Update on the Carousel Project

I have made some progress on the carousel project, but unfortunately it is not very visible.  As I blogged last time, I was making a decision about what material to use for the pole that runs through the animal.  I had to decide whether to use brass rods or bamboo.  After digging through my box of bits and parts, I found the brass rods. 

A few minutes of experimenting showed me that the bamboo rod in such a small diameter was too flexible and could break at some point.  I had suspected that might be the case.  I have made dolls that had 3/8 inch dowels as part of the support and found that they dowels were not sturdy enough supports.  While the menagerie animals will be on a platform, and would not necessarily be handled by the pole, it is not worth the risk of having it break at some point and ruin the piece.

And, that's when the good new/bad news cycle started.  It went like this:  The good news:  I have the brass rods.  The bad news:  I don't have enough brass rods to complete the project.  The good news:  I remember that my husband had borrowed a rod for one of his projects and may have some leftover.  The bad news:  He doesn't remember what he did with the rods.  The good news:  He finds the rod, and two others as well.  (More bits and parts successfully transferred from his pile to mine.)  The bad news:  I'm out of metal cutting wheels for the Dremel tool.  The good news:  I find time (during an extra busy week) to go to the hardware store and by more cutting wheels.  The bad news:  That's as much as I've been able to do on the project this week.

So there you have it.  The good news is that today I'm home and able to work on the project.  I plan to cut the brass rods and drill the holes for them.  After that, I can get to the point I've been waiting for:  painting the figures.

Carousel Part 10-A Milestone Reached-Pictures

Sanded and coated with gesso.

I have reached a milestone in the carousel project.  All of the animals have been sanded and covered with a layer of gesso in preparation for painting.  I did end up sanding in my studio because it has just been too rainy and cold to get outside and do it.  The menagerie animals took several hours to sand.  You might not have thought it would take so long, but often my "sanding block" was a 1/4 inch wide craft stick with the sanding paper taped to it with masking tape.  (The tape was doubled over to make it sticky on both sides.)

Covered in paper mache'.

Paper mache' is not that easy to sand.  The multiple layers make for many bumps and crevices.  Unless you have many layers of paper mache', it is not easy to get a smooth finish.  These little animals only have a couple of layers.  If I had added more layers the figures would have been too bulky in the legs.  So the animals are not as smooth as I would have liked them to be, but they are as smooth as I could get them under the circumstances.

Armature covered with masking tape.

Readers, I can't tell you how much I wanted to have a picture of a fully painted animal to show you today.  However, before I begin to paint, there is one more step that must be taken.  I need to make a decision about the pole that will run through the animal.  The animals are so small, I only have a few options.  I have some small brass rods that I had purchased for another project and did not use.  I also have some smaller bamboo skewers that would be the right size.  I will have to go through my stash of parts and try to find the brass rods and see which option looks the best.  The holes need to be drilled through the menagerie animals before I begin to paint them, then the gesso layer will be repaired before the actual painting begins.

From the pictures today you can see the progress on the piece.

Carousel Update

Update:  I had blogged last week that I had forgotten to put paper mache' on the tails of the giraffe and camel.  These pieces were separate from the animal bodies because it would be easier to paint them.  The paper mache' is now complete on those parts.  I don't have any pictures of the tails at this point.

I have yet to sand the menagerie animals.  It has been really cold and yesterday we had rain.  I was hoping to do the sanding outside, so it would not be so much to clean up in the studio.  I guess I'm going to have to give in and sand inside if  want to move the project forward.

Carousel-Part 9- Paper Mache'

The menagerie animals are covered with two layers of paper mache'.  Covered that is, except for  the tails.  To may annoyance, I forgot to put the paper mache' on the tails for the giraffe and the camel, which I crafted as separate pieces.I guess I will do that today.  I was hoping to go outside and sand the pieces today, but at the moment it is twenty-seven degrees (Fahrenheit) with a stiff breeze blowing.  I think I'll wait until it warms  up this afternoon.

