MASS PAPER MACHE ARMATURE PRODUCTION USING PLASTER MOULDS PART 1

One of my several paper mache projects designated as ‘future projects’ are a series of small & large water features. The projects will be ‘indoor based’ & will contain ‘real’ flowing water as part of the final project(s). One particular project requires a small group of dolphins to be created. Apart from the obvious factor (the dolphins need to appear in their own pose) I also require at least five to six dolphins to make the piece more pleasing to the eye. In actual fact I can simply use two dolphin forms which I can then simply pose in a different position & altering each of the dolphin’s fins accordingly. I can achieve this by simply creating one dolphin swimming in a down ward pose & the other swimming in an up ward pose. I still however have to reproduce five to six actual dolphins to begin with.

To save time during the armature & final creation stage & be sure that each separate dolphin matches general uniformity (size & shape) with the least difficulty during their creation I propose to create two separate plaster castings from positive moulds (two halves of each dolphin formed from two half mould forms). Not having any ready made pre-bought dolphin figurines to cast from I then need to create my own. By creating my own I can then not only reproduce them in the sizes I require but also in the body positions I require too.

Here is how I went about creating the actual dolphin torso armatures prior to the actual plaster moulding:

STEP 1: To begin with I drew some simple dolphin forms on paper.



STEP 2: I then transferred these to stiff card.



STEP 3: I then simply cut the two dolphin shapes out from the card.

STEP 4: Next I covered the card forms in compacted foil to bulk out the 2D form into a 3D form. I then gave these armatures a few layers of paper strips. This will vary from each person’s projects in accordance to project size & the paper they use. Also HOW they intend to smooth out the final layers of paper. I will be gently hand sanding down each form prior to plaster moulding them.

This is as far as this project has currently gone to date. I shall post more on tis project as it develops.