Folk Art Pig-Part 9-Tip of the Day-Photos

Square jaw needs correcting.  Photo 1.

Today I am blogging about a repair I needed to make to my folk art pig.  When making the lower jaw for the pig I did not have the shape of the jaw quite right when I made the armature.  The cardboard armature should have been more rounded.  As I added more layers of paper maché to the jaw, it exaggerated the original error.  The edge of the jaw developed some very square edges.  I finally decided I just could not live with it.  So I took the time to make the correction.

Layers of paper mache. Photo 2.

 

I used a craft knife to cut the square edges back to a point where I could reshape the area.  I cut on both the right and left sides of the jaw.  The second photo shows one of the holes.  It also gives you a cross section view of how many layers of paper maché have been used to create the jaw. 

Once I had the hole smoothed out, I placed a scrap of poster board up to the whole and traced around the edge.  Next I cut out the tracing, leaving a small border. (Photo 3)

The cardboard was taped over the hole with masking tape.  (Photo 4)  After that I covered the area with paper maché. 

Repair patch. Photo 3.

Taped patch.  Photo 4.

Since I had a small batch of paper maché mixed up, I decided to begin work on the eyes.  The eye ball is a one inch diameter Styrofoam ball cut in half and covered with paper maché.   The eye ball by itself makes me think of an alligator’s eyes.  (Photo 5) The eyes don’t start to take shape until some more structure is added.  I built up the brow ridge and the cheek bone beneath the eye with small bits of rolled up newsprint and tape.  (Photo 6)  At the point photo 6 was taken, there were more layers of tap on the pig’s right eye (his right) than on the left.  Building up the layers is a process and I wanted to show how a single layer can make a difference.   In later layers I will add they eye lid.  At the moment the pig looks a little googlie eyed, but that is really just an optical illusion created by variations in the darkness of the news print.  The eye balls are actually aligned.  At the moment, the pig seems a little fierce but additional work on the eye will make his expression a little more complacent.  I’ll post more pictures of the eye as things go along.

I don’t think the pig will actually look like a pig until it gets ears and a tail.  However they will be the last items added as they are the most fragile pieces.

Next blog, I will be adding legs to the folk art pig.

Styrofoam ball eyes. Photo 5

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Tip of the Day:  Layers of Paper Maché

When laying down layers of paper maché it is usually best to add two layers then allow it to dry completely before adding more layers.  Two layers will usually dry completely overnight.  You can add more layers, but it will take longer to dry.  If too many layers are added at one time, there is a possibility that mold can set in before the layers are dry.  Mold will destroy a paper maché piece.  Once mold gets started it will continue to eat its way through multiple layers of paper.  The color of the mold can bleed through paint.

Built up ridges. Photo 6.

There is some hope of salvaging a piece that has mold growing on it.  One method would be to cut out the moldy piece and replace it with new paper maché.  At times starting with completely new paper maché is really not feasible.  I have treated a moldy area by wiping the mold off the area and scraping off the top layer or two. (Make sure to wear gloves and mask while doing this!)  Then I saturated the layers with 91% rubbing alcohol.  Next I set the item in front of a fan and left it with the fan blowing on it until the area was completely dry.  It worked.  I did not have to scrap the item and start over.  All in all, it is better to add only a layer or two at the most in one sitting and to let it dry than to try to deal with the mold afterwards.  

Folk Art Pig-Part 8-Photos

The armature of the folk art pig is almost finished.  I still have to add the legs, but I wanted to do a little of the detail of the head before I added them.  Today I added a cranial cap to the pig's head to improve the shape of the head.  I used pieces of a tissue box to make the strips rather than using more poster board.  The strips I needed were fairly short and the tissue box was just about the right size.  I like to use recycled materials in a project when I can.  Poster board is not very expensive, but every little bit of savings helps.

The strips are covered with masking tape to help waterproof them before being covered with paper mache.  The poster board had a glossy coating on both sides.  The tissue box cardboard was only glossy on one side.  I figured a little extra protection would not hurt.  The strips were woven together with the basket weave pattern that I have used throughout the project.  Then another layer of masking tape was added on top to help the cap keep it's shape.  The cap was then covered with a couple layers of paper mache.

I was getting ready to start working on the snout, when one of those "What if?" questions set in.  At this point the torso of the folk art pig is sealed with several layers of poster board and paper mache.  I started thinking about the folk art pig being a burner project.  What if some of ignition point of some of the materials is lower than others?  What if the sealed torso of the pig starts filling up with smoke from smoldering materials and becomes pressurized.  What if it explodes?  It really is not my intention to shower the people at the burn with flaming bits of pig.  So before I sealed the snout, I used a long knitting needle to reach through the head and poke several holes in the sealed compartment of the torso.  Any smoke or gasses building up would vent out through
 the nose of the pig.

