# Paper mache pulp and clay



## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

Hi again. I am sticking to paper mache because it's cheap and easy to do. I want to make some paper clay and paper mache pulp. I found a few recipes online and was wondering if anyone has a specific method or recipe that works well. I want make a plaster 2-part mold for a skull and then cast the skull in paper mache. Any ideas?


----------



## Otaku (Sep 10, 2004)

Check out Scott's amazing mache creations at STOLLOWEEN. He uses mache pulp for casting his props, and I think he has a recipe posted.


----------



## bradbaum (Mar 19, 2008)

I tried making a plaster mold and using strips paper mache to fill it, it didn't work out so good. I would up breaking the mold to get the head out.

I have had better luck wrapping a head in tin foil and paper macheing on top of the tin foil. I have done a front and a back and then put then together, I have also just done the front and then blown up a balloon and stuffed in the front half, and paper maced the back.

I do like stilloweens idea of using water soaked newspaper as a release.


----------



## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

I have thought of doing just the front also to save time. I found some other recipes online that may be better, like homemade clay and such.

Otaku, I've seen Stolloween's work, he is simply awesome. I love the gargoyle he made out of water bottles and paper mache


----------



## Hallowtheme (Jul 31, 2006)

Buy a bag of Celluclay from JoAnns or Michaels. It's paper mache that you just add water to. It is kinda sculptable and it dries hard. I played with some, but haven't done a complete project yet.


----------



## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

Thanks Hallow, I will check it out. I also bought some play dough, but I'm not sure how much I can accomplish with it lol.


----------



## bradbaum (Mar 19, 2008)

I have used the cellaclay and like it - 

it is similar to the paper pulp that Stilloween makes on his web site, except I think there is powdered paste mixed in somehow.

I use it to add depth and details and to fill in problems on my props. I have been covering it with newspaper or paper towel strips after it drys, mostly because I have been using it on faces and want the texture of a paper towel to show through the paint job.


----------



## bethene (Feb 12, 2007)

I have used celluclay for several props, it worked good, then over it, to smooth it out ,I used paperclay, also bought at either micheals or hobby lobby


----------



## RookieSpooker (Aug 11, 2007)

I was thinking of going over my beachball-sized pumpkin with Celluclay. I did 6 layers of paper mache, but it still doesn't seem quite strong enough.


----------



## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

I'm going to suggest something a little out of left field. 

PowerGrab. 

It's a "construction adhesive". Comes in either pressurized cans, or in caulking gun tubes. 

a little on my history with it. An UnOrthOdOx Halloween: One man's junk...

The stuff is very sculptable, as long as you keep your hands and tools wet. It does shrink a fair bit and might crack if spread thickly over a very rigid surface, but those cracks are easy to fill back in. The stuff is slightly flexible when dry. 

I make a lot of things out of this stuff spread over Crayola Model Magic clay. Was just going to post about my latest. It's still in a very rough stage, but it's coming along, and you can clearly see the sculpting ability of Power Grab. 











I have a couple of test recipes stewing out in the garage for making paper mache and paper clay out of the stuff, and the results are looking quite promising. But, nothing concrete yet.


----------



## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

can't wait to see your results of the tests. This stuff looks great. I haven't been able to try the things I wanted to try because my daughter was back in the hospital again. We are home now but she has to go back for 3 days next week. I will try today if I can...I want to try to use sandcasting and homemade pulp or clay. Strip paper mache takes far too long, and I need a bunch of corpses (like 30-40) by September 27th. I'm going to cheat by doing only the front half of the skulls and if they don't come out perfect it is no biggie because I will be corpsing them anyway. Plus they will be in a dark haunt


----------



## RookieSpooker (Aug 11, 2007)

I used PowerGrab to put together my steeple. It worked great to hold parts together until I could get the screws in. I may have to try that.


----------



## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

Pennywise said:


> can't wait to see your results of the tests. This stuff looks great. I haven't been able to try the things I wanted to try because my daughter was back in the hospital again. We are home now but she has to go back for 3 days next week. I will try today if I can...I want to try to use sandcasting and homemade pulp or clay. Strip paper mache takes far too long, and I need a bunch of corpses (like 30-40) by September 27th. I'm going to cheat by doing only the front half of the skulls and if they don't come out perfect it is no biggie because I will be corpsing them anyway. Plus they will be in a dark haunt


Yeah, I've been having health issues as well. 

My paper mache test with it:
Just Powergrab/water

It was stronger and FAR more resistant to cracking than either regular white glue/water or wood glue/water mixtures, and was slightly flexible. 

However, like the glue/water mixtures, it doesn't smooth out as easily as the classic flour/water recipe. So, I would recommend some combo of flour/water/powergrab. Playing with it till it's the consistancy you want. I don't have any real mache projects set up for this year. 

The clay recipe I had stewing got ruined by a couple kids...But there's lots of little "army men" running around outside. They seem strong enough, and I broke the bucket trying to get the rest out of it, but I don't have any info on how easy the clay was to work with. Marblex (from the local craft store), Power Grab, T.P. fibers (boil the t.p. in a trash pot), and water mixed up. Roughly 1 box Marblex, 1 tube Power Grab, 1 roll TP. 

