Paper Mache Buddha with Jo- More Feet, hands, & legs
I'm sure you looked at the title of this post and thought, isn't there something on TV? (The answer is yes, but it isn't worth watching.)(except "Deadliest Catch")(Strange as is sounds, it's the only show I actually watch.)
But there is just more work that needs to be done on these body parts.
But first, the answer to the math question I posed last time. Believe it or not, you could raise the rope over 8 feet in the air! You could easily walk under the rope, with someone on your shoulders (a short person). This would also be true if the question had been about wrapping a grapefruit instead of the Earth. The answer would still be 50 divided by pi, no matter what are were wrapping. Math is cool. Isaac got the answer first. I sent him a little prize.
Okay, back to paper mache. As happens many times, I make some appendages, put them on, and then hate them. I miscalculated on the legs. They were too small. Even though most of the legs will be under a robe, I couldn't stand knowing that the proportion of the legs was off. So I cut open one of the extra paper mache balls I talked about last time, and put half of the paper mache shell on each thigh to make them bigger. I didn't show it, but I ended up doing the same thing on both calves. That's why you make a bunch of extra paper mache balls! For thigh and calf emergencies!
Now that he had feet and legs, it was time to make some toenails (and fingernails and teeth). Again, I used Fimo to make these. Did I mention that Fimo degrades over time? After a few years they tend to break easily. This bothers me a lot. I'm looking for better material. Any suggestions? I hot glued the toenails onto each foot.
I decided to do some cloth mache on the bottom half of the Buddha. I start be wrapping each toenail with a piece of cloth dipped in Elmer's glue. Then I added various sized pieces of cloth to cover the entire foot. Then I cloth mached the legs and the rest of the lower half of the body. I realize that I may be getting a bit too granular in my entries. You've seen this process many times by now.
While the lower half of the Buddha was drying, I made his hands. Again, I modeled them after my own hands. They are a tiny bit bigger.
I put the hands onto the arms and then attached them to the body. I used another paper mache ball (cut into two shells) to make some shoulders. Since he is a coffee drinking Buddha (hence, the Jo in the title), I put the cup in his hands for the first time.
There are lots of adjustments to make. Getting the hands just right around that little cup took some time.
This is it until next time. My wife asked me if I'd give up two weeks of my summer (from making art) to do a few house projects. Of course I said I would. She started a list. The first thing on the list was "paint the interior of the house (yes, the entire house)." It goes from there. Just thought I'd let you know. I've finished that task. Mu studio looks like a bomb hit it. I have a great idea for my next project. I'll tell you about it sometime.
Stop by again. Take care
But there is just more work that needs to be done on these body parts.
But first, the answer to the math question I posed last time. Believe it or not, you could raise the rope over 8 feet in the air! You could easily walk under the rope, with someone on your shoulders (a short person). This would also be true if the question had been about wrapping a grapefruit instead of the Earth. The answer would still be 50 divided by pi, no matter what are were wrapping. Math is cool. Isaac got the answer first. I sent him a little prize.
Okay, back to paper mache. As happens many times, I make some appendages, put them on, and then hate them. I miscalculated on the legs. They were too small. Even though most of the legs will be under a robe, I couldn't stand knowing that the proportion of the legs was off. So I cut open one of the extra paper mache balls I talked about last time, and put half of the paper mache shell on each thigh to make them bigger. I didn't show it, but I ended up doing the same thing on both calves. That's why you make a bunch of extra paper mache balls! For thigh and calf emergencies!
Now that he had feet and legs, it was time to make some toenails (and fingernails and teeth). Again, I used Fimo to make these. Did I mention that Fimo degrades over time? After a few years they tend to break easily. This bothers me a lot. I'm looking for better material. Any suggestions? I hot glued the toenails onto each foot.
I decided to do some cloth mache on the bottom half of the Buddha. I start be wrapping each toenail with a piece of cloth dipped in Elmer's glue. Then I added various sized pieces of cloth to cover the entire foot. Then I cloth mached the legs and the rest of the lower half of the body. I realize that I may be getting a bit too granular in my entries. You've seen this process many times by now.
