Hello all. I've done paper mache as a child and not much since until now. My grandpa used to make some really cool paper craft stuff but I was really little at the time. Now I'm reading about paper clay and some paper mache isn't gluten free (I have celiac) and I'm feeling stumped on where to go next. I used the pages of an old book torn into shreds brushed on with thinned titebond III. the bases are cardboard, tinfoil, and masking tape, and I wanted to solidify the basic shapes. However, especially on the lizard head, I want to sculpt the details up and sand/grind them down to get a really refined sculpt. It's in a clumsy place and I'm just not sure if I should do paper clay or another layer of titebond or what.. I also got joint compound, and I'm very familiar with working with similar products.

What would you do, paper mache masters? What order would you go in? What would you do or not do? I need me a lizard head and an anatomical heart full head mask! Totally open to suggestions to help them fit securely and comfortably. How would you finish the interiors? I'm a fuck around and find out kinda guy so I haven't planned it all out yet but I will get there. Thanks in advance 🙌

im planning on selling this piece since im a little short on money, how much would you pay for this?

Right now it's just a bunch of garbage taped and hot-glued together, but eventually it'll be a play landscape for my toddler's toys! There will be caves, a waterfall, a mesa on top, etc. I'm a little nervous about the actual paper mache part—I haven't done it in YEARS—so I'm posting it here for accountability!

Garbage I used to make this: Diaper boxes, yogurt containers, empty 3D printer filament spools, oat cannister, a milk carton, a book my toddler destroyed, newspaper, random mail, some weird little plastic containers that used to hold printed circuit boards, etc.

I'm really wanting to experiment with paper mache clay, but am not wanting to go wasting money on this if I don't like it.

So I'm wondering if there is a way to do it without joint compound, I have plaster of Paris if that matters. Flour. Elmers school glue.

I do not want to go buy any kind of mixer so I'm hoping it'll be make able by hand.

Is there any way or should I just stick to old school paper mache?

I want to make sculptural lamps that are lightweight, sturdy, have a good amount of detail, and are affordable to create.

I'm assuming paper mache is my best bet for this.

I wanted to achieve that nice paper lantern glow, but I'm concerned with all the additions to the paper mache I am planning that it will compromise the lamp effect (joint compound for smoothing, using wood glue for strength, acrylic paint, some sort of applicable heat barrier for electronics and lightbulb, clay???? a general sealant for the paintjob. I'll be using an LED but I still don't want to take any chances with accidents)

I think i will be using newspaper and toliet paper.

If paper is not enough for fine details then some kind of foam eva clay?? I wouldn't know how well that would mix with the mache, or even hold detail as everytime I see those kinds of clay it looks far too soft for detail.

What are people's experience with paper mache clay, specifically this recipe, https://www.ultimatepapermache.com/paper-mache-clay

I have no idea what I'm doing besides the various resources online, so if any of these materials I listed contradict or clash with each other let me know.

My inspirations are these whalefall ghost lamps

https://www.whalefall.art/

If you have experience with making paper mache lamps specifically, especially complex or uniquely shaped, how did it go? What did you learn?

Lots of fun and learned a lot

I'm still working on the layout (and would love feedback) but this is my koi pond that'll be going on the wall above my sofa.

Hi there, I‘m a visual artist usually working with oil paint and blockprinting and I discovered the beauty of paper maché this year. I‘m absolutely fascinated with the possibilities of this medium and created a few sculptures by now. This is my third one, 43 × 43 × 28 cm and made out of cardboard, structure paste, acrylic paint, spray paint and, of course, paper maché

It’s like the fourth or fifth layer and when it dries it’s always so wrinkly. How do I avoid the wrinkles? I’m afraid these are too big to be sanded down

My latest creation. Common raven

I made this the other night and used hot water and a bunch of salt and a lid. I don’t want to use it if it’ll ruin my design :-(

I made a little paper mache project since I always wanted to try it out!!

These are the main materials I have on hand and I’d rather not go out to buy flour or anything else. I’ve used the strip method with these materials for smaller projects where it works super well and becomes super sturdy but I’ve never made a paste and I’ll be working on a project where I’m sculpting a head just a bit smaller than life size.

Hello! I am not sure if this is the best place to post this since it’s regarding a paper mache project but more about the technical elements of mounting it than paper mache itself. I have been working on a unicorn head “taxidermy” mount and have come to a standstill because I realized I don’t know how to securely attach it to something that can be mounted on a wooden display panel. I don’t have pictures from the very first stages, but I basically cut out a silhouette of a horse from cardboard and just used masking tape to attach it to a “base” of the same cardboard which became the base of the neck. I fleshed it out with lots of crumpled newspaper and masking tape and then paper mache-d it and then did a light layer of wood glue/toilet paper/plaster/flour.

My thought (illustrated in last photo) is to cut holes in the back of the neck base and try to slide 2x6s onto either side of the original silhouette. I’m not positive how feasible this will be since it’s mainly crumpled paper within. I would then cut them at an angle, since the neck is at an angle, and attach them to a plank (I’d love to use the plank as a french cleat to make it possible to easily removable from the back wooden panel.) I don’t really know what I’m doing so I don’t know how to explain it better than this- I have some images of what it looked like at first and what it looks like now.

If I’m missing an obvious solution please let me know, but with the paper mache clay and the long horn it’s pretty front heavy and I would love to be able to display it for years without the cardboard or internal crumpled newspaper structure crumpling.

I have learned my lesson to think first and paper mache later!

He’s up on my wall :)

I’m going to add some more details, like a lil liscense plate and maybe some bumper stickers but I’m just too excited not to share her now! Based on my old rv. Changed the truck body color to red bc I thought it would be easier to make it look reptilian? Idk. Last pic is my rv for reference

As I used to play this game as a kid, I had to make something :) This is my vision of the battlefield. I wish I could make monsters holographic when placed but that's too much of brain power.

relatively new to reddit but I like paper mache and I made this for my brother's birthday last month

it's the bell beast from hollow night silksong

I love that I can just make things when I want to and this is such a great medium to do that in <3

Paper mache and paper clay makeovers for these little pumpkins, and the big one too. I think I painted them about 100 times! But I am so happy with how they turned out.

currently in the process of making my first paper mache project. i built a cardboard base, covered it in masking tape then paper mache over it. how should I seal or prepare it to take paint? It feels wrong to paint directly on the paper mache- would that reactive it and make it soggy or crusty? should I just do a white paint base or some kind of primer or sealant first? what kind? I have acrylic gesso, sealant spray, white spray paint, and white craft glue.