Thread: need paper mache advice

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I am makeing my own powder kegs for a pirate display. I made a frame base.
I have mached a light frame for the keg in two half pieces. I want to put the
mache mud on top of this frame and make the details from that. Now should I try to sculpture the wood planks from the wet mud or should I sculpture a thick skin then use a dremel to detail the wood? which would give me the best results?

Apply your paper-mache and while it is still wet, press a woodcut on it and you'll have the grooves printed on it. Try it that gives nice results!

This is almost exactly the problem I ran into this week.

I was commissioned to build a well. Which I did. I used monster mud instead of paper mache. I wanted to have sandstone bricks (longer rectangle, flat stones stacked) around the well. I ended up making a frame, covering the wood frame with fabric (weed mat), then chicken wire (smallest mesh hole), then another layer of weed mat, then monster mud. Finally, I took some foam insulation -- but not the large sheets. It was in the insulation section (where the pink ins. is). This stuff was blue, thin, light, and coiled up. I ended up cutting my bricks out of that, sticking them to the wet mm, then coating them with another layer of mud.

I wouldn't recommend the same method (the monster mud peeled very easily from the foam), but maybe something similar --- taking pieces of foam, cardboard, or something, cutting them to look like the planks you want, stick them to the frame, paper mache over them. Even a piece of cardboard would give you enough depth to get the effect.

All right - longwinded, but that's my 2 cents.

I guess the paper mache season is open, I'm making some masks made out of it too ! lol

How do you make paper mache? I'v tried googling it but mine never seems to work when I mix everything together. :-(

Thanks Dr. Z. Will try

Halloweenrock08
I use flour, water and Elmers.( four or five handfulls of flour, 1/2 cup elmer and add water a little at a time till it is a thick liquid paste. dip newspaper , put between fingers and slip off extra paste and then lay on mold or what ever I am using. then let dry. I use the store bought for a final coat. (I can't get my paper fine enough for detail) You just add water and it make a great paper mache. make sure all is dry before you unmold.