Paper Mache "Party Animals"- almost there!
So this is the entry where I admit defeat. It is hard for me to share this. Okay, well not as hard as, say, saving for retirement, but hard nonetheless. I'm still bothered that I couldn't make this work. I've been doing paper mache for a very long time. I don't fail. As I mentioned earlier, when a patron entered the restaurant through the red door (the door on the right, of course) the front legs would swing up. I also planned on making the trunk swing up revealing an open mouth. As you can see in the photos I put an aluminum bar through the top of the trunk. Then I used aluminum flat bars to build a bracket to support the trunk. It was looking good at this point. The trunk swung nicely up into the air.
I took the trunk off and constructed a head around the bracket. Using some of the paper mache balls I had around, I sculpted and painted a mouth and tongue.
Here is where the trouble started. I knew that I would need a hole at the top of the trunk. The base of the trunk needed to swing back into the head as the trunk was raised. I thought that I could sculpt the rest of the face around that hole. Well I couldn't. After placing the eyes all over the head I realized that they needed to be directly above the trunk to get the face I wanted. When I did that, the hole looked like a little mouth. No matter what variation I tried it just looked terrible. I had to decide between artistic integrity and having the trunk move. In the end, there wasn't really a choice. I needed the elephant to look the way I envisioned from the beginning no matter what. So I abandoned the idea of the trunk swinging with the arms. It ended up being just fine. Having only the legs of the elephant move was consistent with having just the hind legs of the donkey swing. And as you can see the elephant's face looks much better without the hole.
I must say at this point that this is what I mean when I say that paper mache is "forgiving." I was able to fix the face fairly easily. I don't know of any other medium where you can just cut things up and take a new direction.
Speaking of the donkey...
I finally attached the hind legs. As you can see I had to take out more of the wadded paper in the hind quarters (that I'll re-paper mache later for another project). I used pipe clamps to connect the two legs to each other inside the body. Then I patched the hole in the belly.
I also made an executive decision to change the eyes from brown human eyes to wild boar eyes. Much better don't you think? Less Shrekkish.
Thanks for hanging in there. My next entry will show the finished pieces. I'll have a few photos from the restaurant as well. So far they have been very well received.
Until then.....
I took the trunk off and constructed a head around the bracket. Using some of the paper mache balls I had around, I sculpted and painted a mouth and tongue.
Here is where the trouble started. I knew that I would need a hole at the top of the trunk. The base of the trunk needed to swing back into the head as the trunk was raised. I thought that I could sculpt the rest of the face around that hole. Well I couldn't. After placing the eyes all over the head I realized that they needed to be directly above the trunk to get the face I wanted. When I did that, the hole looked like a little mouth. No matter what variation I tried it just looked terrible. I had to decide between artistic integrity and having the trunk move. In the end, there wasn't really a choice. I needed the elephant to look the way I envisioned from the beginning no matter what. So I abandoned the idea of the trunk swinging with the arms. It ended up being just fine. Having only the legs of the elephant move was consistent with having just the hind legs of the donkey swing. And as you can see the elephant's face looks much better without the hole.
I must say at this point that this is what I mean when I say that paper mache is "forgiving." I was able to fix the face fairly easily. I don't know of any other medium where you can just cut things up and take a new direction.
Speaking of the donkey...
I finally attached the hind legs. As you can see I had to take out more of the wadded paper in the hind quarters (that I'll re-paper mache later for another project). I used pipe clamps to connect the two legs to each other inside the body. Then I patched the hole in the belly.
I also made an executive decision to change the eyes from brown human eyes to wild boar eyes. Much better don't you think? Less Shrekkish.
Thanks for hanging in there. My next entry will show the finished pieces. I'll have a few photos from the restaurant as well. So far they have been very well received.
Until then.....
Posted by Dan the Monster-man at 10/15/2010 11:55 AM 
Categories: Paper Mache Party Animals
Tags: papier mache paper mache politics republicans party animals sculpture donkey democrats elephant red states crafts political parties mixed media blue states tea bags
Categories: Paper Mache Party Animals
Tags: papier mache paper mache politics republicans party animals sculpture donkey democrats elephant red states crafts political parties mixed media blue states tea bags
Absolutely drop dead gorgeous work, Mr. Reeder. All your pieces are so expressive and unique - the patrons of the establishment will have entertainment and awe in spades when they walk in the place. Good on 'em for choosing to hire you for this project - they got the best!
Stephane
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Hey Stephane,
I can always count on your for a ego boost. Thank you so much. I will post the final photos in the next couple of days. I hope you like the finished product.
Take care
Dan
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I love the Elephants face Dan. Thanks for the updates. keep em coming
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Thanks Justin! I'm glad you like it. I'll post the last photos very soon.
Dan
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Wow, they are looking fantastic! Too bad about the elephant mouth, must have been a bit stressful there for a time, but glad it worked out and you moved on. Good choice for the donkey eyes! Oh boy...we are almost to the final viewing...yeah!!!
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Hey Suz,
Yes, I'm not trying to be melodramatic here with this last showing. I just haven't had a moment to edit the photos. My goal is to get them posted today. Thank you for being so patient.
Dan
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Man, I really wish you could have made the trunk work! That would have really added to the overall effect of the piece. Is there going to be any moving component to the elephant now that the trunk is completely solid? It still looks fabulous, either way.
They're coming together really well! I can't wait to see what they look like inside the building! (In a restaurant, right?)
As always, I can't wait for the next post.
Take care!
Lindsey
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Hey Lindsey,
Nice to hear from you as always. It was a real bummer to give up the trunk. I worked on it for days and I don' t like giving up on anything. As I mentioned though, the artistic integrity mattered more than the trunk moving. The front legs still go up though. So they are consistent.
I'll get those photos posted today. Hope your speech went well. (I'm sure it did.)
See you
Dan
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I love seeing stuff in process. I love the pictures of the moth with it all painted up. I would never have thought to paint it before I put on the head.
You have really neat sculptures.
Eric
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Dan - it is always amazing to see your new creations. My Odyssey team wishes that they could be apprentices in your workshop! Their paper mache skills have come a long way since they did that dragon two years ago - what a difference a couple of years makes! I am not allowed to help them at ALL which makes it more fun for the kids and I have to just sit and watch - but I started making my own last year since I wasnt allowed to help.
We would all love to know where to purchase eyeballs like the ones you use. They are quite amazing and we can find nothing like them in CT at any of the craft stores. We may have to go online to find some large quality ones.
Thanks for sharing all of your artwork online!
All the best,
Ann
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Hi Ann,
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Hey Dan its Tina!!! Just stopped in to say Merry Christmas and happy holidays......and New Year!!! Hope to hear from you soon! -Tina
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Happy Holidays Dan!!!! I am about to start making my artwork again!!! Hope to talk to you soon!!! Happy New Year as well!! -Tina
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Hello Tina,
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nice...
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Thank you Adi. Now these projects are sitting in some big warehouse. Kind of a bummer.
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wow! I don't know what to say. you are so good. I make paper mache, but not as great as yours. Ive told by some it not art and a waste of time. I disagree. I love itand will keep doing it.
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Hello Margot,
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I absolutely agree with Stephane.
Are your students aware you do such crazy-wonderful stuff?
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Hi again Carole,
My students know I do this. They just think it's another add side of Mr Reeder.
Dan
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