go figure, another newbie.

i've been kicking around a little sculpture idea in my head for a while, and i'm wondering if papier mache is the right medium for it. i want a smallish sitting figurine of a woman with her arm out and her hand cupping a sphere (orange something, personal meaning) - i don't have an existing sculpture for the frame so i was thinking i'd use wire hangers and bend them into a rudimentary shape and build up from there.

is that too advanced for a beginner like me, or is it feasible? i don't want the sculpture to have a lot of detail... in fact, the smoother and more fluid it is the better for me.

any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

- maria