ART ACTION TECHNIQUE NO 5:
Papier Mache Sculpture & Recycled Art INTRODUCTION This guide takes you step by step through the process of creating papier mache sculptures with young people. Mayfield Arts Newbury House uses this technique to enage young people in the creation of sculptures that communicate messages of importance to them. It is a fun and engaging process and we hope that you find this guide useful and inspiring!
MCAC ART ACTION TOOLBOX TECHNIQUE NO. 5
BEFORE YOU START! Plan where and how the work will be displayed. Will it be shown at an exhibition or event? Will it remain in a fixed location or need to be stored/taken apart after the exhibition? This is very important: you don’t want to spend time and energy creating wonderful sculptures that will never be seen by the public! Prepare by exploring possible themes with the group. At Mayfield Arts we use non-formal learning methods such as role-play, forum theatre and discussions to consider themes in more dept. Giving time for the group to critically reflect on what they learn supports them to come up with authentic messages that they want the public to hear. We also examine the work of other artists and previous youth art projects to consider how they get their messages across. This gives young poeple inspiration for ways they can visually express their own messages.
WHAT YOU NEED MATERIALS
Researching the theme: Resource images - printed or shown on a projector Computer Camera Printer Internet Paper Pencils and Markers Creating the sculptures: Recycled materials to create the shape (e.g. cardboard, toilet role tubes, plastic bottles, cans, newspapers etc) Blades/ Scissors Rolls of Masking Tape Lots of newspaper & magazines to build up the papier mache layers Lots of PVA glue - or a mixture of flour & water Paint Varnish if the sculptures will be shown outdoors.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE STEP 1: Exploring the Theme & Collecting Materials
Explore the chosen theme using creative activies such as theatre games and discussions with the group. Show the group example images that relate to the theme, and images of other youth art and sculpture projects that explored a similar theme. Encourage the group to research the theme themselves on the internet and in the library if this is possible. Pin down what exactly is the message they want to express through the sculptures and draw a visual plan. What will the final sculptures look like? How will you construct them? What recycled materials do you need to collect? Begin collecting the materials as soon as possible.
STEP 2: Building the Base Sculpture Shapes
You can cut out the shape from strong card or a similar material and tape more recycled materials to this cut-out. It might work best if the facilitator does this before the workshops because blades will be required and it is time consuming. It should act as a good base on which to build up the papier mache to create finer detail. Remind the group that they are working on a 3D object and that they need to pay attention to all dimesions of the sculpture. Does the shape look right from all angles?
STEP 3: Papier Mache
Tear the newspaper or magazines into thin strips and have plenty ready for every workshop. Shallow containers of PVA glue, and scissors will also be needed. A mixture of flour and water is a more eco-friendly alternative to PVA. If you are using PVA mix two parts glue to one part water. Demonstrate to the group how they can build up the sculpture in layers by dipping the newspaper strips into the glue and sticking it onto the sculpture. Once one layer is completed leave it to dry before applying a new layer. While one sculpture is drying the work can rotate to another sculpture and so on. Smooth lines and detail can be built up with the papier mache. The drawings for the finished sculptures and the resource images will be usefull when adding the final touches.
STEP 4: Painting, Varnishing & Exhibiting
Once the papier mache is finished and completely dry the group can begin painting. This might not be necessary if you have used magazines and want the collage effect to remain. You can also incorporate words with the text from newspapers and magazines into the collage. If the group does want to paint think about the different affects you can achieve with paint, and what message you want to express. Does the group want the sculptures to have a lot of fine detail? Do they want them to look abstract? Do they want to include slogans or words on the sculptures? If the sculptures are going to be shown outside you will need to varnish them to make sure they are weather-resistant. Think about where you will be exhibiting them. Is there enough space? Can the sculptures stand safely or will they need a support of some kind? People will want to walk around them and see them from all angles!