# Branching out into paper mache



## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Scouring the interwebz for different things Halloween related and came across these Rot Jars. The tutorial link from Gourdin Fester is posted below. He is heavily influenced by Pumpkinrot and these swamp lanterns are really cool. I'm not sure about next year's theme but these were just too cool not to try. I' m up to where the paper mache goes on but I need glue so hope to start that part next week. I've watched all 5 tutorial vids a few times and I think I can pull this off. Never worked with PM before so here goes nothing!


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Can't wait to see this finished.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

If you're new to papier mache, check out Mr Chicken's paint mache techniques. I've used it myself and prefer it now to the more traditional techniques.

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=43456

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=42311


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Hairazor said:


> Can't wait to see this finished.


Me too! I'll be interested to see how it comes out. Plan to make a few of them for next year or whenever.



RoxyBlue said:


> If you're new to papier mache, check out Mr Chicken's paint mache techniques. I've used it myself and prefer it now to the more traditional techniques.
> 
> http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=43456
> 
> http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=42311


I remember seeing this. Interesting. I may give it a try as I have to paint the paper anyway. Thanks!


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

Loving the look of these!


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## bobzilla (Nov 13, 2008)

Looking really nice so far!


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Made one without all the armatures sticking out, just to get the feel of it. Paper work done and ready for paint. Came out pretty good. We'll have a few of these in our witch haunt.


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

Nice!


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## stick (Jan 21, 2009)

Looking good so far JW.


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## samhayne (Jul 3, 2008)

Really nice , i started to work on some for this year haunt with my boys. I will modify my technique right away to reflect the effect you've created with the foil paper. 

Thanks a lot for sharing it with us , great inspiration


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol:Yay jdubbya, nice work on that. I have had that lantern "pinned" for years....I just was too chicken to try to bring it to life. You are making a wonderful version of it. Oops! My mistake, this is the one I have pinned. It's Marrow's version.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

samhayne said:


> Really nice , i started to work on some for this year haunt with my boys. I will modify my technique right away to reflect the effect you've created with the foil paper.
> 
> Thanks a lot for sharing it with us , great inspiration





Pumpkin5 said:


> :jol:Yay jdubbya, nice work on that. I have had that lantern "pinned" for years....I just was too chicken to try to bring it to life. You are making a wonderful version of it. Oops! My mistake, this is the one I have pinned. It's Marrow's version.


Thanks all. I'm happy with them so far. Samhayne, I'm only following Gourdin Fester's tutorial so can't take credit but the tin foil is great for these types of detail and armatures.
Jana, I really like that one you have pinned and especially the thing it's hanging on. I might attempt something like that for a couple of mine. They have a Burton-esque look to them. Really cool!


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Great start! One thing I have learned about mache from pumpkin rot years ago is to mix elmers glue and water. He suggested it for clothing on scarecrows, and I have found that glue based mache survives over time much better than flour based, especially down south.


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## matrixmom (Aug 20, 2011)

I never use flour. I use 75/25 elmers glue/water mix. It dries rock hard. They make a clear rubber spray that I use to seal it if Im out of polycrylic. But, I must warn everyone, it smells like gasoline. But if its going outside, who cares. 
I love the lantern JW-- So you used white latex and paper towels there? How easy was it to make all those little pieces with the latex paint mache in your opinion?


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

heresjohnny said:


> Great start! One thing I have learned about mache from pumpkin rot years ago is to mix elmers glue and water. He suggested it for clothing on scarecrows, and I have found that glue based mache survives over time much better than flour based, especially down south.





matrixmom said:


> I never use flour. I use 75/25 elmers glue/water mix. It dries rock hard. They make a clear rubber spray that I use to seal it if Im out of polycrylic. But, I must warn everyone, it smells like gasoline. But if its going outside, who cares.
> I love the lantern JW-- So you used white latex and paper towels there? How easy was it to make all those little pieces with the latex paint mache in your opinion?


