tablespoons sugar per gallon. Also helping to retard spoilage is a teaspoon of salt per batch.(pr. American: PAY-pər mə-SHAY), French: PAH-pee-YAY mə-SHAY)Two Easy Papier-mache ProjectsStarting with a balloon's form Tear strips of newspaper (1-2 inches wide by 2-4 inches long) and, one at a time, dip them into a bowl of prepared paste, applying each to the surface of a balloon. Overlap about 3 or 4 layers, alternating layers-- one of newspaper and one of paper bags or paper towels-- in order to see that each layer is completed. Spread the paste onto each completed layer instead of dipping and wiping each piece of paper. Let this dry, then pop the balloon. Use the result as the starting point for a mask, a sculpture, etc., painting the final form. Forming pulp into a small sculpture Tear paper into pieces about 1/2 inch square, or obtain what is produced by a "paper shredder" -- often used in offices that must destroy sensitive documents. Each participant will require enough such pieces to pack at least a cup measure. Place the torn paper in a container and cover with water and stir it to make sure all the paper becomes wet. Add a teaspoon of salt to retard spoilage. After letting this soak at least two days, mix and squeeze by hand until it becomes a pulp. Mix in one of the adhesive substances noted above, preparing only the amounts of pulp needed. Now model or mold this mixture into the forms you wish to produce. Allow to dry thoroughly. Finish surfaces with any type of paint, small objects, etc., and varnish.Examples: see thumbnail to leftLindsey Hach? (Canadian high school student), Mask, papier-mache, fall of 2000, Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. This feline head reveals the artist's interest in Egyptian art and in contrasting day and night-time imagery. Ellen Carlier (Belgian, contemporary), Blue Elephant, a coin bank, height 20 cm (7 1/2 inches), pulp over a latex balloon, acrylic paints, and varnish, collection of the artist.Related links: How to use the pulp method of papier-m?ch?, and how to make a papier-m?ch? bowl. Ellen Carlier is a contemporary papier mache artist living in Belgium. Ms Carlier's site includes a gallery of her animals, lamps, and other things, along with a fine how-to. <br><br>A material, made from paper pulp or shreds of paper mixed with resin, wallpaper paste, or flour and water (2:1 by volume), which can be molded or modeled into various shapes when wet and becomes hard and suitable for painting and varnishing when dry. Other substitutes (less likely to mold or mildew) are white glue and water, liquid starch and water, and methyl-cellulose paste and water (one 2 oz. package per gallon of water).Papier-mache's permanence is relative of course, but its light weight, minimal expense and the ease of its making recommend it for many uses.Celluclay is a powdered-paper product for making papier-mache.Papier-mache is a French word, literally meaning chewed-paper. The equivalent Italian term is carta pesta. It is known to have been used for low reliefs in Italy in the fifteenth century, and was occasionally popular in Europe for ornamental furniture, etc.Papier-mache is almost always formed on an armature. An extraordinary variety of free and inexpensive things can serve. Consider cardboards of any type, cut, folded or curled and taped together with any combination of wood, wire, crumpled paper, Styrofoam, and pieces of scrap plastic packaging.To slow mold in wallpaper paste or flour and water paste, add 3 tablespoons sugar per gallon. Also helping to retard spoilage is a teaspoon of salt per batch.(pr. American: PAY-pər mə-SHAY), French: PAH-pee-YAY mə-SHAY)