Days 2 and 3 - Paper Mache, Twist
Day 2- Paper Mache
Back to work. Before I could paper mache the crumpled balls and appendages I had to add some twists to the tails and necks. If you read my previous entry then you probably know why. These two dragons will be more or less twisted together. This will be one of the challenges of the piece, building the dragons separately knowing that, at some point, I must meld them into one project. So I used the clothes hangers inside the necks and tails to twist them into parallel shapes. I then did a large paper mache which took about 2 and a half hours.
Day 3 - Twisting
As you can see, much of this work is just plain work, hard work in fact. What you see below represents another 2 and a half hours of tightly twisting paper onto pieces of clothes hanger. Unless you have arms like Popeye, this is a severe forearm workout. What you see: (top left) 4 half tongues (will put two together for one tongue leaving a fork at the end), and the long, tapered "fingers" of the wings for both dragons. (middle) 4 toes on each foot for both dragons, and (bottom left) four fingers for each hand for both dragons.
Back to work. Before I could paper mache the crumpled balls and appendages I had to add some twists to the tails and necks. If you read my previous entry then you probably know why. These two dragons will be more or less twisted together. This will be one of the challenges of the piece, building the dragons separately knowing that, at some point, I must meld them into one project. So I used the clothes hangers inside the necks and tails to twist them into parallel shapes. I then did a large paper mache which took about 2 and a half hours.
Day 3 - Twisting
As you can see, much of this work is just plain work, hard work in fact. What you see below represents another 2 and a half hours of tightly twisting paper onto pieces of clothes hanger. Unless you have arms like Popeye, this is a severe forearm workout. What you see: (top left) 4 half tongues (will put two together for one tongue leaving a fork at the end), and the long, tapered "fingers" of the wings for both dragons. (middle) 4 toes on each foot for both dragons, and (bottom left) four fingers for each hand for both dragons.
Total work time so far, 7 hours. See you again soon!
Posted by Dan the Monster-man at 4/19/2010 12:21 PM 
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: monsters art technique paper mache dragons how-to art papier mache sculpture
Categories: uncategorized
Tags: monsters art technique paper mache dragons how-to art papier mache sculpture
Hi Dan,
A lot of work done but a lot more to come.
This part for me is difficult, because I don't arrived to make balls and arms to much rigid at the first time so I have to but more and more paper with flour glue. I think I didnt' crumble enough paper at first.
I wait for the next part of your project. I am always fascinated by your work.
Thanks a lot to share it with us.
Lucie
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Hi Lucie,
Yes, as usual it took me a while to even get to the next step with teaching other projects. And it actually took me two sessions to mache these pieces and three days to dry. I'm not sure which is faster, macheing twice with less drying time in between or once with several layers. I suppose it doesn't matter in the long run.
This is the boring work. The fun is yet to come.
See you.
Dan
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Great information! It's just help me out.
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Hey, 18 bodies paper mached.. phew. Next.... Do you attach all your fimo teeth etc with hot glue guns? Do you do horns with that as well? Thanks
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Hey Miss Y,
I do hot glue the teeth. But that will only hold them until you put cloth mache around them, a small strip on either side. You can get by though by just putting a strip of masking tape on either side of each tooth, criss-cross. Do that with the horns since they are bigger. I don't know if you are intending to use cloth and glue or not.
Good luck. Sounds like you are moving right along.
Dan
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hola soy de mexico quiero comprar tu libro pero no hablo ingles que puedo hacer
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Hola,
Estoy usando traductor Google, así que no estoy seguro si entiendo. ¿Quieres comprar mi libro? Se vende a México todo el tiempo. El libro está en Inglés, pero hay muchas fotos.
Gracias por su interés.
Dan
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hola antes que nada quiero felicitarte eres un gran artista y tus creaciones son asombrosas, como te habras dado cuenta soy de mexico, bueno en mi pais se hacen unas figuras llamadas "alebrijes" no se si los conozcas es una tecnica parecida, bueno solo te queria preguntar el nombre del material con el que haces los dientes bueno eso era todo gracias por responder a y creo que ya voy aconseguir tu libro
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Hola Eugenia. Es un placer conocerte. Siempre es agradable conocer a otro artista de papel maché. Gracias por sus amables palabras. Hago mis dientes y las garras de un material llamado "Fimo". Hay muchas marcas de este tipo de material. Otro se llama "Sculpy". Es de plástico que el molde y luego cocer en el horno.
Buena suerte con sus proyectos. Gracias por escribir.
Dan
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Man you are a great artist man,hat's off to ya
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