Hi Kimberley,

You are aiming high if you want to get as smooth a finish as that antique doll on your first attempt. These dolls heads would have been made in moulds.

Why not start with a very simple doll, just using a wire armature. Wrap scrunched up newspaper around the wire frame and hold together with masking tape.

Make up some papier mache pulp (See "Getting Started"):

http://www.papiermache.co.uk/tutorials/ … ier-mache/

If you build up the layers gradually you can smooth it down as you go - one suggestion from David I believe was to use the back of a spoon? When you have built up to the size and shape you require, you can do one of several things; smooth it over with some filler or plaster, or sand it down, or both!

Once you get the feel of working with papier mache by experimenting the sky will be your limit!

Let us know how you get on.

Here is an example of Nives' work.  I am pleased to say that it is displayed in our house. The smoothness she achieves is incredible.


A recent example of mine is reasonably smooth -

but, as can be seen in this closer view, it could be improved, had I spent more time on it.


DavidO

Yes, Jackie is correct in that the dolls you see like that were made in molds.  If you are familiar with moldmaking procedures, you could do it yourself, esp if you wanted to make multiples.

First, you would need some non-drying plastic clay (Plasticine is one brand), and you would use it to make your doll face or head.

Then you would make up a plaster mix and make a one-part mold (for face only) or two one-part molds (one for face, other for back of head).

Once the plaster molds cured, you could press papier mache into the molds and make the face and the back of the head separately, then glue/papier mache them together.

When it comes to learning anything new (even papier mache), there is always a learning curve.  The more you do, the more experience you will gain, and the better your work will be.  Please don't expect perfection from yourself instantly!  Work up to it and you'll do just fine.

Sue

David,

Do you have Nives' book?  If so, was it helpful?

Kimberly

Thanks, David!  I think I just might download her e-book.

Sue,

Thanks for the great advice!!!

This method sounds good and I would never have thought that the PM would shrink when it dries.  That should be half the battle in removing it.

I'm a 2D artist, so working in 3D will be a bit of a challenge.  I was never very good with sculputure, but PM seems like it will be more fun for me.

Take care.

Kimberly

Thanks, Sue!

Hi Erika,

Sorry for not responding in so long.  I had an illness in the family.

Your advice is great! 

I will look up Celluclay.  Do you use it as a mold or as a sort of armature?

Do you use flour paste or wallpaper paste?

After several months, I finally had some time to do a paper mache project last Sun. and it turned out awful.  It was a good experience, though and I learned a lot.  I think I'll be better equiped for the next project.  I ran out of paste twice and it was so lumpy with pieces of newspaper sticking up.  Next time it'll be better.

Kimberly

I've recently been experimenting with some pulp / clay recipes and have found one that comes out quite smooth and holds detail - which might work for your doll's face.  The secret seems to be adding fillers ... I used joint compound and calcium carbonate (chalk).

The joint compound is just regular wallboard joint compound from Home Depot, and the calcium carbonate I get from a local Pottery Supply place.  I've found an online source as well but haven't used them yet.  http://www.baileypottery.com/clay/clays-chemicals.htm 

I started with the clay recipe from www.UltimatePaperMache.com but used chalk instead of wheat flour and dry shredded paper instead of wet toilet paper. 

I did a mini (1/5th) batch because I was just experimenting ...

1/4 cup dry shredded paper
7 teaspoons of white glue
3 Tablespoons of joint compound
2 Tablespoons of Calcium Carbonate (Chalk)

First I mixed the glue and joint compound together, then added the chalk, then mixed in the shredded paper.  I added water as needed to get the clay to the consistency I wanted.  I want a clay I can roll out in thin (1-2mm) sheets so I can lay it in or on a mold and be reasonably sure of my thickness. 

Once the clay is applied, I could then rub a wet finger or spoon over the clay to smooth out the surface.  The image below is the bowl just out of the drying box, so it hasn't been sanded or painted ...  And the ridges are simply because I was lazy when I was smoothing it.    I'm using the bowl as part of a papier mache horn instrument ... so it'll get attached to a tube and then spruced up -- super smooth isn't required.



But I am thinking that I can use rolled out sheets of this clay to cast a face/mask mold that I have ... which I'll then back with papier mache strips for strength. 

My next experiments will be using laundry starch instead of water.  Perhaps using a CMC/White Glue combo instead of just white glue ... and using a Pumice (Volcanic Ash) / Chalk combo instead of just chalk. 

-- Beth

I should mention that since I was using the green fiber insulation as my paper, I was wearing latex gloves ... there are adhesive and fire-retardant additives in the paper that I'd prefer not to have on my skin.  So when I say I smoothed it with my wet finger -- that finger is in a latex glove.   If using my own dry shredded paper (a la the advanced recipes on this site) I don't wear gloves.

Last edited by bmaskmaker (2010-04-23 20:49:49)

I guess part of my mistake was not covering the entire surface with masking tape before I added the paper mache on top of it.  I mean, I'm guessing I was supposed to do that.

Beth, thank you for the recipe.  I'm learning that there are many different materials to use with paper mache and there is room for experimentation.  I also read recently that wallpaper paste has stuff in it that is not good for the environment which made me wonder which pastes are safe and which are not.  I used a flour/water/salt paste for my first attempt and that made my hands burn!  I didn't realize my dry hands had so many cracks in them until the salt got into them.  You answered the question I was going to ask about wearing gloves.  I wasn't sure if latex gloves were good to use with paste.

Your bowl came out pretty smooth.  I didn't know clay was used to apply on the paper.  The wheels in my head are spinning.

Thanks!

Thanks, David!  I am on my way out, but I will read your article.  Sounds like something I need.