# Boris The Troll (papier mache)



## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

This is a project I've been working on since early February and just completed this week and while it's not specifically Halloween related the concept of trolls in haunts is not uncommon.










The Boris Troll was designed and built for the city of Midland, Michigan's 2011 Downtown Sculpture Series, an annual event where various artists create sculptures based on that year's theme.

The theme for 2011 is trolls to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Midland's tridge, a three way foot bridge that is an icon for the city.

Artists could choose to paint a pre-formed sculpture or create their own free-form troll. The sculptures had specific size requirements and could not be "dark, scary or unfriendly."





































Last January the Downtown Development Authority put out a "call to artists" to submit designs for troll sculptures that would be displayed in downtown Midland during June, July and August.

The sculpture series was celebrating its tenth anniversary and after a few minutes I came up with a concept that I felt would be a fun and challenging project.

The tutorial includes a couple of new techniques I used including filling the hollow interiors with expanding spray foam for strength, some new texture methods and the use of an industrial polycoat.

The troll will be taken to a local company next week for the polycoat application and I will follow up with the details.

More photos and tutorial here.


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## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

Very Cool!!! Another awesome job!


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## scabbie (May 15, 2010)

AMAZING! The size and detail are outstanding.


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Another cool creation, Stolloween.


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## SuperCreep31 (Nov 22, 2009)

wow it's... amazing!


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## niblique71 (Dec 2, 2009)

I'm dumbfounded by your creativity and imagination. Great Job


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

This guy is ready to go to work with tools in hand

Aside from this being a wonderful character, I also like how you incorporated references to the town and bridge into the piece.


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Thanks everyone, besides the obvious lettering on the wrench "Midland" and the bolts "Tridge Bolts" there are a number of subtle references to the tridge...because it is a three way foot bridge the number three is represented quite a bit in Boris:

-Three toes on each foot.
-Three fingers on each hand.
-Three warts on each cheek.
-Three warts on the chin.
-Six hair tendrils ... a multiple of three.
-Three bolts.
-And finally there is an "S" in each ear...one for Scott and one for Stoll...nobody will probably notice but it makes me chuckle.


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## Jaybo (Mar 2, 2009)

Looks great! Can't wait to see how the polycoat turns out. Do you know the name of the product they will be using to spray the prop?


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Don't know the specifics of the product used to seal the props...when I drop it off next week I plan I getting the information and seeing how everyone can find a supplier in their location. I've seen the coating on sculptures from the previous years and contacted one of the artists who has used the polycoat on her sculptures just to verify that it would protect the piece from water damage. I will share the info once I learn more.....seeing the coating first hand I'm confident that this will be a good thing and good info for those creating with papier mache.


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

you sir, are a master of paper mache! the troll is so adorable!


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## beelce (Jul 21, 2007)

GREAT STUFF.....as always


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## Dixie (Feb 18, 2009)

Ok, I will admit (with head hung in shame) that I can't possibly imagine HOW you got the letter imprints in the bolts so perfect. I have thought it out in my head, and every technique I try flops. Would love to know!

I adore Boris. He has so much personality, I just love looking at him!


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

I bow to your creativity. I'm not worthy. But I can't believe they said the troll couldn't be "dark, scary or unfriendly". Have they seen a real troll? Those are the creatures nightmares are made of.


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

ok, ok. So we all want to know how you did what you did. I have been following it on Facebook the whole time. But that is really not everyone's question. What no one has asked yet, is Did it cost less than 20 dollars to make and can it go in a graveyard 

haha, just kidding but still, did it?


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## IMU (Apr 8, 2009)

I've been following this project for as long as you've been posting about it ... AWESOME job!


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## remylass (Sep 18, 2008)

What you do with papier mache is ridiculous! Absolutely amazing.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Hey, Stoll, I see from your blog that it took over 100 hours and a lot of patience to make the troll. How long did it take to make that good-looking zombie standing next to the troll in your first picture?


