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EMMA LEITH

Author. Designer. Queen of Colour
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Penguin Paper Pet - 'Spotty'

How to make your Penguin Paper Pet

October 15, 2015

Welcome to your Paper Pet.  This tutorial is designed to take you through the process step by step.

In addition to the contents of your kit you will need a glass to hold your inflated balloon in position, a small bowl to mix some of the paste and a pair of scissors to cut the templates.

Placing the inflated ballon in the glass makes it much easier to handle once you start to apply the paper mache.  If you have some vaseline you can use this to cover the rim of the glass which helps stop the paper balloon sticking to the glass.  Don't worry if you don't have it as I didn't have any for this tutorial and everything was fine!

DSC_0434.jpg

Cut out your templates and put them to one side for later. 

Tear some old newspaper into small pieces.

Paper Pet tutorial. Paper on balloon

Mix a little of the paste with some water (about a teaspoon to 100ml water) and dip the news paper into the paste and cover the balloon. 

Paper Pet tutorial - finished balloon

It's a good idea to build up at least 5 layers of paper all over your balloon so that it is nice and solid once it's dried.  The thicker the layers the longer it will take to dry BUT the easier it will be to apply the templates!

Now you need to let all of this dry.  This can take several days depending upon where it is placed and how many layers there are.

Stage 2  - Fixing the templates to the body

Once your balloon is completely dry the next step is to apply the templates to the body by fixing them in place using the self adhesive tabs.

Penguin Paper Pet tutorial - templates

Cut your self adhesive tabs into strips. 

Penguin Paper Pet Tutorial folding template

Begin with the feet and tail template by folding along the dotted line.

Penguin Paper Pet tutorial - template for tail

Using a self adhesive tab stick the tail together as shown

Penguin Paper Pet tutorial positioning body to base

Notice how the paper can appear a bit wrinkly once it's dried.  this is completely normal and will disappear once you have applied more layers of paper mache to the model.

Position the body onto the feet and tail template making sure the tail rests against the base of the balloon body.  

Notice the fat end of the balloon forms the base of the body.

Penguin Paper Pet - positioning body onto tail template

Gently.....GENTLY (!) press the body onto the feet and tail template so that the balloon very slightly flattens.  This helps the penguin stand up straight (although there is nothing wrong with a wonky penguin!) 

Penguin Paper Pet - Fixing the tail to the base of the balloon

Fix the tail and feet template into position using long strips of the adhesive tabs.

Penguin Paper Pet tutorial - making the beak

Next you need to take the beak template and join A to B.  Try to avoid folding it with a crease.

Penguin Paper Pet - shaping the beak template

Secure A to B using the adhesive tabs.

Penguin Paper Pet - beak on finger

See how the two edges are joined creating a curved beak template. 

Penguin Paper Pet Tutorial fixing the beak onto the body

Using the adhesive tabs, fix the beak to the ballon to create the head.

Penguin Paper Pet Tutorial Fixing the Wings onto the body

Poor Penguin....he looks like he's all bandaged up!

DSC_0468.jpg

Dip strips of news paper into the paste and paper over the templates.

If the body part gets too wet from the freshly applied paste you may find it goes soft and collapses slightly under your fingers.  If this happens stop what you are doing and allow the model to dry before continuing.  

Penguin Paper Pet tutorial - use long strips to secure the template

Use long strips of newspaper dipped into paste to secure the templates to the body.

Penguin Paper Pet tutorial - securing the feet to the body

Apply the long strips of pasted paper across the feet and up onto the body.

Penguin Paper Pet tutorial - papering under the wing.

Careful lift the wings and apply pasted paper to the underside fixing the wing template to the body.  You can use a wire rack to sit the paper pet on whilst it dries. 

Penguin Paper Pet Tutorial - completely covered in new paper

Keep layering the paper mache over the model building it up bit by bit and then allow it to completely dry before continuing onto the final stage.  This may take several days.

Step 3 - Applying the finishing paper

Paper pet tutorial - penguin - applying finishing paper

The final part of the papier mache process is to apply the white finishing paper.  Tear small pieces and, as before, dip them into the paste and apply to your paper pet.  Using your fingers, gently smooth each piece of finishing paper to ensure an even finish.  This helps make the final coat neat and tidy ready for painting.

Paper pet tutorial - penguin - ready to paint

Once an even coat of finishing paper had been applied to you paper pet and you are happy that all the news paper has been covered, set it aside to dry.  This will take at least 24 hours.  

Once dry your Paper Pet is ready to decorate!  You can use the paints provided as well as experiment with other paints, glitters, feathers, paper etc.....have fun and get creative!  




In Papier Mache Tags Paper Pet, penguin paper pet
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