While the lower half of the Buddha was drying, I made his hands. Again, I modeled them after my own hands. They are a tiny bit bigger.
I put the hands onto the arms and then attached them to the body. I used another paper mache ball (cut into two shells) to make some shoulders. Since he is a coffee drinking Buddha (hence, the Jo in the title), I put the cup in his hands for the first time.
There are lots of adjustments to make. Getting the hands just right around that little cup took some time.
This is it until next time. My wife asked me if I'd give up two weeks of my summer (from making art) to do a few house projects. Of course I said I would. She started a list. The first thing on the list was "paint the interior of the house (yes, the entire house)." It goes from there. Just thought I'd let you know. I've finished that task. Mu studio looks like a bomb hit it. I have a great idea for my next project. I'll tell you about it sometime.
Stop by again. Take care
Posted by Dan the Monster-man at 7/1/2011 7:45 PM 
Categories: Paper Mache Buddha with Jo
Tags: paper mache papier mache buddha enlightenment coffee caffiene sculpture arts and crafts
Categories: Paper Mache Buddha with Jo
Tags: paper mache papier mache buddha enlightenment coffee caffiene sculpture arts and crafts
Looking great Dan! Boy you are keeping us in suspense eh? Good luck with the Honey-do's!! Wow, so Fimo degrades huh? Thats not good! Hummm, I may try using ADC (air dry clay) its pretty darn tough stuff, but would need to be sealed (probably)just incase any moisture was around.. I'll put my recipe here (there are tons of recipes online, this is my fav)Its super easy and SUPER CHEAP to make. I use 1/2 cup corn starch, 1/2 cup white Elmer's glue (not school glue), 1 Tablespoon Baby oil, 1 Tablespoon white vinegar, 1 teaspoon tempura paint (powder or liquid) and after its cooked- 1 Tablespoon hand/face cream (ponds, nivea, whatever). Start by mixing the corn starch and glue, then add the baby oil, vinegar and tempura. Cook over med high heat in a Teflon pan on the stove (some recipes use a microwave, but I could not control it as well..) Keep stirring (wood or plastic spoon) until it forms a big mass that you can hardly stir cause its one big clump..has to be pretty hard..cook probably about 6-10 minutes, depends on how hot your stove is...then flip it out on a counter or I use a sheet of parchment paper taped down..IMPORTANT, don't forget to rub the counter or parchment paper with the 1 Tablespoon of hand cream and put some on your hands before you remove it from the pan. Its sticky stuff, so on a counter you may have to scrape some residue off, Parchment paper prevents this..(don't use wax paper it will just tear up easy) Now knead it, right away while still hot, for about 5-10 minutes, it will get real nice and smooth, cool stuff...then wrap it in a plastic bag to store it. Some say keep it over night before use, some say you can use it right away, I haven't tested that part much, I usually do it at night then go to bed..It very nice to work with. too mushy of a mix will crack when it dries..you can make a harder batch and mix them or if your batch is too hard, make a softer batch(less cooking)and mix them together to a nice consistency based on how much you need of each(do small batches).Don't store it in the fridge, store it in a sealed canning jar or something with a good seal. and NOT in the dark..(just things I have read about it) I have stored mine for months and it still nice. I make alot of my small stuff with it, I love it!! It goes along ways with small stuff...I would think after its good and dry (1-2 days, toe nails...2-3 days, teeth) it would hot glue just fine, but haven't tested that either...I do know that it works great to put some detail on top of paper mache, it sticks really well and paints great when its dry! Let me know if you try it!
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Thank you for the recipe Suz! I will try it. That's strange about not storing it in the dark. I wonder why that is?
I'll try to get my next post up earlier (famous last words). It just takes time at the computer. Hope your art is going well.
Talk to you later.
Dan
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I think the darkness grows the mold...? I'm sure its a whole lot of work getting your posts up, good luck, we can't wait to see more! I'm getting very little time to do more art, darn day jobs!! but I put in a little time now and then, thanks! When my next project is done, I'll send a pic!
