How to Make a Homemade Papier Mache Mannequin

Mannequins are interesting elements for your Halloween décor. Whether you want to create a scene on your front porch with several dead characters from the past, or you just want to have one creepy human form lounging in a lawn chair in your yard, having your own mannequins is fun for the holiday. You can make these faux bodies out of papier mache and a few additional supplies. The project will take about a week to complete for each mannequin you create. Yet, when properly cared for, your mannequins can last for many Halloweens to come.

Things You'll Need

• Chicken wire
• Wire cutters
• 2-by-4 pieces of wood
• Staple gun
• Staples
• “L” brackets
• Screws
• Screwdriver
• Glue
• Water
• Bucket
• Sandpaper, 150- to 180-grit
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Liquid latex
• Crepe hair
• Scissors
• Clothing

Instructions

Build a Base

1. Shape the form of your mannequin with chicken wire. Chicken wire is a light fencing wire that is easily molded when bent or twisted. Shape each part of your mannequin separately, trimming off any excess wire with wire cutters.

2. Connect the mannequin body parts together. Start with the torso, then add arms, legs, a neck and the head. Connect the body parts by using the ends of the chicken wire and wrapping them around the ends of the chicken wire on other body parts. For example, wrap the ends of the chicken wire on the torso around the ends of the chicken wire on the arms.

3. Attach the chicken wire body to wood sections, as needed, with a staple gun. If you are constructing a large mannequin, for example, that will stand upright, you may need to brace body parts with wood. A sitting mannequin will not likely need wood bracing. Two-by-4 pieces of wood will work well if you must brace. The length of the wood will depend on the length of the mannequin body parts you make. Start with a wood-square base, then attach long pieces of wood to the base for the legs with “L” brackets, a screwdriver and screws. Attach another 2-by-4 across the top of the wood legs' braces to support the weight on the hips, then attach a 2-by-4 from the hip board up to the base of the neck. Secure the boards to one another with “L” brackets, screws and a screwdriver for solid support.

4. Add additional chicken wire around the wood braces, as needed, to conceal the wood beneath the mannequin form.

Papier Mache

1. Mix one part water with one part white glue in a bucket. You can use flour instead of glue, but the flour may eventually attract insects. The amount of papier-mache paste you need will depend on the size of your mannequin.

2. Shred newspaper into strips.

3. Saturate the newspaper pieces in the papier-mache paste and lay them on top of the chicken-wire form. Cover the entire mannequin form, head to foot, with at least two layers of papier mache. It is not necessary to allow each layer to dry before applying the next layer.

4. Allow the papier mache to completely dry. This may take up to a week, depending on room temperature, the amount of paste you used and the number of layers on your mannequin. Check each day for wet spots before you proceed.

5. Sand down any rough patches on the mannequin with a fine, 150- to 180-grit sandpaper by hand.

Complete

1. Paint your mannequin with acrylic paints and a paintbrush, starting with flesh tones first.

2. Paint details on your mannequin, including eyes, nose, mouth, fingernails and distinctive facial features.

3. Apply liquid latex to the head of your mannequin, as desired, with a makeup sponge. While the latex is still wet, apply strands of crepe hair to the latex to create a full head of hair, or facial hair, as desired.

4. Trim the crepe hair when the latex is dry with scissors.

5. Dress your mannequin with clothing, as desired.

Resources

• HGTV: How to Make a Papier Mache Dog Sculpture