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Las Fallas

#1 2010-09-16 09:05:47

Somers
Member
Registered: 2010-09-16
Posts: 5

Las Fallas

Hello,

Is there somebody on the forum whos familiar with Las Fallas in Valencia? And more specific how they do it?
Its paper mache, thats what i know, but thats it..

We are in the '' carnavalswagon business", check www.boeitneet.nl for some pictures.
One aim is to improve our selves in terms of skills and techniques so thats one reason for the question besides being enormously curious!

Thanks for answering smile

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#2 2010-09-16 21:08:51

Somers
Member
Registered: 2010-09-16
Posts: 5

Re: Las Fallas

Just realised myself that most people are not Dutch hence you guys might not know where to find those pictures,..

Well try this:
http://vgboeiuh.nl/joomlaboeitneet/inde … ;gallery=3

And this one for some movies:
http://vgboeiuh.nl/joomlaboeitneet/inde … p;Itemid=5

We are proud of it but also know that it can be improved, its for example not mega smooth and it could even be better into detail and shape but we are working on that wink

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#3 2010-09-18 05:06:34

CatPerson
Moderator
From: Washington State, U.S.A.
Registered: 2006-01-09
Posts: 1314

Re: Las Fallas

I am being dense here...

What do you want to know?  How to build the ninots?

They are made from wood and cardboard armatures, and covered with more cardboard and papier mache, and some plaster.  They are very labor-intensive, and often twenty feet or so (7m) tall.

Sue

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#4 2010-09-18 07:21:46

Somers
Member
Registered: 2010-09-16
Posts: 5

Re: Las Fallas

I want to know everything smile
I heard once somewhere (but probably not a reliable source) that they first make clay figures, cover that with paper and afterwards remove the clay. For the smaller ninots i can imagine, but for the larger pieces it seems a bit difficult to me.
We have some different technicques. Most of the time it start with a welded frame. Either we make from styrofoam then sculptures and papier mache that. The other method: we use 6mm steel wire to weld the outline, cover it with chicken fense and use foam to create the last layer. This is then papier mached. Small details are made from for example news papers folded together (lumps? is that the word?).
And we have some additional material called fluff. It comes from the diaper industry. It is cardboard defibrized into the fibres it consists of. It creates some sort of paper clay if we use glue with it. It tend to get as hard as the cardboard it was.
I am now facing the challenge to get things smoother en more details but at the same time trying not to increase the time for each figure to much....

But you happen to know more?smile
You have sources or you maybe have, pictures of how they do it? The fallas itself i ve seen a thousand times on google but the how they do it pics are very rare to me....

Thanks in advance!

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#5 2010-09-18 07:49:00

Somers
Member
Registered: 2010-09-16
Posts: 5

Re: Las Fallas

By the way why are you being "dense here" am i asking something 'not smart'  or ..?

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#6 2010-09-19 21:04:41

CatPerson
Moderator
From: Washington State, U.S.A.
Registered: 2006-01-09
Posts: 1314

Re: Las Fallas

"Dense" means *I'm* not smart.  I was being thick-headed.

I don't understand their use of plaster, unless they are using the plaster on the top surface of the ninots, to give the smooth finish.  Plaster could be applied and sanded smooth.  Could that be how they are doing it?

Sue

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#7 2010-09-20 05:41:42

Somers
Member
Registered: 2010-09-16
Posts: 5

Re: Las Fallas

Could be one way. I know people in belgium who make styrofoam sculptures, finish it with plaster and thats it (no paper mache).
As far as i understood in spain they made plaster sculptures and then papier mached them. I know thats something done in Italy but i am not sure how that would be done for example on sculptures of 7m high...You would need an awsome lot of clay/plaster to do that...

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