  Jackie Hall loves Papier Mache and she caught our eye with her life
sized papier mache Basset hound modeled after her Basset named Bunty. She just loves it
and when asked how this mania started, she said:
Why Jackie Loves
Papier Mache
 Because I just love it! I am a UFA Art & Design student and
decided to make papier mache the subject of my studies. I love everything about it. It is
so incredibly cheap to make, with readily available materials. It is versatile, strong and
can be made into all sorts of shapes and objects. I found I loved the feel of working with
it.
I have tried working in many different mediums, but once I
had got my hands into a soggy mass of wet paper there was no turning back! I was surprised
at just how easy it was. It almost felt that someone was guiding my hands - I hardly had
to think about what I was doing.
So we loved the papier mache version of her Basset so much
that she mailed us a picture of Bunty, the inspiration for her artwork. She says
about her artwork:
I thought I would send this picture of Bunty as it is so
comical. She is sitting next to my big cuddly toy Basset. They look like they are having a
cozy fireside chat! I have loads of toy Bassets plus ornaments as I get given them for
presents, along with Basset cards! My papier mache Basset has been to quite a few
exhibitions and I often get teased when I am out walking the "real" one as to
which one I am with!
"Papier Mache" Bunty, "toy" Bunty, "real" Bunty
and a mysterious figure known as "the cat"
Who is who??
How she started
this project
 After seeing an extraordinary exhibition of life-size papier mache
people, I felt compelled to make something life-size myself. I didn't have room in my tiny
cottage to house a full sized person, so I decided to make a life-size model of my Basset
Hound, Bunty. I made a frame out of chicken wire and used some short bamboo canes to
strengthen the long back. I wrapped hundreds of strips of newspaper round the frame,
leaving it to dry in between layers. Each time it dried out, the shape distorted a
fraction so I had to build it up in some areas. I kept watching my dog moving and tried to
capture her expression and wiggly walk. I repeatedly turned the model round to make sure
that it looked correct from all angles.
When I was happy with it, I coated the whole body in white
emulsion paint to seal it and to show up any discrepancies so that I could correct them. I
used strips of brown and white paper to form the patterns of her coat. I painted just the
eyes, then coated the whole model in clear varnish.
The History of Papier Mache
by Jackie Hall
Reprinted by the permission of the author
©2001 Jackie Hall. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced without the expressed
written permission of the author.
Some basic facts
 Despite the French sounding name, papier mache
was not made in France until the mid 17th century. However, they were the first country in
Europe to do so.- Papier mache actually originates from China. As the
inventors of paper, it follows that they should be the first to discover the many uses of
its recycling abilities. Hundreds of years ago the Chinese made many items from it which
they toughened by layers of lacquer.
- From China, the interest in papier mache spread across the
world. Large imports of papier mache objects swamped European markets. This in turn led
France to start making its own wares, and England followed suit in the 1670s. There was
only a half-hearted interest until the late 1700s and into the 1800s, when it became
widely used.
- Henry Clay, a tin-ware manufacturer discovered a way to
produce papier mache that was so strong that it had the same qualities of durability as
wood. He did this by gluing specially prepared paper under heat to form tough, heat
resistant, panels. He took out a patent on this.
- England was producing a lot of wares, while still importing
vast amounts from China. The market became saturated, leading to a decline in popularity.
Competition from new materials helped the papier mache industry die a death. The final
British manufacturer, McCallum and Hodson, closed in 1920.
What is Papier
Mache?
 To most people the term "papier mache" conjures up
schooldays, dollopping a mixture of flour and water onto strips of newspaper and
plastering them over a flowerpot, which was left to dry then painted. Although strictly
speaking the correct definition of papier mache is paper fibres and binding agent, there
have been some wild and wonderful ingredients used in the past:
- Resin
...was sometimes used to give a smooth surface.
- Potash
...was used to neutralize the acidity of the pulp or to act as a deterrent against insects
and rodents.
- Tobacco leaves
...were sometimes used by German dollmakers.
- Kolioquinte (bitter cucumber)
...was used for its purging action.
- Garlic
...became an insect repellent.
- Cinnamon or cloves
...were added to eliminate the smell of garlic!
- Leather pairings
...Samuel Hooper took out a patent in 1795 to make various articles from leather parings.
- Rags
...were sometimes used by doll makers.
- Rice flour
...favoured in India
- Rye meal
...favoured in Germany
- Mashed potato
...Can you believe it? This was sometimes added in 19th Century Britain (yuk!)
- Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower
...it gets worse doesn’t it! Johnson and Maloney (British) had a patent on this
recipe.
The binder used was usually glue-water although honey
water was sometimes used. Boiling dry animal glue in water until it reached a thick,
syrupy stage made glue-water. Isinglass (gelatine in pure form) was used in Britain as a
bonding agent for their doll heads.
Luckily for us today, yesterday's newspaper and a bag of
wallpaper paste from the local D.I.Y store does famously!
What has been
made with it?
Just about everything! In England, a lot of small items
were made such as trays, snuffboxes, letter holders, bottle and ink stands. Most of these
were black with a floral decoration.
 Some
factories made architectural mouldings and decorative ornaments. Very large sheets of
black paper were pasted on both sides and firmly pressed over greased moulds. (After
having been previously dipped in large shallow vats of tar spirit and linseed oil). Care
was taken to smooth out the surface and remove any trapped air bubbles. After two or three
layers were added, the edges would be trimmed and the item would be baked in a hot oven.
The object would be built up in this way, continually repeating the three layers and
baking until the final required thickness was met. Some articles had as many as 100 layers
of paper by the time they were finished! Once thoroughly dry, the item was saturated in
linseed oil and baked in a very hot oven for many hours to make it hard and
water-resistant.
- Furniture was made in large quantities, including tables and
chairs, bookcases and screens, along with larger pieces such as carriage and sedan chairs,
doors and cabins for ships, and even chimney pieces.
- Doll heads were extensively made in England and France. They
were made in a mould that had a wooden core down the middle. These were made as early as
the 16th century in France and by 1810 were in mass production. They are highly
collectable today.
- In theatre and stage productions, papier mache has been
widely used in making trees and rocks for the scenery because it is light and easy to
move. Masks have been made from papier mache since Paleolithic times.
- Up until the early 1970's papier mache was used as casting
moulds in the making of rotary letterpresses for printing our daily newspaper!
- An ancient ceremony that goes on still today takes place in
Duragapuja, India. Images are made of papier mache of the Goddess "Durga" and
worshipped for ten days. Afterwards, in a candlelit midnight ceremony with a drum roll,
they are cast into the river Ganges...
Jackie Hall has a fabulous website with loads of papier
mache ideas and other examples of her artwork. You can contact
her by e-mail or visit her site.
 Papier Mache
Glue recipes
Paper Mache Hot Air Balloon
This is a paper mache balloon which is an excerpt from Class Winning
3-Dimensional Valentine Boxes by Debbie Barnhill. We have pictures and illustrations to go
with the craft as well as an interview with the author/creator Debbie Barnhill. It's a lot
of fun, so don't miss it.
Paper Mache Piggy Bank
This activity can be done with children age 4
and older. The banks take a few days to complete because the paper mache
layers need time to completely dry. Corks for holding in the money can be found at
your local craft store or be recycled from a bottle of wine etc...
Paper Mache Glue Recipe
 This method of working with paper and paste allows you to mold and
work with the material much as you would clay. It is ideal for making jewelry such as pins
and earrings, and the pulp can be shaped easily to make small ornaments, decorations, and
figures. |