Mask progress...


----------



## maleficent (May 20, 2007)

RookieSpooker said:


> I was thinking of going over my beachball-sized pumpkin with Celluclay. I did 6 layers of paper mache, but it still doesn't seem quite strong enough.


I used a punch ball balloon, then paper mache strips in 5 layers, and just used the celluclay over that to make the pumpkin in my album. It's still drying and I have the bottom of the pumpkin to finish. The balloon popped at some point after the paper mache dryed so I have a few flat spots that developed on the top. Make sure what ever you use to start, it keeps the air in or is able to keep it's shape through the whole process. Oh I almost forgot, use gloves when using the celluclay. I didn't and lost quite a few chunks of skin trying to get the dried clay off my hands.


----------



## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

UnOrthodOx said:


> Yeah, I've been having health issues as well.
> However, like the glue/water mixtures, it doesn't smooth out as easily as the classic flour/water recipe. So, I would recommend some combo of flour/water/powergrab. Playing with it till it's the consistancy you want. I don't have any real mache projects set up for this year.


Well, scratch that. 

I was asked to build a Pinata last night for a church party. So, I'll be testing out this mache recipe proper. It'll either fall apart quick, or the adults will have to give the pinata a whack or two. 

Now the question becomes: Even though I was told I could shape it however I want...will the rest of the church appreciate my sense of humor in making a devil pinata for kids to whack with little cross shaped sticks...? 

Maybe should just go a standard donkey or something....


----------



## Jackielantern (Oct 31, 2005)

UnOrthodOx said:


> ..........Maybe should just go a standard donkey or something....



That might not be a bad idea.


----------



## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

The UnOrthOdOx Power Grab Paper Mache

Need: 1 tube all purpose Power Grab
2 cups Flour
Water
Salt
pot you don't mind possibly ruining.

Measure 6 cups of water into the pot and bring it to a boil.
While it's heating up, in another bowl measure 5 cups water, 2 cups flour, some salt to prevent mold, and 1 tube power grab. I used a whisk I bought at the local good will store. 

Now, add the contents into the boiling water, stirring constantly till it reaches the desired consistancy. Think pancake batter. (About 3-5 min) Let cool before using. 

*Optional* If the smell bothers you, add in some cinnamon to the mixture to mask it somewhat. 


The stuff has been great so far. Only 3 layers on the pinata, and it was not only strong enough to remove from it's mold, but once I joined the 2 halfs together, it was remarkably strong. I could only deform it a bit when I squeezed it, and it would bounce right back to shape. My wife did manage to poke her thumb through one area (hey, we're testing the stuff thuroughly) thanks largely to the fingernail, I think. Even that crack went right back to shape. 

More impressive than all the other mache recipes I've done pinatas out of before. 

Half of it now has 7 layers and is drying.


On the pot...I bought one just for this kind of stuff, so didn't care. And, well, either the pot had bad teflon, or the glue eats it away.


----------



## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

Sounds pretty good. Where can one dig up this Power Grab stuff? At his point I am willing to try anything out.


----------



## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

Pennywise said:


> Sounds pretty good. Where can one dig up this Power Grab stuff? At his point I am willing to try anything out.


Sorry, missed this.

Power Grab should be in your local hardware store with all the caulking and whatnot. 

They've come a long way the last couple years, and there's Power Grab Shower, or Exterior, or Heavy Duty, and who knows what else. Just good ole All Purpose is the one you want. (cheapest and all)

Anyway, the paper mache is apparantly more than adequately strong. The aforementioned pinata withstood the entire lot (30 +) of kids at the party whacking it with a broomstick (aged 5 to 12), a 5 foot drop when the rope holding it UP broke, and a couple swings from an adult with a baseball bat (I warned them they better take one in case) before succumbing to the inevitable. I've been promised the video.


----------



## Pennywise (Oct 21, 2004)

LOL sounds like fun! Maybe you could make one for your next Halloween party! I will loo the stuff up. Right now I am using up a pail of wallpaper paste, no mixing, just straight out of the pail


----------



## travellingfeetz (Aug 20, 2008)

*Papier Mache Pumpkins & Stolloween*

My reaction to Stolloween's pumpkin design was the same as most, pure amazement. I followed his basic steps and then modified the papier mache to use shredder paper instead of celluclay. My glue mix was just 2:1 water to yellow wood glue after soaking and draining the shreds. I achieved pretty good results if I do say so myself.










The full process can be found here.


----------



## Terra (Sep 23, 2007)

travelings said:


> My reaction to Stolloween's pumpkin design was the same as most, pure amazement. I followed his basic steps and then modified the papier mache to use shredder paper instead of celluclay. My glue mix was just 2:1 water to yellow wood glue after soaking and draining the shreds. I achieved pretty good results if I do say so myself.
> 
> The full process can be found here.


Great evil-looking pumpkin and terrific tutorial. Bookmarked...


----------

