To: <puptcrit-AT-puptcrit.org>
Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 16:27:31 -0500
Subject: [Puptcrit] Paper mache update



Today I gave a consultation to attest what techniques a future student in 
paper mache would need from my array of techniques.

He showed me his first works, which were remarkable for such a freshly 
self-taught non-artist (in the sense that Art is not his career, nor in his 
past studies). His project is motivating and he is driven, so I'll be glad 
to help. He certainly starts his paper mache endeavours with years ahead of 
what I was when I first started.

Then he showed me works by a contemporary artist I never heard about except 
from him.
She makes animal figures out of paper pulp. They look amazing.
Unfortunately, I can't remember her name, and the only website that shows 
her work only has small bad quality pictures of some of her inferior works, 
giving you no idea how good she really is.
When I saw her better work in person, I was blown away, and my opinion 
changed drastically.

Anyways, I carefully examined four animal figures from her (two sheep, a pig 
and a cow) and deducted a few useful things. Please bare in mind that the 
following are deductions based on my own extensive experience with the same 
materials. What I propose is completely feasible as described and will yield 
about the same visual results, but may be different from her actual way of 
working.

She probably uses a rag-based pulp (probably cotton) and white glue. If she 
starts from cotton paper sheets, she probably briefly shreds small pieces of 
it in the blender, for a few seconds.
Once strained of the escess water (leaving some, to allow for the glue to 
penetrate, and for the whole dough to be malleable). The paint job is very 
very subtle, most probably a little bit of acrylic paint mixed in with the 
white glue and some water, applied as a subtle wash. No apparent brush mark. 
The finished figures look like they have a wax finish (the trained eye can 
tell it's white glue, and so can the trained fingers, by the tackyness). I 
dont think there was any spray fixative over it (which I would recommend to 
add, to protect against moisture, when owners clean the figure).

Some figures have wire armature, at least I can confirm for the legs (I've 
seen a tip). One bigger figure suggests, by the sculpted forms and weight, 
that it probably is a well-carved styrofoam core, covered in the pulp.  The 
pulp is at least an sixteenth of an inch thick, especially for the legs. It 
feels very strong.

For her sheep, she lets the pulp become lumpy as she mixes it, and uses that 
for simulating the wool.
There's so much glue in it, the lumps harden and are quite strong. One lump 
was protruding too much, and was lacking glue, so it was broken off when I 
saw that sheep. Which allowed me to see and feel what kind of pulp was 
inside. A dab of white glue allowed my student to fix it quickly and 
seamlessly.

I'm very excited about this. It's been a while since I've seen, in person, 
such a direct and smart use of the raw textures of paper pulp, in total 
control, and in good choice. The contrast between the smooth pulp areas and 
the furry pulp areas is really wonderful, and totally applicable to puppet 
work.

I don't have time right now, but I intend to try this technique, and when I 
do, you can be sure I'll post something about it, with pics (of my own 
attempts), on my lab blog, and let Puptcritters know about it.

 

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