Maybe that sounds a little paranoid, so I will add something in my defense here.  I have seen char cloth made.  Char cloth was used as tender for starting fires in earlier times.  To make char cloth cotton cloth is places in a can and sealed.  Holes are poked in the can to allow the gasses to vent.  The can is placed in a fire.  The cotton in the can is heated and smoke comes jetting out of the vents in the can.  Eventually the smoke subsides and it is time to remove the can from the fire.  The cotton cloth has turned to charcoal.  It is a very thin piece and dry.  Kept in a dry place it can be used to start a fire with the faintest spark from a flint and steel.  You would be amazed at how much smoke was out gassed from even a relatively small piece of cloth.

Anyway, once the front plate for the nose was taped on, I drew nostrils and cut them out.   The photo above shows the snout with one nostril cut out and one nostril not cut yet.    Then all of that was covered with more layers of paper mache.

The added layers of paper mache ended up making the lower jaw a bit too squarish.  My next blog will show how I corrected that section of the jaw.

Folk Art Pig-Part 7-Tip of the Day-Photos

Last blog post I showed the creation of the head of the folk art pig.  I have added a couple of layers of paper mache since then.  Today's post shows the development of the lower jaw.

 The first photo shows the basket weave of the underside of the head.  All of the basket weave was covered with a couple of layers of paper mache.  The snout is still open at this point.
I needed the jaw to have a little depth so I folded pieces of corrugated cardboard to form rectangles to act as spacers.  I used a piece of recycled cardboard from a tissue box to form the shape of the jaw.  The cardboard rectangles  were taped to the underside of the tissue box.  Then the whole piece was taped to the underside of the jaw and covered with a liberal layer of tape.  Afterwards, this area was covered with paper mache also.

Tip of the Day:  Giving strength to paper mache.

Newsprint paper has a grain just as fabric and wood has a grain.  You can make your project stronger by alternating the direction of the papers as you lay them.  Lay the paper with the grain going in one one direction in one layer and the paper crosswise to it in the next layer.  This helps to prevent sagging or tearing and helps prevent damage from going too deeply once the layers are dry.

Folk Art Pig-Armature Part 6-Photos

I am still working on the armature for my folk art pit.  Last blog post I left off at the ring that supports the highest part of the skull and neck.  From that point, I created a series of rings of descending size.  These were made and reinforced in the same manner as I described in the section about the first ring.  Each ring was secured to the previous ring with masking tape. (Just a reminder: the challenge was to create this piece without any wire or metal because it is a burner project and I don't want any parts or pieces left behind.  If you are a new reader and don't know about the burner project part, check back to the first post on the folk art pig for the explanation.)

Once the rings were taped into place I added strips of poster board running the length of the rings.  The poster board strips were secured by masking tape at the snout and along the forehead and shoulders.  When all the strips were in place, I used more strips woven in crosswise to give a firm support to the folk art pig's head.  The face was fully woven top and bottom to form a firm support for the paper mache layers.

Underside of the armature.

Some people may wonder why I did not just make a cone to support the face.  I considered it, but I did not thing it would look right in the long run.  A pig's face is not a cone except at the snout.  The rest of the face is a series of planes.  The strips will rest on the rings as the paper layers are added giving a more natural shape to the face.  At this point the snout is left open.  I need to get a few layers of paper on before I start working on the detail.

I'm guessing at this point a lot of people are wondering if this is going to work out.  I just want to remind people that this is only the foundation for what is to come.  The detail is what makes the difference. I have to have a firm foundation before I can get on to the rest of it.  Keep checking back.  Once the foundation is complete the
rest will go very quickly.

This part of the armature shown today forms the top of the head.  Next post I will show how I made the lower jaw.  It is shaped in a different manner from the top of the head.

Folk Art Pig-Armature Part 5-Photos-Tip of the Day

In my last blog post I left off with the beginnings of the bracing for the head.  The first photo is a side view of the blocking.  It is made from stacked pieces of corrugated cardboard held together with masking tape. I did the blocking in sections so I could add on to it until I felt the height looked right.

The second photo is a ring of poster board that will be mounted on the blocking.  I experimented with the size of the ring until it had a nice proportion to the body.  Once the size was determined, I gave the outer edge of the ring some extra support with strips of poster board.  Then I covered the entire ring with masking tape.  This ring will form the highest point of the skull and the neck of the folk art pig.