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Didn't think of the mold. Makes sense. I understand the day job getting in the way of art. Too bad we need to pay bills.
It's always nice to hear from you.
Take care
Dan
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Yep, you know that one alright, at least for you its so cool to have months off at a time though! But they go sooo fast, I bet.
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Hey Dan, 's hard ta' (Siddharta) make a Buddha?
Liking the hands very much.
For toenails, have you tried milk jug plastic? It's translucent and soft for cutting.
Regards,
Lyman
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My God Lyman, that's brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? You are a genius, and funny too. Thank you! Always nice to hear from you.
Dan
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Wonderful! Hope your school year wrapped up nicely. I have been working on my mache techniques (yours, actually) and I'm getting much better. I am wondering if you would please recommend a brush-on sealant that isn't too toxic? My sculptures will be outside approx 100 hours in August. Thanks!!!
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Hi Wyly,
Thanks for stopping by. I'll bet you are making great art. I hate to say this, but I don't use sealants. Well, I tried a couple many years ago to see if they would work for drool. On the dragon I have outside, I just used water-based, exterior paints. It seems to be holding up very well. Exterior paints are basically acrylic and latex in some combination. It's like covering the projects in rubberized plastic. I think most sealants will not look great on top of the paint you are using. Like I said, I haven't used them for a while. I'm just speculating. If you try them, let us know how it turns out.
Good luck.
Dan
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You can try kato instead of fimo. Same basic product but much more durable. Kind of hard to condition by hand however. You can pick up a small block at Hobby Lobby.
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Hi Emily,
I will check that out. Thank you!
Dan
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Boo HOO Dan your post came through without photos! How can I access the entire email you sent including..especially the visuals? this is a technical problem, i'm sure it's easy to solve if you know how...
Thanks for the update. your work in progress is fun to be a part of.
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Hello Batya,
I opened my post with the three browsers I have. The photos showed on all of them. Which browser are you using? I really have no idea why the photos wouldn't show up on your computer. I suppose I could email all the photos to your email address. I would say to try a different browser first to see if the photos show up. If they don't, let's talk and see what we can do.
I'm sorry to hear that.
Dan
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Hi Dan! There's a product called milliput that is a two part epoxy putty used by military modelers. Not the cheapest stuff but it is very very tough, can be carved and machined, and apparently holds up well. Hope this helps!
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Hi Brian,
Thank you for the suggestion! I will definitely check this out. I'm going to try every tip until I find something that works. I love Fimo's colors and it handles well. The only problem with testing anything is that it takes a few years to see if it breaks down like Fimo. I think an epoxy based product should hold up.
Again, thank you.
Dan
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Oh ya, fix-it Epoxy clay, same thing, would work great!
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Thanks Suz,
I'm still going to try your recipe too.
Dan
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Hmm, Fimo actually doesn't degrade over time if it's cured properly. I'm thinking something must be off the way you're baking it. If the plasticisers inside aren't fully baked off, then the resulting plastic will become more brittle with time. I have some baked Fimo that I've had for over 12 years that is still just like it was the day it was baked.
Some troubleshooting tips: Have you checked the actual temp inside your oven using a separate oven thermometer? Are you baking at the suggested temperature? Finally, are you using some sort of varnish on top of the finished project? All of those can cause the problem you're talking about.
Let me know if you're interested in more tips/information. Your blog has been so inspiring, I'd love to be able to give something back!
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Hi Laynie,
Thanks for the notes. I have actually been quite careful most of the time with the polymer clays for precisely that reason. Some I've overcooked for sure and I'm sure undercooked as well. And of course the directions will say 30 minutes for 1/4 of an inch of material. Obviously some parts are thicker than others so it's hard to cook a project perfectly all the way through. And I rarely add anything over them. Are the pieces you have thin and pointed, like teeth? Big objects don't seem to be a problem. It's small teeth and claws. After a number of years the tips will just break off. I admit that I may be doing something wrong. But I've used so much of it for so many years you'd think that by pure luck I'd get some that didn't degrade. Still, I do admit that I could be more careful. I certainly will after your comment. I appreciate any advice and help I can get.