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## Sawtooth Jack (Apr 9, 2011)

I've been following this on your blog and it's great to see it finished, nice work! The paint is beautiful and has some great depth, very rich looking. Looking forward to hearing more about the polycoating as well.


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Dixie said:


> Ok, I will admit (with head hung in shame) that I can't possibly imagine HOW you got the letter imprints in the bolts so perfect. I have thought it out in my head, and every technique I try flops. Would love to know!
> 
> I adore Boris. He has so much personality, I just love looking at him!


After some trial and error I came up with a super simple solution.


























1. Print the words from your computer...choose the font and size you want.
2. Glue the word to a piece of craft foam...it was like 1/8" thick...its the sheets of foam they sell in the craft department.
3. Cut out each letter.
4. Press each letter into the wet papier mache clay...I placed the foam letters in the correct position then sunk each foam letter into the clay until it was flush with the surface.
5. Let the clay dry for three or four hours in front of a fan...just enough so the surface is starting to dry and it's not tacky to the touch.
6 Remove each letter leaving a nice clean imprint...I had to use a pair of tweezers to pull the letters from the clay.

Ta da...papier mache lettering. I used this technique years ago on some large tombstones...works great. You can press other designs and textures into the clay as well for some interesting effects.

Here's the tombstone link:
http://www.stolloween.com/?page_id=38

Note: I updated the tutorial to include the lettering information


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Spiderclimber said:


> ok, ok. So we all want to know how you did what you did. I have been following it on Facebook the whole time. But that is really not everyone's question. What no one has asked yet, is Did it cost less than 20 dollars to make and can it go in a graveyard
> 
> haha, just kidding but still, did it?


I didn't do a very good job keeping track of costs on this project...the end result was somewhere around $125...I had to purchase the plywood, hardware, hot glue, papier mache ingredients (flour, starch, white glue, joint compound), 10 cans of Great Stuff plus a bunch of other miscellaneous things...luckily I had all the paint and stain already. We each received a $500 stipend to create a free form troll so it was sort of nice to not worry about budget with this project.


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## Dixie (Feb 18, 2009)

Foam block lettering, perfect... NEVER would have thought of that - thanks so much Stoll! You are the best teacher I could dream of!


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

I have gone through your site and I remember a recipe for paper mache but you have other things listed there like starch and glue and joint compound. Do you have comprehensive list of different types of mache and clay you make and how to make them? I would love the ratios so I have more tools in my arsenal to work with.


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## spideranne (Jul 17, 2006)

Very cool, nice work. I'm curious, how heavy is it?


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## Sinister Sid (Aug 27, 2010)

Love your stuff. You have outdone yourself.


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## dubbax3 (Jan 22, 2008)

Sir you are a MASTER! I commented on Facebook how incredible this is. Everytime I see this I'm just blown away! It is just incredible what you make with stuff thats just everywhere. Well for the most part. Thanks for sharing this piece.


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## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

He is SO cool!! You did an amazing job!

Thanks for explaining the lettering, I would have never thought of that.


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## bobzilla (Nov 13, 2008)

Simply bad-a$$


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## kprimm (Mar 14, 2009)

Don't really know what else can be said that hasn't already been said, and that I myself haven't already said a bunch of times...but here goes again.Stoll you are undeniably the absolute master of paper mache. I really like the style of your creations. You really should think about making a book available with pictures of all your work, and tips for paper mache. You could cover techniques and types of supplies and how you use them. Anyway, great work as always.


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

spideranne said:


> Very cool, nice work. I'm curious, how heavy is it?


Not sure of the exact weight...don't have a scale big enough to accommodate the size...my guess is between 75 and 100lbs.


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Spiderclimber said:


> I have gone through your site and I remember a recipe for paper mache but you have other things listed there like starch and glue and joint compound. Do you have comprehensive list of different types of mache and clay you make and how to make them? I would love the ratios so I have more tools in my arsenal to work with.


The ratios are listed on "The Basics Page" on my site:

_'My paste recipe is six cups of flour + one cup of liquid starch + one cup of white glue. Using a mixer blend these ingredients with enough warm tap water until you have the consistency of a very thin pancake batter.'

