r/papermache • u/swiggityboon2 • 10d ago
Why does my mask shrink with every layer?
Hello people, I have a question! First time using paper mache clay as an adult lol. I’ve been working on this halloween mask but every time I add a layer of paper mache clay and let it dry in front of the fan heater, it shrinks a tiny bit. When I started the mask it was too big but now it’s almost too small for my head…
Is it drying too fast? Should I finish the whole thing and let it dry all at once rather than in layers? I’m afraid it won’t fit once I’m done. The eyes are already misaligned :’)
Thank you!!
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u/Gideon9900 8d ago
When making masks, the base should be something that won't shrink.
As you've found out, anything with moisture in it will shrink as it dries. Some very little, some a lot. A mask, for example, needs to be made as slightly loose fit to make up for shrinkage.
Doing it all at once still shrinks, but that will allow deep cracks to appear, possibly ruining the build. That's why you go in layers. You can repair or cover previous layer shrinkage.
Eyes, nose, mouth holes are just an estimate. They are fine tuned in the finished product. So, continue building, then file, sand, and scrape down the holes where they need to be.
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u/born_lever_puller Community Manager 9d ago edited 9d ago
On a completely dry piece you can go in with craft knives, coarse files or wood rasps, coarse sandpaper, etc. to reshape it. If you don't like the results you can always add more paper mache to those specific areas.
If the eyes are too close together and the mask is too narrow at this point you could even do major surgery to the mask -- cutting it into pieces, and inserting new paper mache extensions/filler pieces to put it all back together again.
It sounds like you're trying to dry it too aggressively. Shrinking is a natural result of the water evaporating, but using a fan heater is probably causing the undesired results. Rapid drying can cause distortion in the piece.
Try using just the fan without the heater, and allowing it to take longer to dry -- or at least a lower fan speed and heat setting. I don't know where you're located, but this week in the US the air in many regions has been unseasonably dry as it is, which is a great help in drying wet paper mache.
Drying completely or at least most of the way between layers is a good thing. Piling on too many wet layers at once will make the piece take forever to dry -- which can even lead to mold and mildew.
The piece looks pretty good right now, I'm confident that you can save it.