After the ring was taped in place, I began adding poster board strips and taping them to the back.  Once those strips were taped I added more strips cross wise in a basket weave to form the neck.  This area needs to be very strong because it will be the main support for the rest of the head.

Tip of the Day: Using the Right Type of Glue.

You need to have the right type of glue for the job at hand.  Read the recommended usages on the label  to make sure that your glue will work for the type of material in your projects.

 You also have to be aware of the level of toxicity of your glue.  Glues labeled ASTM-4236 are considered to be non-toxic if used as directed. Some glues must be used only in a well ventilated area.  Other glue types may be known carcinogens and really ought to only be used outdoors or while wearing a respirator.  Quick drying glues can glue your fingers together if you are not careful.

For this project I used a PVA (polyvinyl acetate) general purpose white glue.  It is a glue labeled ASTM-4236.  When this glue dries it gives a thin layer of waterproofing, which is ideal for this project.  On this type of  project make sure to use glue labeled multi-purpose or general purpose glue.  Some white glue is labeled as School Glue.  School Glue is not waterproof.  It is designed to wash out of clothing. 

Correction on Armature of the Folk Pig.

The front of the basket was previously open to allow supports.

One of yesterdays photos was incorrectly described as the back of the basket.  Actually, this was the front of the basket that had been woven on after I braced the object.  It was an easy mistake to make as they looked the same.  I'm making the correction in the event that someone is inspired  to try to make one of these on their own.

After the internal supports were in place, strips were taped to the front of the basket and woven in the same manner as the rear of the basket.  They needed to be there to be some support for the head and for future parts of the armature that will represent the musculature of the pig.  Once the front of the basket was woven in place, I covered the whole structure with newsprint and glue as described in my last blog post. Then the block support for the head was created and taped into place as explained in yesterday's post.

Folk Art Pig - Armature Part 4-Photos

In my last blog post I left off with showing a side view of the basket armature for the body of my folk art pig. Today's first photo is a picture of the end of the basket which has been woven and taped.  I did not need a lot of strength in this section of the armature so only some of the strips were woven.  The rest were taped with masking tape.


The ribs were a little more flexible than I would have liked.  The weight of the poster board strips was causing the ribs to flatten a little more than I had expected.  I decided to add some internal supports as well.  Ordinarily I would have used pieces of dowel or some sticks left over from my walking stick projects.  (See my previous posts on making walking sticks.)  However, we were still without power due to the storm.  I could have sawed the dowel by hand, but it was 103 degrees Fahrenheit outside.  So I decided to use what I had on hand in the studio.  I taped together some craft sticks left over from a project.  It doesn't look very neat but it gets the job done.  If you have every jury rigged something from bits and parts and finally proclaimed "There, I've fixed it!" you will know what I mean.  (If you have time and want to see some amusing do-it-yourself repairs visit http://thereifixedit.failblog.org/ )  The supports worked fine.  They really only need to last until I have enough layers of paper mache that the structure becomes rigid.  Ultimately, I  added cross bracing to the first two ribs to make sure I had enough support for the head.  I did not get a picture of the cross braces.

I covered the basket with two layers of newsprint using only PVA white glue in order to ensure that the armature was waterproof enough to withstand the layers of flour paste.  The poster board I used to make the armature has a slight sheen to it, but given the amount of moisture in the flour paste I did not think it would hold up well without further protection. Later layers would be flour paste with small amounts of glue added.  With each successive layer I am reducing the glue until I am working with straight flour paste.

The glue works as a hardener for the flour paste but it has some drawbacks as well.  For one thing, masking tape does not adhere well the glue/paste mixture.  It is like trying to stick tape on Teflon!  I have more taping to do on this project so I need to have a surface that the tape will stick to without a lot of trouble.  When it comes to painting, acrylic gesso will stick to the glue/paste mixture but home made gesso will not.  I am planning to use acrylic gesso, but why cause myself potential headaches by using glue/flour paste all the way through.  Another consideration is that using glue can also make the piece harder to sand.


The squarish block on top of the armature is the support for the head.  It is made of stacked pieces of cardboard covered with masking tape.  I will have more pictures of this support and the building of the head in my next blog post.

Folk Art Pig Armature Part 2- Photo

A note for first time blog readers:  I am making this folk art pig for a burner art project.  That means the  intent of this project is to create a piece of art that will be burned eventually.  (See previous posts to read more on burner events.)  Due to the nature of the project, the armature is being developed without using metal or wire.  This accounts for the unusual armature for this piece of folk art.

Last blog post I showed how I made the ribs that will form part of the internal support for the piece.  This post shows the actual development of the armature.  I held the slightly flexible ribs together with a strip of poster board.  The first strip was taped to the table with masking tape to help the ribs stand upright.  Once they were upright, I taped a another strip of poster board to the top so the ribs were held in place.

