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Hi.
I'm thinking of pursuing my first paper mache project. What i'm planning to do is make a large, paper mache shell. Kind of like a large, life sized turtle shell. This idea was brought on by reading articles about paper mache helmets made with beach balls and balloons. However, to complete those projects, the beach ball or balloon is simply deflated and gently taken out. What i plan to use is a large, Koi Pond bowl. Its 3'7 in diameter and about 2'1 1/2 deep. Its a dome shaped bowl with a bottom that has a 1'4 1/2 in diameter.
My problem is if i use this large bowl as a model, i have no way of removing the bowl from the paper mache. Which is why i'm here to get some more experienced opinions. My first (and only) idea for remedying this is by wrapping the bowl in poster board and tape and then using the paper mache on the poster board. Once thats finished i then remove the large bowl (somehow... its quite heavy).
Does anyone here have a better idea or is my idea logical and practical enough to work?
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You need some type of release agent to coat the form that you are going to use. Something like vaseline would work OK. But that clear plastic wrap (SaranWrap, or whatever it's called) that you use in the kitchen would work better. That way you wouldn't have to worry about any oily residues on the finished piece.
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That crossed my mind, but i was wondering if the saran wrap would stick to the paper mache or the bowl. Once the mache dries would it slide off of the saran wrap or would the saran wrap stick to the bowl and slide off the bowl?
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You'll have to gently pull the wrap off, but it will come off without harming your piece.
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Instead of kitchen plastic wrap, try to find some of that very cheap, very thin drop cloths that you put on furniture when you're going to paint.
Most plastics release from PM very easily.
Sue
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For something of that size, you could even use the thin plastic bags you get from shops and tape them to your original with masking tape. The weight of paper is going to hold them down quite well. Don't use PVA (white glue) in the paste for your first layer. In fact, just a layer of damp paper should work, provided you put pasted paper over that. Releasing then should be easy.
For strength in that size, you might try (experiment first) a thin layer of pulp. Your drying conditions need to be good, your pulp quite fine and rolled (between two layers of plastic with a rolling pin) to a thin layer about 2/3mm thick. You would do this in pieces and just smooth them together.
Alternating layers of paper and pulp can be very strong.
On the under side, it would probably be a good idea to build in reinforcers. This would be something like triangular tubes in card, paper layered into place. Think of bridge construction and engineering principles.
I hope it goes well.
DavidO
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