"My clay is made by putting approximately six cups of paste into a large bowl, next add approximately one cup of drywall joint compound to the paste. Mix the paste and joint compound together thoroughly with a hand mixer. Now start mixing cellulose fiber insulation into the paste/compound solution, keep adding insulation until the mixture is a firm and workable consistency."
_

The only thing I ever vary is the firmness of the clay...depending on what I'm using it for...very soft to cover surfaces...firmer to sculpt.


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## hauntedkimmy (May 31, 2011)

Simply amazing! What detail!!!


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## Wyatt Furr (Jun 5, 2006)

Amazing job, Scott
Wish I lived closer to see this in person.
Thank you for your sharing your insight and inspiration with all of us.


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## 4mygirls (Apr 22, 2011)

That is freakin' awesome!!!!


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## GothicCandle (Mar 26, 2007)

Wow! i adore him! so cool! Perhaps he and my Boris The Ogre would like to meet, im sure they would get in all sorts of trouble together


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

STOLLOWEEN said:


> The ratios are listed on "The Basics Page" on my site:
> 
> _'My paste recipe is six cups of flour + one cup of liquid starch + one cup of white glue. Using a mixer blend these ingredients with enough warm tap water until you have the consistency of a very thin pancake batter.'
> 
> ...


Might be a stupid question, but are you using the premade joint compound you get in a 5 gallon bucket or are you using the powder compound like an easy sand 45. I am guessing it is the premade but I don't want to make it and then kick myself


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Good question...I use premade joint compound in the five gallon buckets.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

Are they gonna bolt that sucka to the ground?? Don't want a prankster taking off with it. It's pure awesomeness.


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

The trolls are bolted to a thick concrete slab, they are going to be installed next week and I hope to get some pictures of the installation. It's sort of nerve wracking now that he is being handled by other people...the poly-coat company, transporting him to storage and finally being installed by a local construction company...hope they are careful with the boy.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

No worries....no bad can happen to him..he's got a wrench for protection!


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## divinedragon7 (May 29, 2009)

amazing work once again


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Boris Update

Wow, we are in the last part of August already...thought I would give an update on "Boris The Bolter", my papier mache troll that has been displayed in our downtown area since the beginning of June.


















Boris was sponsored by Comerica Bank and is displayed in their entrance....sort of lucked out because he sits under an overhang and is pretty much protected from rain. Before he was installed downtown he was taken to a local company and sprayed with an automotive polyurethane coating...the same material used to detail cars. I don't have the brand name of the product but the owner said that anyone interested in using this technique on their props should just call any automotive detailing company and ask if they would spray their prop with a poly-coat. Because Boris is somewhat protected from the weather I can't really judge how well the polycoat is working on him...but...there is another papier mache troll displayed out in the open and it seems to be holding up very well against moisture.

This is Planters Wart, another troll made from papier mache...the polycoat is protecting him well...and we've had some major downpours this summer. Planters Wart was made by a couple of my friends....I like his style.










The troll experience has been somewhat eventful. Within the first couple of weeks one of the trolls was stolen...and has yet to be returned or found. The third day my troll was displayed he was vandalized...somebody smashed one of the fingers holding the wrench...I was able to repair the damage and so far so good.

The city created a very nice "Troll Guide" that highlights each troll and artist...nice keepsake.










One more month to go and then he goes on the auction block....it should be interesting to see how much he will go for.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Looks as if Boris is a perfect photo-op

And why must people do stupid crap like stealing or vandalizing something that an artist put heart and soul into and that was meant to be enjoyed by all? I don't expect an answer; I'm just really annoyed that anyone would hurt Boris.


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## Death Wraith (Mar 23, 2006)

Outstanding work once again. It truly is a shame that some people have been raised to not respect others property. It's always been that way, and it's sad to think of all the people who hesitate or refuse to do anything out of fear that it will be stolen or destroyed.


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

Just saw this one for the first time. Wow, another masterpiece Stolloween! I'm very impressed. Your work is exceptional. Midland must be proud!


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