This part of the project can be discouraging.  The creatures are lumpy, and covered with readable print.  It is easy to get discouraged at this point.  However, this is a major turning point in the project, and things will begin to change dramatically very quickly.  Once the pieces are sanded, the painting begins, and the menagerie animals will begin to reveal themselves.

Armatures for Paper Mache' and Carousel Update

Update on the Carousel Project:  

Cat armature before paper mache'.

The menagerie animals for the carousel have received the first layer of paper mache'.  They don't look all that different from the last photos, so I did not take any new pictures.  As usual when I begin the first layer I kept reminding myself that the first layer just has to get on and stick.  At this point it is not about shape, it is about creating a foundation for the later layers.  The first layer is the most difficult because it wants to slip and slide against the armature.  It is this layer that generally leaves me questioning my sanity and why I ever wanted to start the project in the first place.  However, the layer is on, and drying nicely.  The next layers will go on much easier.

I will be adding another layer today.  After that, the menagerie animals will get one more layer, then be ready for sanding and painting.  The third layer will give me enough layers that I will be able to sand down some of the sharper edges without sanding down to the armature.  Three layers of paper mache' will be more than enough for these small creatures.  If I add more than that, the animals will begin to look too bulky. 

Choosing Material for the Armature

Some people have asked me about how I choose material for the armatures for my paper mache' creations.  I thought that I'd address those questions in today's blog.  I have used a number of different armatures in the projects featured on the blog: poster board, wooden supports, wire, Styrofoam, and foil.  Each material has it's advantages and drawbacks.  Which material I use depends on what qualities I need for a particular project.

Wire works well when you need a strong internal structure for a piece.  Wire also has the advantage of being able to be bent into complex shapes and curves.  A thick enough wire will hold its shape even when the weight of paper mache' is applied.  What size wire I use is based on the size of the project.  Most of the time I use an eighteen gauge galvanized steel wire.  If it needs to be a little stronger, I will use sixteen gauge wire.  A twenty gauge wire may work for smaller projects, but too much weight can cause it to deform.  I may double the wire for additional strength.  I wrap wire intersections with tape to reinforce them.  A wire armature may need additional padding from other components to create the shape you want.

Wood will also work for an internal support.  A wooden support may be heavier than wire, but it may be cheaper to use if you have scrap wood available.  Depending upon the thickness of the wooden support, it can hold more weight than a wire support.  Wood can be cut to a specific shape to be a perfectly sized support.  Craft sticks can be used for smaller projects.  I generally consider wooden supports, or wooden supports combined with hardware cloth for larger projects.  I may also use wood rather than wire if I have a burner project (See the explanations of of a burner project in the Folk Art Pig Project in 2012.) in which I do not want to have any wire or metal parts left behind.

Styrofoam is great when you need a light weight material for an armature.  Wire and wood quickly add a surprising amount of weight to a project.  This may be a consideration if you plan to eventually ship the project somewhere or have to move it frequently.  Styrofoam works best when used in rectangular or square shapes.  You can cut and shape Styrofoam, but I warn you in advance that it makes a horrible mess.  Even cutting it in straight lines leaves a large amount of Styrofoam particles that need to be cleaned up.  The particles cling to everything due to static electricity.  Your best bet is to rig up the intake hose of a Shop Vac to be close to your cutting station to suck up the particles as you cut.  My husband tells me that there is some method of cutting it by heating a wire with electrical current, but that is beyond my experience. Also, I would be concerned about fumes.

Foil can be used alone as an armature, or in conjunction with internal supports.  Foil can be crumpled up to form the bulk of a figure.  It creates a lot of volume without adding a lot of weight.  Foil can be wrapped and taped to an internal support to help create the shape of the figure.  If the foil is crumpled tightly, it will not deform under the weight of the paper mache'.  Another advantage of foil is that the water in the paper mache' does not affect its ability to retain its shape.  As long as the foil is not food contaminated, I use recycled foil in my projects.  This helps keep the expenses of a project down.

