Papier-mâché
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Papier-mâché (French for 'chewed-up paper' because of its appearance), sometimes called paper-maché, is a construction material that consists of pieces of paper, sometimes reinforced with textiles, stuck together using a wet paste (e.g., glue, starch, or wallpaper adhesive). The crafted object becomes solid when the paste dries.
A form of papier-mâché had existed in China for hundreds of years until a much stronger version (including glue) was patented by Henry Clay of Birmingham England in 1702. It was a common technique for making dolls in the 19th century, before plastics became available. Piñatas are an example, as is one of the papal tiaras. Constructing papier-mâché is a common craft used to entertain children.
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[edit] Russian papier-mâché
An example of a handpainted papier-mâché Russian lacquer box from Fedoskino [1]. In Russia a variety of utilitarian as well as decorative objects have been fashioned from papier-mâché since the late 18th century. These items include wall plaques, trays, boxes, salt cellars, desk sets and paper knives, storage jars for tea and tobacco, album covers, beads cases, bracelets, and brooches.
After the entire surface of the finished blank has been sanded smooth, several coats of black lacquer are applied to each article. It is then given to the artists for decoration. Highly complex and finely detailed miniature scenes are painted onto even the smallest black lacquered object. Russian lacquer art on papier-mâché has flourished for well over 200 years and has achieved the transition from folk art to fine art.
[edit] Paper boats
Papier-mâché was one of the first composite materials and, using the right techniques, it can build surprisingly strong structures. One common item made in the 1800s in America was the paper canoe. The invention of the continuous sheet paper machine allows paper sheets to be made of any length, and this made an ideal material for building a seamless boat hull. The paper of the time was significantly stretchier than modern paper, especially when damp, and this was used to good effect in the manufacture of paper boats. A layer of thick, dampened paper was placed over a hull mold and tacked down at the edges. A layer of glue was added, allowed to dry, and sanded down. Additional layers of paper and glue could be added to achieve the desired thickness, and cloth could be added as well to provide additional strength and stiffness. The final product was trimmed, reinforced with wooden strips at the keel and gunwales to provide stiffness, and waterproofed. Paper racing shells were highly competitive during the late 1800s. Unfortunately, few examples of paper boats survived. One of the best known paper boats was the canoe the "Maria Theresa," used by Nathaniel Holmes Bishop to travel from New York to Florida in 1874–1875. An account of his travels was published in the book "Voyage of the Paper Canoe."
[edit] Paste
Papier-mâché paste is the substance that holds the paper together. The traditional method of making papier-mâché paste is to add one part water to one part flour. Some artists prefer to boil the paste, saying that it makes the consistency smoother. Water to flour ratio is changed to five parts water to one part flour in this case. Other artists use a three to one or a one to one ratio of water and Polyvinyl acetate wood glue. Still others say that starch makes a fine paste.
Adding a dash of cinnamon to the mixture gives the paste a pleasant smell; adding a dash of salt and sugar reduces the chances of the product developing mold.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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- Papier maché italian artists.
- A history of paper boats.
- Voyage of the Paper Canoe, by Nathaniel Holmes Bishop, complete e-text at Project Gutenburg
- The Papier Mache Resource A community driven papier mache site - tutorials, articles, user galleries and a forum.
- Cartuna gallery, laminated paper (papier mache) sculptures by artist Steven F. Wirtzde:Pappmaché
es:Papel maché fr:Papier mâché it:Cartapesta he:עיסת נייר nl:Papier-maché ja:張り子 pl:Papier-mâché pt:Papel machê ru:Папье-маше sv:Papier-maché
