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Our chruch has a paper mache donkey, to which we recently gave a new coat of paper mache. We have done this many times before, but this time, when a fresh coat of paint was added to the newest layer of paper mache, the paper buckeled and formed ripples in many places. We have never had this problem before.
The donkey is life size and made on a wooden frame with wheels. It is covered with chicken wire and paper mache. Each layer of paper mache has always been made of torn newspaper strips adheared with liquid starch. (Vano) For the first time we have also reinforced vunerable areas with fiberglass reinforced wallboard tape. The details in the texture of this tape now show through in an undesirable way.
Always before we have painted the donkey with Tempra Paint. This time we used house paint. Evidently that is a problem. We wanted to use paint that is a little more water proof, because the donkey is paraded through the neighborhood each year on Palm Sunday.
We undoubltedly need to add another layer of paper mache to get rid of the bumps as well as another coat of paint.
We would certainly welcome suggestions on how best to cover the ripples, and what we should do in the future to prevent any new ripples.
Is there another type of "glue" we should be using that would prevent the ripples from forming?
Can anyone recomend some type of primer that would seal the paper mache so that the ripples would not form again?
Thanks so much for your help.
Edith Alben, office manager, Presbyterian. Chruch of Laurelhurst, Portland, Oregon, USA
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Not sure whether you can actually papiermache over the ripples without providing a key first. David or Sue will be able to tell you better. BUT I have had something similar happen and here is how I remedied it.
As soon as I was absolutely certain the piece was dry I used fine strips of muslin layered over the form (I used half white glue Elmers? we call it PVA and half water to stick it to the sculpture. When this was dry I layered over PM, fine pulp in my case but strips of newspaper work well. I would not use starch though, use methyl cellulose or commercial wallpaper paste. Don't attempt to paint until thoroughly dry, particularly if you are using a plastic based paint. It is the contrasting drying times and the water trying to evaporate through your layers that cause the rippling and buckling. Paper stretches as the fibres absorb water and then tightens again as it evaporates.
As far as waterproofing, I would paint the donkey using either a waterbased emulsion, or a craft acrylic and then use marine varnish to waterproof. See Jackie's tutorial on waterproofing for ideas.
Best of luck, hopefully others will have sage advice or remedies that they have tried.
Charlotte.
PS sometimes it is better to remove the layers that have caused problems and work from there.
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Charlotte has given good advice. To get rid of the bumps I suggest that you must firstly be quite ruthless. Get a rasp and abrade the surface right down until it is almost smooth; then sandpaper to get rid of all the straggly bits. A power sander would be OK, with a reasonably fine grit.
Then you have to build the surface up again. You might use the muslin idea or just paper layers. This is not really papiermache because that means pulp but people mainly use the term to mean layering/laminating as well.
Make a paste which is about 75% wallpaper paste (consistency double cream) or methyl cellulose (which is similar but without the fungicide) and 25% PVA (Elmers). Use this sparingly and lay on about six layers of alternate bond (office) paper and kraft (brown packing). Smooth each one carefully as you go. It would be best to let it dry completely after each two layers. You can also sand off any small irregularities. If you want to improve any of the modelling, you can use squeezed up metal foil before you start the layers, holding it in place with masking tape.
Any water based paint will cause the surface to wrinkle, the more water the worse it will get. Generally it should dry smooth. Whatever you do, I suggest you experiment first.
Good luck
DavidO
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An electric palm sander might be suitable for sanding down the lumpy areas, and a Dremel Mototool for inner areas that you can't reach.
I'm not crazy about PVA glue, but I think in this instance, it is probably the best adhesive for you. If you want to use muslin, you still need to sand off the lumps, because sanding muslin can be kind of tricky. Muslin mostly needs to be your final layer if you use it at all. Also if you use it, wash the fabric in hot water in a washing machine (by hand isn't good enough) to get rid of the sizing in it, to make it flexible enough to form-fit like you would need it.
If you use PVA glue for the repair, when it is finished, I would put at least one layer of PVA glue all over the donkey. Then I would use a good craft acrylic paint for decoration. When the donkey is put away in storage, hang a sign around its neck tell the next repair person what materials you used, and that flour, starch, or wallpaper paste can no longer be used. (Organic materials don't work well over synthetic plastics). Tempera is the same way: don't use it over PVA or acrylic.
Sue
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