Interesting videos. So....."crackle paint" is simply a mixture of pva glue and acrylic?

I too, would be reluctant to use a heat gun on Papier mache, but the demonstrator in the video did say that the effect would appear over time left to air dry.

Most of these "magic" products can be made easily at home, it would seem. I soon learnt that "realistic textured paint" for the outside of dollshouses was just emulsion paint, pva glue and sand. Saved myself a lot of money making my own. The only problem is getting the proportions right!

We will all be very interested to see any results you get Kokopellime.

I love my heat gun.  And yes, you can 'shrink' cling wrap into acting like shrink wrap.  It's also incredibly easy to burn holes in it ... so you'd want to get a lot of practice. 

I think I've mentioned this before, but I've found it easiest to copy forms with strip mache, and then do my details with pulp mache or paper mache clay. 

I've tended to use plastic wrap around big forms (like when I want to use a sonotube as a mold to create a large paper mache cylinder).  I wrap the sonotube with plastic wrap, but I don't worry much about wrinkles ... in fact, I want the plastic to be a little on the loose side.  It helps create a little give when the piece is going to be removed after it dries (because the paper is going to shrink a little when it dries).

The paper shell can be removed and re-mached to heal the place where you cut it to remove the mold, and then any details that were lost to that you want to add can be added with mache clay without needing the mold release.

The other way I've done this which is a little closer to Jonni's method, is to make a packing tape copy of the form, and then add clay on top of that.  Honestly I tend to add a copy layers of strip mache before clay, because it adds strength, but you could get a similar effect by adding a 3rd and 4th layer of tape.

Here are some skulls I created using this method. 

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4 … directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/N … directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/s … directlink

What are you molding that you want to shrink wrap?

I belatedly checked out your skull photos and they are great. As to my work, I'm principally doing vessels (bowls, vases, plates) and looking for unusual shapes to use as molds to give them a bit of flare. 

I just recently purchased some paper making equipment and hope to pull some paper later this week.  I'll be layering pieces of different homemade papers to construct bowls and see where things progress. 

Among my inspirations are the works in 'The Contemporary Craft of Paper Mache' by Helga Meyer and the 'Art and Craft of Paper Mache' by Juliet Bawden.

I'm just at the point of trying out things and developing basic skills.   I'm taking a page out of the art student's handbook where you copy the masters to develop skill and technique as my own muse and creativity emerges.

Koko,

Coffee is totally still an option.  My life has been nuts too, no worries.

And I used to cut my paper mache off the mold with a break-away razor knife, but now I embed floral wire before I mache, and then pull up on them to rip through the mache.  (think opening a cigarette pack or a loaf of bread.) I can be more exact with my positioning, and don't harm the item I'm copying. 

But again, when I'm copying a shape I use strip mache, vs. pulp clay.  It's faster to dry, much stronger in thinner layers than the corresponding width of pulp (which makes the cutting off easier), and when I add the pulp clay on top of it ... that adds strength to the final form, as well as a layer I can detail as desired.

That said, Sue's right.  My technique is heavily influenced by Stolloween, Jonni Goode, and Monique Robert among others ... but by experimenting, I've taken what I like from each of them and tweaked it into my own system. : )

-- Beth

Great ideas, I like the idea of the 'zipper' and will try it.  Most, actually all, my recent work has been in pulp but I do plan on doing strip PM as well.  Though I mention that my primary interest is in decor items (vases, bowls, wall hangings etc),

I do plan on doing some figurative pieces in the near future.  I'd like to create some masks inspired by the Native/First Peoples (Tlingit, Haida, Salish etc) of the pacific northwest, and the techniques used by Jonni, Dan Reeder and Stolloween (they're new to me) would serve me well.

I checked out Monique Roberts website (great stuff) and saw that she has a book but it seems to be unavailable via her link and on Amazon.  Does anyone know how a copy can be had?  I plan on contacting her directly, but if you know of a source that would be welcomed.

Sue,

I totally hear you about life getting in the way.   : )  I've had some issues with the pulp softening the strip mache form at times too.   For most shapes I've found that 4-5 layers is thin enough to still pull the wire through relatively easily, but stiff enough to hold its shape.  (I alternate newsprint and white copy paper). 

I don't reinforce it before putting on the pulp, but if the piece is large, sometimes it gets soft from the dampness ... I'll stop half-way through and let the pulp dry before continuing on the other side. 

I also roll out my pulp like cookie dough ... which makes the initial pulp stage go a little faster (so I can get a little more done before the piece softens.)  Once the initial piece has been covered with a thin layer of pulp and dried, I find I don't have a problem with softening anymore.

: )

-- b

I got in touch with Monique Robert via email and she is changing publishers and hopes to again offer her book via her website (Amazon had it listed too) in two to three weeks.

Her site: http://www.moniquerobertstudios.com/index.htm