How to Make Tiny Paper Mache Dogs

Book excerpt: The author makes it easy for you to create a tiny paper mache dog of your own. You only need a few basic tools and some materials that you may already have lying around the house. The only thing you may need to purchase is a few feet of aluminum wire for the armature -- or use some wire you alredy have on hand. First, choose a pattern from the 27 breeds included in the book. Then build your armature by bending the wires, using the pattern for a guide. This makes sure that your finished sculpture will have the right proportions for your breed. Add a few bits of crumpled aluminum foil to round out the forms, with the pattern guiding you, and then twist and bend your little dog into any position you desire. With these simple steps it's easy to create a lively original sculpture of your own design. When your armature is finished, the author shows you how to make the two layers of paper mache as smooth as you want it to be. You can add wrinkles, fur, happy mouths and other details after the paper mache is dry. If you would like to paint your dog, you can use the author's recipe for an inexpensive home-made gesso to add interesting textures. Then the author gives you suggestions for painting your sculpture, including an easy way to paint brindled spots, how to give an all-white dog an interesting coat, how to emphasize heavily-textured fur with acrylic glazing liquid, and more. The author is a well-known paper mache artist who has written several popular books on the subject. She also writes tutorials and creates videos for her blog, at UltimatePaperMache.com.