How to Make a Painted Volcano

Make your volcano project look real by painting it.

When you make a papier mache volcano project for school, the volcano can appear drab if you leave the papier mache visible. One way to make the volcano more colorful and realistic is to paint it to resemble a real volcano. Once the papier mache volcano is painted, you can also add items for texture to make the volcano look even more realistic, such as real moss and soil.

Things You'll Need

• Papier mache pulp
• Bowl
• Newspaper
• Masking tape
• Cardboard
• Acrylic paint, colored
• 2 paintbrushes
• Craft glue
• Moss
• Soil
• Acrylic glaze, clear

Instructions

1. Combine 4 cups of papier mache pulp and 4 cups of hot water into a bowl. Stir the mixture for 1 minute, then allow the it to sit for 30 minuets to cool and congeal.

2. Crumple newspaper into a volcano form, then tape the form onto a sheet of cardboard using masking tape. Cover the volcano form and the cardboard with the paiper mache pulp, then allow it to dry and harden for 3 hours.

3. Paint the cardboard base with green acrylic paint, then allow the paint to dry for 20 minutes.

4. Paint the bottom third of the volcano with a layer of brown acrylic paint and allow it to dry for 20 minutes.

5. Paint the top two thirds of the volcano with light brown paint and allow it to dry for 20 minutes.

6. Paint the top of third of the volcano with white acrylic paint and allow it to dry for 20 minutes.

7. Paint a thin layer of craft glue over the cardboard base and press dried moss onto it. Let the glue dry for 15 minutes. The moss will resemble trees and bushes at the base of the volcano.

8. Paint the bottom third of the volcano with a thin layer of craft glue, then sprinkle soil over it. Allow the glue to dry for 15 minutes. The soil will make the volcano appear more realistic.

9. Paint the top two thirds of the volcano using clear acrylic glaze and allow it to dry for 20 minutes. The glaze will make the top of the mountain look shiny like stone.