How to Brush Paper Mache Onto a Finished Craft
In paper mache, paper is glued with a flour and water paste onto another object. The paper paste serves as the adhesive, but it's not paper mache without the paper. If you have a finished project and wish to add paper mache over it, you can do so by first making the paper mache paste.
Things You'll Need
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups cold water
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- 2 cups boiling water
- Saucepan
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- Tissue paper or other paper type
- Paintbrush
- Shellac
Instructions
-
Paper Mache Paste
-
1
Combine 3/4 cup all-purpose flour and 2 1/2 cups cold water in a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients well with a spatula until the paste is no longer lumpy.
-
2
Boil 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Add the contents from the mixing bowl into the pan when the water boils. Stir the ingredients with the spatula until they are mixed well and return to a boil. Add 3 tablespoons of sugar and stir.
-
-
3
Remove from heat and allow the paste to cool. Pour the paste back into the original mixing bowl and reserve until ready to use.
Application
-
4
Place pieces of tissue paper over the area that you want to cover. Hold the tissue paper in place with your non-dominant hand.
-
5
Hold a paintbrush in your dominant hand, dip the brush into the paper mache paste and apply the paste onto the tissue paper to cover the length and width of the tissue paper. Add a second coat of the paste to make sure the tissue paper stays in place.
-
6
Add a second piece of tissue paper next to or on top of the first piece. Perform the same procedure with the brush and the paper mache paste. Make sure all of the corners and edges of the tissue paper are stuck to the final craft object, or else it may peel away once it dries.
-
7
Use a second paintbrush to paint shellac over the paper mache once it has had about one hour to dry. The shellac acts as a sealant and gives the paper mache shine.
-
1
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
