Papier-mâché Creations
In preparation for our newest window display I have been getting messy with Papier-mâché! If you have been in store this week you may have seen our new window! Eight hot air balloons, each hand made using balloons, newspaper, Japanese Washi Paper and a lot of glue! While I was making these, it took me back to the days in primary school when I was first introduced to this creative method of art. We spent a whole week coating balloons in newspaper, painting them and added bits and pieces to create our very own little piggy bank!
With this fond memory, I went rummaging through all my old things and look who I found!
Here is my little creation from grade 3 and I love that 13 years later I am still using the same methods of papier-mâché for my own projects. Papier-mâché is a great foundation for any physical 3D project you may be working on as it creates a base framework from where you can expand your model by sculpting a more defined shape, adding embellishments and other decorative features or simply just painting it to create your desired effect. Papier-mâché is commonly used today to make face masks or piñatas, but in the past, before we had access to plastics and moulds, this form of art was used to create parade floats, set designs for theatre productions and also used in the process of making puppets.
This little project also got me thinking about what other amazing things you can create with this basic foundation! In my search I found this awesome armchair designed and created by Majid Asif. With 120 layers of newspaper built up over the mould of an inflatable chair, this art piece displays a very innovative and creative way to up cycle old newspapers!
Such an amazing work of art, but you don’t have to go to this extreme to play with papier-mâché! Click on the images below to find a few tutorials on different things you can make at home! If the kids are complaining about being bored, this is a great activity that will keep them occupied for hours!
Hope you find these tutorials useful! Can’t wait to see what you make!
♥ Manda