Once the ribs were attached top and bottom I used strips of poster board to weave a basket using the common over and under method of weaving.  Anyone who has ever made a potholder on a loom will know what I mean.  I was able to remove the tape that was holding the ribs to the table once a few strips were woven.  After weaving each strip I would tape the strip either lengthwise or crosswise at each rib.  Every five strips, I criss-crossed the strips with tape between each rib to give the strips some extra support.  This will help hold the weight of the paper mache later in the project.  I continued weaving until I had a basket opened at one end. The other end was woven together and taped closed to form a rounded shape.  Guess which end of the pig that is going to be.

I will end the post here for today.  I also wanted to add a tip of the day related to this section of the armature.

Tip of the Day:  Not all masking tape is equal.  Know which type of masking tape you need for your project.  There are low tack, low residue masking tapes used by artists and house painters.  There are also heavy duty masking tapes for other projects that need more hold.  When making an armature, you want to make sure you have heavy duty tape.  Lower tack tapes will not hold and eventually will start to separate from the poster board.

Developing an Armature for Folk Art Pig-First Photos

I mentioned in my last blog that I was making this folk art pig for a burner event and that I had added a few challenges for myself.  One of the challenges was that I did not want to use any wire or metal in the construction of this project.  The main reason for choosing to construct without metal is because when the object is burned, bits of metal and wire will be left behind.  At best, that is a dirty, ashy clean up.  At worst, some of the metal is missed and someone could step on it and get hurt.  I know that where the burn will take place children play in the yard in bare feet or flip flops.  So I decided to do without any metal or wire of any kind.  It adds a degree of difficulty to the project due to its size.  However, art is all about solving problems and I've come up with solutions to the problem.

For a project of this size I needed a substantial armature. Ordinarily I would use chicken wire or hardware cloth.  The armature needed to be able to hold the substantial weight of the pig and it needed to be waterproof enough that it would not break down from the moisture of the paper mache.  The body of a pig is somewhat barrel shaped so that is where I started.  My first attempt, making a barrel shape from poster board did not go well, so there is no photo of that.  I realized that it needed some internal support.  So my photos start with making the ribs for internal supports.

Pigs are not exactly round, but I needed to start round and make ribs that had enough give to them that they would flatten slightly to an oval shape.  I first made a round template the size I wanted the body of the pig (twelve inches). I used a large protractor, but could also have traced around a plate or used a string and pin.  There are always a number of ways to accomplish a task.

Since this is a burner project, I didn't want to spend a lot of time measuring.  I cut strips of poster board the width of the yard stick. I joined pieces together with masking tape to make them long enough to wrap around the circle.  To make the rib strong enough to support the weight I wrapped strips around four times and then covered them with masking tape.  The masking tape adds another layer of support and also adds some waterproofing to the ribs. I made five ribs in all.

I don't want to make this post too long or add so many photos that it is hard to load, so I will stop here for today.  Next blog will show the next phase of developing the armature.

Beginning a New Folk Art Project

Dear Readers,

I am sorry that it has taken several days to make a new blog post.  I just wanted to let my readers know that I will be back to blogging regularly in just a few days.  Due to the severe storms that hit the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, I have been without electricity since June 30th.  Power is not expected to be restored until somewhere between July 8th and 10th.  I have started a new folk art project but the pictures are on a different computer and I don't have access to them at this time.  Fortunately, we were not injured and our home was not damaged during the severe storms and the two tornadoes that came through the area.   It is just a matter of waiting for the electricity to be restored.

I thought I'd blog about the beginnings of the project even though I cannot post photos.  I will be making an almost life size folk art hog.  This project got started because I was sitting around a campfire with some friends.  Our friends had other friends that had been to Burning Man.  (If you don't know about Burning Man,  do a web search.  You will be amazed.)  My husband and I have not been to Burning Man, but we have been to several regional burns.  The conversation turned to the concept of creating art and burning it at one of the events.  We were explaining that the concept of burning the art was supposed to be experiential and that you either had to be there to see the art or never have the opportunity to see it. 

Well, one thing led to another and our friends proposed that we have a small burn.  Since we only have a decent size fire pit to burn in, we set the size for our projects somewhat smaller than what you would see at a real event.  And the event is only open to the people who own the properties and personal friends.  It is not open to the public.  So that is how this all got started.

Because of associations with the origins and name of the property we will be doing the burn on, I decided that a life size hog made of paper mache would be in order.  So that is where I started.  I will be documenting the building of this art project on the blog from start to finish.  I also added some further challenges to the project which I will tell you about on my next post.