Papier-mache is a plastic mass made of paper or cardboard with the addition of adhesives, which is easily molded. From papier-mache, you can form various toys, dolls, geometric shapes and much more. Today we will try to make an African mask from this paper mass. But first you need to properly prepare the papier-mache.
It is done as follows.

How to make papier-mache?

We take the newsprint and tear it into small pieces. You can also cut up unnecessary cardboard. We put all the cut pieces in a metal container, fill it with water and put it to cook on the stove. Cook until the paper is boiled to a liquid pulp. At the same time, do not forget to constantly stir the brew.

Then, in four parts of water, we will boil one part of the bone glue (ask your parents in advance to buy you all the necessary ingredients for the work). As a result, we should get a sticky mass. One part of this sticky mass should be added to the four parts of the boiled paper. Before this, the paper must be filtered through a fine sieve, removing excess water.

Next, add to the resulting mixture one part of the chalk in powder (you can grate the usual hard chalk) and one part of the gypsum. By the way, the adhesive mass obtained from bone glue can be replaced with liquid glass. This will significantly speed up the production of the molding mass.

African Mask

First, from the model clay, you need to mold the shape of the mask, the so-called base. The mask can be very different and fantastic shapes. Then we cover the clay mask with a thin cellophane soaked in water. Now we apply a layer of a mushy papier-mache mixture with a thickness of one centimeter on top. Next, we form the mask in the same way as we formed the clay base.

In the upper part of the still not frozen mixture, insert a small wire eye. For it, we will then hang the mask for drying. The mask is made of papier-mâché needs to dry for a few days. After it dries well, you can start painting the mask.

The product can be painted with tempera (this is a water-based paint). Then the mask should be covered with a colorless varnish. But if you want, you can not paint the mask, but immediately cover it with a colorless varnish. Then it will take the form of polished granite.

In the same way, you can make masks of any animals.

And also make a papier-mache doll or toy.