Poster board and cardboard can be used in paper mache' projects, but they need special handling.  Just about any project made with this material is going to need some type of internal support.  The material is too flimsy to take the weight of the paper mache'.  I basically use them when I want a silhouette shape.  I have also used them in a basket weave to create a rounded basket shape in large projects.  The empty rounded basket can be used to create a large shape with minimal weight or smaller paper mache' containers such as pencil holders, bowls, or vases for dried flowers.  Once you have created a poster board or cardboard armature, you will need to cover it with tape and multiple layers of diluted glue to waterproof it before you add paper mache'.  Otherwise, you will find that your creation will disintegrate once the moisture from the paper mache' reaches it.  The lack of its cohesiveness is made up for by its versatility.

So to sum it up, the choice of armature is based on your intention for a given project.  It's size and weight are going to be the most important factors.  How much time you want to spend on creating the armature is another factor.  You also have to decide which method will give the most shape to the project in the quickest manner while meeting the aesthetic needs of the project.  Giving some thought to the armature will give you a better outcome to the finished project. 

Carousel-Part 8-Ears and Tails

I'm adding the finishing touches to the menagerie animals before I begin to add the paper mache'.  At first I thought that I would add the ears and tails later, but after some reflection on the matter, I decided to go ahead and add the ears at this point. 

The tails will be have the paper mache' layers added, then they will be glued to the bodies of the giraffe, camel, and pig.  An additional layer of paper mach' will be added to make sure they stay anchored to the body.  It will be easier to deal with the paper strips if I'm not having to work around the long tails hanging down.  At this point the animals are ready to begin the process of having paper mach' put on.  It is always a temptation to keep fiddling with them, but at some point you have to say it's close enough and go ahead and get started.  I'll be putting on the first coat tomorrow.

I have pictures of the animals now that they have their ears.  I think you will see what an improvement that small detail makes.

Carousel Project Part 7- Giraffe and Cat

I have been adding muscle mass to the giraffe and cat armatures.  It is a slow process.  For this project the bulk is created by folded bits of aluminum foil and tape.  The giraffe has also had his horns added.  They are bits of toothpick.  I put them on before adding the paper mache' because the paper mache' will be holding them in place.  The giraffe's ears have not been added yet because it will be easier to get one layer of paper mache' on without having to work around the ears. 

The cat's ears and tail have been added, and it is ready for the paper mache'. 

I have started adding muscle mass to the pig.  I expect that it will be ready for the next step by the weekend.

Carousel Project Part 6- First View Animals on the Carousel

First time on the carousel.

I have completed the basic part of the armature for all four menagerie animals.  I placed them on the carousel to determine whether I had room to add another animal or two.  As it turns out, I will not have enough room.  I could possibly squeeze in one more animal, but it would appear crowded, especially when you consider that there will also be some sort of central column that supports the roof of the carousel.  This means that the first part of this project, the basic armatures for the menagerie animals, is complete and it is time to move to the next phase.

Adding layers of foil to pad the figure.

Muscle masses added.

The next segment of the project is to add some muscle structure to the animals and to get rid of some of the sharp edges created by the poster board and toothpicks.  I started with the camel, because I consider it one of the bigger challenges of this project.  Because of the small size of the animals, I am using only aluminum foil to create the muscles groups.  The first picture of the camel shows how I tape on layers of foil.  I keep adding bits and layers until I have something that looks right.  When finished, the foil is completely covered with tape, which will be a better base for the paper mache' that is to follow.  The final picture is the base layer of the armature so that you can compare how much shape has been added to the camel.

This layering is a slow process.  It took a day and a half to complete the camel.  All of the hard edges have not been completely softened.  However, they will soften some more with each layer of paper mache' that is added.  I have just started to work on the giraffe.  I expect that it will take the better part of a week to get all the animals finished.  I doubt that I will have as much time in the coming week to work on them.

Base layer of the armature.

I am looking forward to getting the paper mache' on all the animals so I can start painting and adding design elements.  It is rather hard to keep looking at the same manilla tape color day after day.  It was really tempting to just do one animal from start to finish before working on the others, but it would have been a waste of resources.  I will use less flour paste and paint by working on all the animals at the same time.