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Hi people,
I'm relatively new, to the world of papier mache. I'm currently working on a little project which involves sticking decorative paper over the finished item. However, what I'm finding on doing this, is that the paper mache surface comes through!!! I'm trying to get a smooth surface finish with no impressions!! Anyone got any ideas on acheiving this?????
I've used a comercial base pulp,which helped significantly,but not conclusively.
I have also tried useing fillers on the surface afterwards, but this makes it rather labour intensive and go's away from the whole papier mache idea..
Please help, Regards The Novice
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Im a newbie too, but I have very lightly sanded the pm before with very fine sandpaper and then with some that doesnt even feel like sandpaper, more like a nail cloth. Anyway this really helped smooth the pm... but it was just an experiment so that I did not devote a lot of time to it. Im sure there are a lot of people here that have the answer to your question and Ill be glad to hear about it too.. knowledge is power...Debra
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Debra is on the right lines, although I have never used commercial pulp, the principle should be the same. Fill in any large craters and splits. When everything is completely dry then sand with mid paper then fine. If you really want to you can finish with wire wool.
If you still want a smoother surface you will need to add a layer of gesso to the piece. You can either by a commercial gesso from a craft supplies or make your own. There are two ways:
The traditional: boil Rabbit Skin Size (very expensive sold in granular form in art shops) and then mix in ground chalk and apply. This will dry rock hard but is sandable.
Acrylic based gesso: this is similar but uses plastic based glue as the binding agent. Again you can buy the primer and chalk in art shops or you can make your own. David (dopapier) has an excellent recipe for his own in one of the gesso threads on here. But basically you need an acrylic primer (I think David uses Rustin's wood primer) and ground chalk.
For a fast drying one you can use 50:50 PVA and Water and then add in plaster of paris. You need to work fast, allow to dry thoroughly, then sand down well, at the end of the process this last one needs to be varnished as it is not as rock hard as the others.
These will give you a wonderfully smooth finish.
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I have discovered that the easiest way to a smooth surface is accomplished while the final layer of PM on the project is still damp. Smoothing the lumps with the back of the bowl of a spoon is my favorite.
And if you're using strips, try to smooth down any wrinkles and edgles as you go. The lumpier you leave each layer, the harder it is to smooth at the end.
Sue
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Hi Guys, thanks very much for taking your time to repley! Your opinions have been of great help. Thanks again x
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I do exactly as Sue (Catperson) with the back of a spoon. The pulp I make is very smooth. I can roll it to a 1mm thickness if I want. One tip I would offer is that once it is dry, having done everything up to that point to keep it smooth, paint it over with your paste; when that has absorbed into the surface, go over again with the back of a spoon. It is surprising what a difference that can make. Then you can finish off with the gesso that Charlotte describes.
DavidO
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For normal work, just newspaper. There is a special way of using toilet paper but you will have to look at the work of Nives Cicin-Sain for this. Her tutorial on making a dramatic flower shows the technique.
DavidO
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Hi,
I use a combo of most of what has been mentionned before.
Not as time intensive as it looks.
•Carving out annoying bits
•Filing & sanding (flat file then 150 grit sandpaper)
•when needed, I can either use my Monster Bone Technique (link below), or a layer or two or paper towels, aplied in small strips. This not only smoothens the surface, but gives it a nice oragnic look. If you use diluted Weldbond as a glue for this, you will also be sealing the surface and make it ready for painting or applying your final paper.
Monster Bone:
http://creaturistelab.blogspot.com/2008 … inish.html
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Gosh, Mathieu, great to 'see' you here and thanks very much for your contribution. Can I tell the others who read this that you are a fantastic worker, craftsman, humourist and teacher?
DavidO
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Thanks for the welcome, David,
I'm a humourist?
I've been called many names before, but Gosh, that's a new one!
Do I get a magnetic name tag?
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No, it gets stapled on!
DavidO
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Creaturiste,
Nice information about adding Weldbond to joint compond and other very handy tricks and your Flickr page shows some remarkable work, I look forward to seeing more.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/61428267@N00/page6/
Thanks for sharing.
Bob C.
Last edited by Pelletor (2010-10-07 10:15:15)
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