Thread: Alternative to paperclay ?

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First off i would like to say that if this thread is in the wrong section then moderators go ahead and move it to a more appropriate place.

On to the question, basically is there an alternative to paperclay ?, i am the uk and can't seem to find it anywhere. Has anyone in the uk ever used a good alternative or bought it in the uk ? Please Help !

Thanks

Phil

Phil,

You can make the papier clay pretty easily yourself. There are a few recipes available online. Here is a link to Stolloween's recipes: http://www.stolloween.com/?page_id=209

get the heck out!! thats all paperclay is?????

Wow, Great link Moshrider1000. I think I will put it to good use. I sense some pumpkins in my future.

One word of caution that I discovered last year, but did not realize until this year:

I used the blow in cellulose insulation last year. The insulation is just finely shredded paper. It works GREAT for a nice rough textured finish. If you want to get a nice smooth finish with the clay you should cook the paper down some more. I will be messing with it once the base to Daryl is done, I'll try to remember to report back when I get to that point. My plan is to cook down the cellulose as I have pretty much a whole block left and nothing else left to do with it.

I've used Stolloween's recipe and it does work quite well, but it doesn't give a good smooth finish which is what I'd like on some things. What I've realised (although I know everybody has there own recipe for papier mache!) is that you can adapt it as you wish.

I've recently tried using a mix of just pva glue and water - about 1:2 or 1:3 (1 part PVA to 2 or 3 parts water - I use warm water as it seems to mix better), with a little bit of universal bonding plaster (max 1 part, maybe half that) - this is the same as what they use over in the states for monster mud I believe.

This gives a better finish when mixed with the cellulose insulation & I feel is much easier to use & manipulate when creating props. Just my experience.

Phil - I got my cellulose insulation from a local buiders merchants that acted as a depot for distributing it on behalf of the manufacturers. I put a post somewhere about this but can't remember where - but have a look at this link;

http://www.excelfibre.com/diy/

I don't know why the supplier I got it from isn't on there? Anyhow, I managed to get hold of somebody (sorry, can't remember who it was or how I got his name) from the manufacturer and then they found a local distributor. What happens is they deliver large quantities around the country to various distributors and then when you order from them, they pass the order to the distributor nearest you to make the delivery.

Right, I think I've found the place I got it from;

http://www.naturalinsulations.co.uk/...cation=Contact

As the phone number on this site matches up with a scribbled number on a piece of paper I have in front of me with the name "Rob Street", it must be the place. Nice chap & he found out that there was a distributor just 2 miles away down the road at Gatwick! I managed to buy 3 packs - a pack is quite dense and measures about 36" x 12" x 18". When opened up it will expand and increase in volume. I think usually there is a minimum order of £50 delivery charge, so you'd have to buy a lot to make it worth it - what you wouldn't need.

Your best bet is use one of the links above or call them to find out if anybody near you is a distributor, then hopefully you can do what I did and just go along and collect how many you want. I bought 3 for £5.35 each! I got mine from 'Burdens', which is a nationwide merchants - maybe try one near you if there is one?

BTW, you need Warmcel 100, not Warmcel 500 - that's the stuff they use to blow insulate places.


Moshrider1000 - can you let us know how it goes? I would like to get an even better finish so if by boiling it down it makes it finer, that would be great!

I just boil some shredded old paper, then drain the water, add some flour and pva glue then mush it up with a hand held food mixer. I don't measure I just add more flour until it's like pizza dough. I made a doll and various mini pumpkins with it and it works fine.... after shaping an item, I brush it over with a wet brush to smooth the surface. Then I'll shove it in the oven and give it a bake until it's hard on the outside...leave it to cool (depends on what size item you're making), paint it with acrylic paint and then give it a brush over with some watered down waterproof pva which I buy from ebay. Cheap and easy.


You can buy air dry paperclay from this place too.

http://www.craftmill.co.uk/Air-Dryin...y-Non-Cracking

Wow thanks everyone I think ill have a go at making it but im tempted to buy it too, simply because i want a smooth finish but ill see what i get with your recipes.

Do you know why people use das clay before paperclay on prop heads etc like this

Zelda the Witch

Thanks

Phil

The Paperclay you buy at the store is made up differently then some of the Paperclay recipes out there. Here's what's on the package:

volcanic ash, talc, water, starch, wood pulp, and preservatives

I flatly love the stuff. It's easy to mold and when it dries, a dream to sand. The reason you use different layers is because of cost. It can be pretty expensive for a larger project. So, you use a base skull (styrofoam or other) cover it with Celluclay (CHEAP! & strong) to bulk it up. Now, why the DAS clay? Celluclay is nearly impossible to sand. So, you do a layer of Das clay to bulk it up more. If you need to carve deeper into your sculpture than you thought you'd have too, there's a layer of DAS clay there and not the impossible Celluclay. DAS clay is similar to Paperclay (air dries) and much cheaper but harder to mold. You use the final Paperclay layer to get those intricate details and a terrific surface to make a final sanding.

I followed LaurieBeast's tutorial and I learned the importance of using DAS clay over the Celluclay...then the Paperclay. LaurieBeast is awesome, by the way!

Here's a head I did that didn't use the DAS clay step and it was a bear to fix when I realized I got some of her proportions wrong. Had to pull out the Dremel and even that struggled! First, this shows the Paperclay going over the Celluclay:








Here's the gouges I had to put in with the Dremel so I could get better definition in her face:








Molding and sanding complete:

I agree with Terra. Its a dream to work with, nothing come close to it smoothness, But its expensive. You can buy it in bulk from the distributor and save some money. I work almost exclusively in Paperclay, I have for years.
I actually do very little sanding once it is dry. After I have applied it I wet it down and use a scouring pad and even out the surface, then take a sponge and smooth the surface. The same process that one would use on water based clay.
Smoothing Mache Clay at Grimvisions