Yes, I'm using the elmers glue/water mix. 2 parts glue to 1 part water. It's working very well and is drying very hard. I'm following Gourdin Fester's instructions almost to a T and the end result is what I was looking for. 
Ana, I'm using Kleenex hand towels. I peel them apart to make two very thin sheets. The armatures made from the foil are really neat. I just hot glue them to the foil on the body of the lantern. I learned quickly that aluminum foil conducts heat from hot glue very well! Yikes! Here's another one I'm in the process of doing. I have the first layer of paper covering all the foil and next will do a couple layers of texturing, tearing the paper, etc..




























My glue tub


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

I am curious what final look you are aiming for. The original picture looks like roots or vines. The marrow version looks more like grass, thin vines or web. Yours looks like it is incorporating webbing or skin along with the roots, almost like it is living. All very organic and all very cool.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

heresjohnny said:


> I am curious what final look you are aiming for. The original picture looks like roots or vines. The marrow version looks more like grass, thin vines or web. Yours looks like it is incorporating webbing or skin along with the roots, almost like it is living. All very organic and all very cool.


As far as the final look I'm going for, I'm hoping they'll look a lot like the one in the video but like any project, we try our own techniques and I'm doing a couple things different with the textures, specifically adding more layers. I think once I get color on them, they'll look pretty close to the original and as long as they have that organic, swampy, witchy look, I'll be happy. Most of the detail will be for me anyway and guests will not be viewing them from close up.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

So I have a total of 6 completed and ready for paint, once the weather permits. Two large and 4 small. Also have one more I'm starting on just to try some different techniques. A couple other pics.


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Gnarly!


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

A couple other projects ready for paint. Kind of random concepts but will look neat in our witch forest scene.


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## samhayne (Jul 3, 2008)

Nice, to treat the skull the same way you did for the lantern is a great idea..


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I really like what you're doing with those skulls.


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

That's going to be a great scene


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

samhayne said:


> Nice, to treat the skull the same way you did for the lantern is a great idea..


I'm cheating using these foam skulls from michaels but I have a few laying around that I wanted to experiment with.. Not even sure how we'll use them yet but they'll add some interest.



RoxyBlue said:


> I really like what you're doing with those skulls.


Thanks! I'm thinking they'll look pretty neat once painted.



heresjohnny said:


> That's going to be a great scene


Hoping so. We have a lot of ideas coming together for the main scene and so far it sounds like it will be pretty neat! Just accumulating things now to flesh it out when the time comes. It'll be a mix of everything; a few store bought, a lot of hand made and a lot of organic/earthy components.


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## stick (Jan 21, 2009)

They are looking great and I look forward to seeing how you paint them.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Final painting; gave them a coat of black, followed by 2 shades of brown acrylic then dry brushed with a lighter beige. I'm happy with them for a first try and if anything I got to play around with some textures and paint techniques. I have a couple more projects I'd like to try so we'll see what happens.


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## stick (Jan 21, 2009)

They look great jdubbya.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Really like those! Now all you have to do is build gnarly bodies for them:jol:


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## samhayne (Jul 3, 2008)

nice job !! love them


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

stick said:


> They look great jdubbya.


Thanks!



RoxyBlue said:


> Really like those! Now all you have to do is build gnarly bodies for them:jol:


I'd love to give them at least a torso of sorts but not sure yet. Working on a large skull now that will be a kind of centerpiece thing. Will see how much time I have after getting some other stuff done.



samhayne said:


> nice job !! love them


Thank you!


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## matrixmom (Aug 20, 2011)

Looks great JW. Using paper towels adds more strength too and more texture. I personally have a love - hate relationship with paper mache.....


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## The Halloween Lady (Aug 18, 2010)

I'm really digging this stuff. It's really looking cool. Like MM I have sort of a love hate with machè. The last thing I think I did was my giant cauldron, but that was eons ago. Maybe this will inspire me.


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

I'm liking this medium so far and have a couple more ideas for projects in addition to what I have already. Here is the larger horned skull in progress. Hope to finish the texturing tonight and then put some color on him. I don't name my props but may have to call him "Fu". He'll be a centerpiece in one scene of the front yard display if things go according to plan.


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Looking good, you definitely have a theme going here. Save some for the contest


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

He's got personality!


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Textures done. Not sure about the "whiskers" but can snip them off if they end up not looking right. Time for paint.


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