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I have just been watching Dan Reeders videos (www.monster-man.com) on making his dragons and fish and eventhough he makes it look so easy I just cannot get the paper shapes to stick to or stay on the wire like he does. The paper is first shaped onto the wire then either covered or secured with tape. Looks easy but mine tends to bulge in the wrong places and ends up the wrong shape, slides off the wire while I'm wrapping myself in tape or bunches up as I'm trying to secure it to the wire. Is this a practice makes perfect job (I bet he's made hundreds of dragons) or is there an easy way that I need to discover? There are quite a few of these wrapped wires used for fingers, toes etc, so an easy way is needed. It has just occured to me to wrap the wire first to make it less slippery maybe?
I have Dan's great book on Dragon Making and would recommend it to everyone who loves pm dragons but I still haven't got the Screamer one, still looking in Australia.
Any advice will be appreciated.
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I would add a little tiny bit at a time. doing the first layer thin an as streangth gets stronger i'd do around 3 rounds of covering the wire..but with very little at a time....don't do the whole wire at once..build it up .a litle at a time..
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Try spreading some white PVA glue onto one side of a strip of dry paper, and then carefully wrapping the wire in a spiral. Let it dry, then start using Reeder's method again. Now you should be able to use any adhesive.
The problem I've found is that the wire is too slippery to hold much unless it has a dry paper 'casing' wrapped around it.
Also, sometimes using a single wire just adds to the problem. Try using multiple wires instead of one. For instance, if you need a 12"/30cm length of wire, cut a piece of corrugated cardboard (etc) that long and maybe 4"/10cm wide, and wrap your wire around it lengthwise in three to six complete wraps (whatever seems appropriate). Twist the two ends together and remove all lengths of wire together from the cardboard, and then immediately twist them together to make a heavier, sturdier, thicker piece. Then wrap as above with glued strips of paper and let dry well.
If you are making a figure, you can make a few more wraps, remove it from the cardboard, and twist it approx. in the center (the waist). Separate the bottom section into two legs and twist them separately. Twist from the waist up to where the arms would go (shoulders) (DON'T FORGET THE HEAD if you want it included here, otherwise just make a neck and attach a separate head later). Make a smaller set of wraps for arms and twist the full length, then insert them where they look best in the torso, and then continue to twist the torso to fasten it in place. If you are using a heavier wire and the connection doesn't seem tight enough, use a thinner wire to wrap the joint. Now wrap the whole thing with glue-coated dry paper strips. Once it's completely dry, start adding bulk and 'muscles' with strips or pulp, or both.
Sue
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You can also use masking tape, cutting it into thinner strips if it helps. Just stick one end onto the wire at an angle and then wind carefully until it is all covered. Cheap masking tape is useless. Go for the best.
With that in place, it is much easier to wind strips of paper round. I would use PVA, brushing as I go so that the paper stays firmer while you work it.
DavidO
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Thank you all for your great information. I am sorry it has taken me so long to respond, but I have been away again and am only now catching up on things. Happy New Year to you all and thanks again.
Lesley.
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Hello there, I use strips of chickenwire, I pull them apart and twist into a fuzzy string. A good use for small pieces left over from projects, pulped pm sticks to it quite good. You can also twist string round metalwire first to make the pm stick to it, cotton, hemp or yarn works, synthetic string is often to smooth.
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I've only tried that once, many years ago, and had a difficult time getting the string to stick to the wire firmly enough to start winding it. I kept pulling it off. What is your secret?
Sue
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Tie the string round the wire and secure it with a hot glue gun, and start spinning. I usually put a bit of glue at both ends when i´ve finished twisting. I find new uses for the glue gun all the time, and have the burnblisters to prove it 
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Yours makes two references here using a glue gun. For some reason, I've obviously had a mental blind spot about using a glue gun for papier mache! I need to widen my horizons...
Thank you,
Sue
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I'm a paper mache addict and I make use of this one to save some materials. Actually, it's really easy to do this one.
on top
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Catperson wrote "I've obviously had a mental blind spot about using a glue gun for papier mache! I need to widen my horizons..."
Sure do, Sue. It's GRRRRRRRRRRREAT!!
DavidO
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Hmmm, Lidl seems to have a special on glue guns and the sticks this week ... nearly bought one myself, you know, I hovered and just as I was about to pick it up I realised I didn't have a use for it!!
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