Paper Mache Recipe

Your kids are home for their summer holidays, and you are knee deep in strewn toys and broken crystal ware. Sounds like you need a respite, and your kids need an activity that will allow them to play with mush and still be creative. Open your doors to paper mache projects with these paper mache recipes.

A paper craft that derives its name from the French word, papier-mâché, for chewed up paper, paper mache has long outshined its etymology. As of today, paper mache recipes are being put to use in a variety of activities, ranging from volcanoes for school projects, to masks for carnivals, and even building rooms. There are apartments in New York's East Village, where rooms have been added to existing structures, by creating walls out of paper mache.

Even though it is widely believed that paper mache is a modern discovery, it is far from the truth. Paper mache crafts have been in existence for as long as paper. It was widely used in Asia, especially in countries like India, Persia, Japan, and China, to make paper mache jewelery boxes, wall hangings, dolls, paper mache masks, and even armor. Read more on how to make paper mache masks?

The basic recipe used to make paper mache paste is a mix made out of flour and water, stirred consistently to make a heavy paste. It can be thinned in accordance to your requirements. Strips of paper are dipped in this paste and stuck to a basic form, in order to make the three dimensional structure that is needed. The structure will need multiple layers of paper in order to obtain the required density and strength. It also needs to be dried properly.

Types of Paper Mache Paste Recipes

Did you know that paper mache has been used in firearms? Paper mache has been used in several firearms to form sabots, devices which push the bullets out of the barrel of a gun. Sabots are one of the factors that determine the accuracy of the bullet. Paper mache is used in firearms because of its ability to survive despite the extremely high pressures and temperature inside a gun. It also owes this distinction to its strength, which is often determined by the recipe of the paper mache paste used. Given below are some ways that will guide you on how to make a strong paper mache paste.

Uncooked Flour Paste: This paper mache recipe using flour and water is made by adding one part of flour to two parts of water. Stir the mixture continuously while adding the flour, to avoid the formation of lumps. Keep mixing till the mixture achieves a smooth consistency. You can store this flour paste in a closed container in the fridge. In slang terms, this recipe is also called goop by some people, thanks to its sticky and sloppy consistency.

Cooked Flour Paste: This paper mache paste recipe uses the same ingredients as the recipe mentioned above. For this paste, you can start by boiling 4 parts of water. When the water is boiling, mix 1 part of flour to 1 part of warm water and mix. Make sure that there are no lumps. Add this flour and warm water mix to the boiling water. Mix it constantly while allowing it to boil. The consistency of the mixture should be glue-like when you switch off the gas.

Wallpaper Paste: This paper mache paste recipe uses wallpaper paste (the paste used to put up wallpapers), with water. Pour three parts of water into one part of wallpaper paste and stir. The resultant mixture can be used as an effective paper mache paste.

Resin Glue Paste: To make a paper mache recipe with glue, pour three parts of water into a vessel, and bring it to boil. While this is happening, mix one part of flour with 1/2 a part of resin glue powder. Carefully pour 1 part of warm water into this mix and stir. Avoid making lumps. Once the water you kept for boiling has started to boil, add this mixture and stir constantly, till you get a smooth mixture.

Many people prefer paper mache recipe with starch, wherein they use liquid starch as the paste. This frees them from the messiness created by the traditional flour and water paste. There are a couple of tips that will allow you to better your paper mache recipes. If you live in an extremely humid area, then you could add less water when you make paper mache paste. If you want to ensure that your paper mache does not mold, then you could add a couple of teaspoons of salt to your paste. Also, to make the odor of the paste more tolerable, you could add cinnamon sticks or powder. Many paper mache enthusiasts also insist on using pulp as base of their paper mache craft, though it takes longer. Pulp is made by soaking newspapers and egg cartons in water to break them down into fibres. Flour, glue and water are the ingredients, that are added next, to this fibrous matter in order to make pulp. Pulp has an oatmeal like texture and consistency. This is directly used with paper on the paper mache form/base.

How to Make Paper Mache?

Once you are armed with the knowledge of how to make paper mache paste, you can dive headlong into the world of paper mache crafts. There are several paper mache craft ideas for kids. You can experiment with paper mache masks, paper mache volcanoes, sculptures, ant hills, etc. If you want to learn, how to make paper mache, then you can follow the paper mache instructions: recipe to make paper mache.

Materials Required

• Base
• Paper mache paste
• Newspapers

Paper Mache Recipe

• Make sure that you have your base/form in place. This form can be made of anything, from egg cartons to balloons, to cardboard pipes, depending on the structure you intend to create.
• Make the paper mache paste you are most comfortable with.
• Tear the newspaper into strips.
• Dip the newspaper strips into the paper mache paste, one strip at a time.
• Remove the excess paste from the strips.
• Stick the strip one at a time on the form.
• Cover the form/base completely with the newspaper strips.
• Make sure that the strips are overlapping.
• Let the structure dry for at least one day.
• Add another layer of newspaper, once it is dry.
• Repeat this process after drying. Make sure you have at least four layers to ensure that the paper mache structure is strong.
• Paint it and decorate it.

Paper mache recipe ideas are extremely easy to follow and fun to make. Paper mache is a favorite with most arts and crafts aficionados. You never know when you could become a pro at paper mache recipes, and become a true artist, but just be a little careful because in the words of Steven Morrissey, "Artists aren't really people. And I'm actually 40 per cent papier-mâché."