How to: Papier-Mache Hawks
When you are trying to grow your own fruit and vegetable garden, you may become frustrated by all the small animals and birds that try to eat your produce. One possible solution is to put out a decoy of a predatory bird, deterring smaller pests. Instead of buying a pre-made decoy, make your own hawk using papier-mâché.
Things You'll Need
- Large balloon
- Small balloon
- Masking tape
- Cardboard
- Scissors
- Chenille sticks
- Bowl
- Flour
- Salt
- Acrylic paint, colored
- Paintbrush
- Waterproof acrylic glaze, clear
Instructions
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1
Inflate a large and a small balloon, and knot the openings. Tape the smaller balloon onto the end of the larger balloon using masking tape.
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2
Cut out a 3-inch triangle from cardboard using scissors and bend the tip of the triangle so that it curves like a hawk's beak. Tape the beak onto the end of the smaller balloon using masking tape.
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3
Tape two chenille sticks onto the bottom of the larger balloon using masking tape. Bend the chenille sticks to look like a hawk's legs and feet.
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4
Combine 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of salt and 2 cups of water in a bowl. Mix the ingredients with a spoon for 1 minute to combine them completely.
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5
Cut newspaper into strips that each measure 2 inches wide by 6 inches long. Dip the strips, one at a time, into the flour mixture and lay them over the hawk form. Cover the hawk form with six to eight layers of coated strips. Let the hawk form dry for 6 hours.
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6
Paint the papier-mâché hawk using brown, tan and white acrylic paint. Paint the bottom of the hawk using lighter colors of paint and apply the darker colors of paint onto the top of the hawk. This will make it look more realistic. Allow the paint to dry for 20 minutes.
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7
Apply a thick layer of clear waterproof acrylic glaze over the papier-mâché hawk. This will protect the paint and ready the hawk for outdoor use. Let the glaze dry for 30 minutes.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
