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camera

#1 2012-01-08 17:28:54

phyl
Member
Registered: 2012-01-08
Posts: 5

camera

My daughter is making a larger than life Polaroid camera for her senior  project. It has a card board form and is about 5ft by 5ft. It has been covered with stripes of paper using white glue. She is unhappy with the surface. Would the paper pulp and wood glue work for smoothing and giving some texture to this. Also at this point any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks Phyl

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#2 2012-01-08 23:38:46

skwirl
Member
From: Oklahoma City, OK
Registered: 2008-11-12
Posts: 34

Re: camera

DEFINITELY!! And you can make the paper pulp or "clay" as course or as smooth as you want.

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#3 2012-01-08 23:41:05

skwirl
Member
From: Oklahoma City, OK
Registered: 2008-11-12
Posts: 34

Re: camera

Also see the tutorial on this site of Louie Rochon's Viewfinder!!

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#4 2012-01-09 03:12:08

phyl
Member
Registered: 2012-01-08
Posts: 5

Re: camera

My daughter looked at the picts. She likes the idea of the sheets instead of paper.
Thanks Phyl

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#5 2012-01-10 01:37:11

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

Re: camera

You don't specify exactly what is wrong with the surface.

If the problem is that the surface isn't smooth enough, please realize that something as large as that would be practically impossible to make as smooth as, say, sheet metal.

One way to confuse the eye is to deliberately make the surface slightly uneven.  You may have noticed that on many commercial object that are handled a lot, the surface isn't smooth, but covered with a flattened pebble effect. 

Perhaps wad up some aluminum foil but leave the surface rough, then daub the rough surface (with judicious pressure) on a thin, fresh layer of pulp.  If it seems too rough, let the surface dry just long enough so the surface isn't sticky, then lay some plastic wrap (cling film) on the surface and press it down it just slightly, so you get something like a flattened cobblestone effect.

In other words, if smooth doesn't work, disguise it!

Sue

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#6 2012-01-16 04:34:04

phyl
Member
Registered: 2012-01-08
Posts: 5

Re: camera

The problem is more air pockets and ripples. She has tried slicing the air pockets and gluing. But the glue just isn't holding.

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#7 2012-01-16 05:47:54

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

Re: camera

White glues can be different by brand... did she use it full-strength or dilute it?  Most kinds tend to work best when they are diluted approximately 50/50 with water.

And you need to take particular care not to leave bare spots on the paper strips that don't have glue, and to firmly press down all the paper.  Working too fast and not smoothing as you go often produces an uneven surface.  Sanding might help, then putting another layer of paper on it.

Sue

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#8 2012-02-09 04:03:47

phyl
Member
Registered: 2012-01-08
Posts: 5

Re: camera

She finally took it to school Mon. She tried the cotton strips that were in a suggested tutorial. That was better But ended up using paper clay best yet. was perfect texture for the surface.

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#9 2012-02-09 04:13:11

phyl
Member
Registered: 2012-01-08
Posts: 5

Re: camera

Thanks for all of your help. If I can figure out how I could post a pict of the camera. She has two more picts to draw for her senior series to be finished. She needs four pcs total. As of now 1 camera and a painting. The paintings are framed like Polaroid picts

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