The last two weekends, the kids have been working on a papier-mâché bear head. They created their heads by wadding up some newspaper and then wrapping it in place with masking tape.
I had cut up an egg carton and gave the kids each two cups. One that they taped on whole for the snout and the other they cut in half and taped on for the ears.
Then they went to town using white newsprint paper and a 1:1 ratio of good old fashion glue and water mixed together well. I had them do just one layer of newsprint.
We then set them out to dry on a piece of wax paper.
Now for those of you who follow along with my blog (hi mom!), you know I have only done papier-mâché one other time. I avoid it like the plaque.
Why?
Because kids are all like, "yea! Papier-mâché!"
Then after dipping the paper in the glue mixture half a dozen times, realizing their hands are now a gooey, sticky mess, quickly change the chant to, "ew! Papier-mâché".
It's a battle to get the majority of the sculptures covered in paper and everyone is just relieved when they can call it done.
Which is why we had an hour left in the workshop once finished with the bears.
Thankfully I have found a new and far better way to create "papier-mâché" sculptures with a pseudo method, just masking tape.
So once finished with the bears and after every one had scrubbed their hands cleaned, I sat them down to create a winter bird sculpture. At first there was a moan at the thought they would be covering their hands in glue again, but when I assured them no glue was involved they were quite eager to start.
This project seems like it would take a ton of tape, but in reality it really doesn't kill the budget at all. Each child looked at a reference picture of a cardinal and picked out the shape of the body. They then once again wadded up newspaper into the body shape they had determined. Now instead of just using enough tape to hold the paper in place, I told them to use the tape in the same way they had applied the paper strips with the bears... in other words, cover the newspaper completely with tape as smoothly as possible.
Then they repeated the process to create a head and then taped the two together until firmly in place.
Then with a small piece of Bristol paper (any card stock will do) they cut out a tail and wings and taped them into place on the bird. Some kids made their beak out of the paper and others created a beak out of masking tape.
Finished. No glue. No mess. No drama in regards to messy hands.
And the birds were complete just as the parents arrived for pick up. As the kids left, they were quite excited to come back the following Sunday to paint their creations.
Which is why we had an hour left in the workshop once finished with the bears.
Thankfully I have found a new and far better way to create "papier-mâché" sculptures with a pseudo method, just masking tape.
So once finished with the bears and after every one had scrubbed their hands cleaned, I sat them down to create a winter bird sculpture. At first there was a moan at the thought they would be covering their hands in glue again, but when I assured them no glue was involved they were quite eager to start.
This project seems like it would take a ton of tape, but in reality it really doesn't kill the budget at all. Each child looked at a reference picture of a cardinal and picked out the shape of the body. They then once again wadded up newspaper into the body shape they had determined. Now instead of just using enough tape to hold the paper in place, I told them to use the tape in the same way they had applied the paper strips with the bears... in other words, cover the newspaper completely with tape as smoothly as possible.
Then they repeated the process to create a head and then taped the two together until firmly in place.
Then with a small piece of Bristol paper (any card stock will do) they cut out a tail and wings and taped them into place on the bird. Some kids made their beak out of the paper and others created a beak out of masking tape.
Finished. No glue. No mess. No drama in regards to messy hands.
And the birds were complete just as the parents arrived for pick up. As the kids left, they were quite excited to come back the following Sunday to paint their creations.
6 year old
9 year old
6 year old
7 year old
The second Sunday of the workshop, the kids painted both their works with acrylic paint. Neither project needed any prep work upfront, just sit the kids down with some paint and let them go.
For the bears, I had each child first paint two thumbtacks for eyes. While they were drying, the kids painted their bears. The paint dries quickly and so it wasn't long before they were sticking the eyes into their sculptures. When they were finished, I added an eye hook to the top with a ribbon so they could hang them from their Christmas trees or in their bedrooms. (the finished work is about the size of a softball)
Aren't they cute? Almost makes me love papier-mâché.
Almost.
They loved their bears and were thrilled with the results. They could hardly wait to start in on their birds.
Again, no prep work needed for the masking taped covered birds, along with no messy glue or paper strips. Did I mention how much I love this process for creating sculptures?
The acrylic paint works perfectly right on the tape. And the kids began painting their birds with gusto.
When finished, I hot glued the birds onto sticks and then added twine so they could hang as a mobile.
Here's my horrible attempt at a video, but you get the idea.
Adorable, yes? The kids were IN LOVE with the finished work. Some even added some white paint to the sticks for snow because they just could not stand the idea they were finished.
I'm guessing from the way the parents gushed at pick up, they loved their children's creations too.
7 year old
9 year old
6 year old
To quote every southern girls' heroine, Scarlett O'Hara, "As God as my witness, I will never do papier-mache again"
(OK not quite what Scarlett O'Hara uttered when she got back to Tara, but I know she'd agree with me when it comes to papier-mâché.)
And I will never have to do papier-mâché again now that I realize the kids can create the same great work with masking tape.
I have no doubt you will see more bear heads coming soon, with no whining of gluey fingers and strips of newsprint all over the studio floor to clean up. Hallelujah, thank you Jesus.
Pseudo papier-mâché project, you had me at hello.
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