Thanks again.
Dan
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Hi Dan,
First, I'd definitely try using a different clay. All polymer clay is not equal, and some are more brittle than others. Kato clay is more flexible than Fimo, and I absolutely love Premo clay. It's true that thin pieces can break more easily, but looking at your teeth, they should be ok.
Also, your oven may not achieve the temp you think it does. Ovens are all different, including the place you put the item! Putting a tile in the bottom of your oven (if you're using a toaster oven, especially!) can help it hold the same temp longer, and using an oven thermometer is vital.
It really sounds to me that your oven may not quite be reaching the temp you need to bake off all the plasticiser. You can get a thermometer fairly inexpensively (under $10), and that's the first thing I would suggest. If your oven is even 5 or 10 degrees off, your clay will seem cured at first, but there will be plasticiser left in it. Over time, that plasticiser will break down the clay and cause it to break like you're describing.
So, no matter how long you bake it, you can end up with the problem you're describing. Check your oven temp, it might solve your problems!
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Laynie has a good point about the oven thermometer. You can get one for about a dollar at Target or Walmart (even most grocery stores will have them in their kitchenware department). It's always better to overcook polymer clay than to undercook it. You can't burn it if you stay at the recommended temp on the package - even if you bake for 3 hrs.
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Thank you Laynie and Emily.
I will do as you both say and get a thermometer. The thing is, I think I always over cook. (Come to think about it, I pretty much over-do everything.) I like the way teeth and horns get a bit darker at the tips when they are in the oven longer. And if anything I have a higher temp than recommended. That's why, at first, I thought that maybe over-cooking was the problem. Now, having said that, I realize that the teeth that have been breaking are on projects that are many years old. I honestly can't say what I was doing back then. I can barely remember what I was doing last week. I know one thing, after these comments, I will certainly never under-cook any of this again. I really appreciate both of you pushing me on this. Everything you have said makes total sense. I'm so glad I have experts around to help.
Dan
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hello I did take my paper mache puppets out in the world and sold 4! I mention your name all the time, and folks love to think you are local..Gina
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Hello Gina,
Congratulations! I'm very happy for you! You are very kind to mention my name at all. Thank you.
Keep up the great work.
Dan
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Very cool! I just subscribed with a different email address because i rarely check the other one.I love to see your work.
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Hi Mona!
It's always nice to hear from you! I hope all is well on your end. You are always busy. Thanks for popping by.
Talk to you later.
Dan
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Dan,
You might also try Premo Sculpy. It's soft like Sculpy but not brittle when cooked. I have pieces 15 years old that are still fine. I get mine from www.polymerclayexpress.com. They have just discontinued the luminous kind but may have some left. It makes for great teeth and eyes. Save me some. Love your stuff.
George
PS: Found you through Seattle Sculptors Guild. I know a lot the members.
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Hello George,
Very nice to meet you! I'm relatively new to the sculptor's guild. They are a terrific bunch of people. Thank you so much for the information about polymer clay. I'll definitely check out the link.
Take care
Dan
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Hi again George,
I should mention that Fimo still has the luminous stuff. Based upon the responses I've received, I think I just haven't been cooking the stuff long enough or at too low a temperature. But I agree, the color of that particular color is perfect for teeth and claws and horns, etc..
Dan
PS. I checked out your website. What a great business! Love the sculptures. I can see you've had a lot of experience with polymer clay, as well as most other sculpture mediums.
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Dan,
Thanks for the news about Fimo still making the luminous kind. Most helpful. Been a fan of yours for a long time. Perhaps will now open that gallon of Elmer's in the garage.
George
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You are an amazing person! Thank you for your work! Your cat is charming
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Thank you Polina,
I appreciate the compliment. And I'll let Eddie know that you enjoy seeing him.
Take care
Dan
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