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Added: September 11, 2002
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Page: 1 of 2Introduction
These papier mache bowls are easy and fun to make, using the layering method of papier mache. Why not make several, paint them in bold and bright colours and use them to hold wrapped sweets for a child’s party. They will liven up the table, be easy for small hands to pick up and if they get dropped they are virtually indestructible!
You will need...
- Small round balloon
- Newspaper
- Wallpaper paste
- Bowl to mix the paste in
- Flat paintbrush
- Cardboard (e.g. cereal packet)
- Scissors
- White pva glue
- Masking tape
- Black marker pen
- Pencil
- White emulsion paint
- Acrylic paint
The guide
- Blow up the balloon
Blow up the balloon and knot securely.
Place the balloon upside down in a jug to hold it in place. Paste strips of paper both sides using the paintbrush. Lay them one at a time over the balloon, making sure to smooth each one out. Overlap the pieces slightly.
- Pasting the strips on
Cover the balloon up to just over 3 inches from the top. Build up the layers 2 or 3 at a time, leaving them to dry in between. When you have 6 or 7 layers leave to dry thoroughly.
- Preparing the bowl
Burst the balloon and you will now have a bowl shape. Cut a circle of cardboard 3 ¾ inches across. This will make the base. Brush it both sides with slightly watered down white pva glue. This will stop it warping.
Put a blob of pva glue in the centre of the cardboard circle. Place your bowl centrally on top. To secure in place, use scrunched pieces of pasted paper to wedge between the base and the bottom of the bowl. Leave to dry.
- Adding the base
- Covering the base
Paste strips of paper over the whole base of your bowl to cover the cardboard and the part that you have filled in. When dry, make a mark all round with a marker pen to a height of 3 inches. Trim.
Next cut two smaller circles of cardboard 3 inches across and cut out a section to halfway. Place the two pieces diagonally opposite each other over the rim of the bowl. Secure with masking tape.
- Cutting two smaller circles
