Making papier-mâché dolls

Papier-mâché is a technique that allows you to create masterpieces, while it is available to everyone. You don't need to have an art education to learn how to work in it, just as you don't need to spend a lot of money on purchasing materials and tools - everything is very affordable. You can express yourself most vividly in this technique by creating designer dolls.

To make a doll, you first need to understand what it will be like. To do this, papier-mâché fans look through more than a dozen examples of outstanding works. And only thanks to such oversight, the image of the author's doll emerges.

The main element of the work is a sticky mass, which most often consists of water, glue, toilet paper, newspapers. You can cook the glue yourself, you can use PVA, wallpaper glue. And toilet paper can be replaced with any similar material with a loose texture - both napkins and even paper egg trays are used. But that's not all.

To understand what materials and tools will be required, it is worth considering the standard scheme for making a doll.

1. The doll's head is molded from plasticine, the skeleton is pasted over with sticky paper pulp. Recesses for the eyes, nose and lips are formed. In fact, the master performs sculptural work. And it needs to be allowed to dry, it takes several hours.
2. Then, in the work, a middle incision is made, from where the plasticine base comes out, and the two parts are again fastened together with PVA glue. This is how the head is made.
3. Next, the body frame is made, which is convenient to do from wire. The same sticky mass is applied to it, legs and arms, neck, torso are formed.The dried body is aligned with the head. Ultimately, the figure must dry thoroughly, it is not worth sparing time for this. Sandpaper will save you from a rough surface.
4. While she dries, you can start sewing a costume for the doll. Everything is standard here, sewing can be manual or using a sewing machine. You can also knit a suit if it matches the idea.
5. The dried figure is covered with white base acrylic, and then it can be painted in the appropriate colors. Hair is often made from floss, wool, and other materials that convey the structure of the hair. The strands are glued to the base.

This is a universal algorithm that is complicated by the nuances of a specific master class.

The most difficult thing is the manufacture of articulated dolls, that is, those whose joints will bend.

It is obvious that making dolls requires not only paper, glue, acrylic paints, but also additional accessories - from clothes to hair. Not only brushes and sandpaper are used, but also needles, knitting needles, a sewing machine, beads and much more.

Consider one of the simplest and most affordable recipes. For him, toilet paper is taken (the cheapest, the color is unimportant), PVA glue, a basin, hot water, a fork and a rag. PVA 801 and 802 adhesives are considered the most successful for papier-mâché.

How to make the composition:

1. toilet paper breaks into pieces, fits into a basin;
2. the paper is poured with boiling water - it is boiling water that is needed so that it becomes soaked and softened faster;
3. for 20 minutes, the mass must be left to cool;
4. after this time, you can start whipping the mass with a fork so that it falls apart even more;
5. a rag or gauze is put on a plate, and on top - wet paper in small pieces, which you need to squeeze out well;
6. squeezed paper is crushed by hand, large lumps should not remain;
7. and PVA glue is poured into this crushed mass, thoroughly kneading until smooth;
8. at the exit - a soft, pliable, plastic mass, with which it is convenient to work.

This recipe is understandable for beginners and is quite suitable for making dolls. But there are many options for plastic mass, there are those where gelatin or oil, gypsum or sawdust is present.

Specifically, in the recipes for dolls and toys, the following was previously used - finely crushed and tortured clay shale, rag paper, alabaster and water. All this was mixed in the right proportions to the state of a liquid gruel. This mass was poured into hollow closed molds, pre-lubricated with fat. Very quickly, a crust formed there, then the excess liquid mass was poured out, the finished object was taken out of the mold and dried, covered with varnish.

This option is suitable for those who either only know in theory what papier-mâché is, or have done very simple work in this technique. You still have to get to toys on hinges, but simple crafts are sometimes mesmerizing.

What to take for work:

• toilet paper - several rolls;
• any fabric - 40 cm;
• PVA glue;
• thread, needle;
• petrolatum;
• orange yarn;
• gouache;
• balloon.

Let's analyze the algorithm step by step how to make a doll.

1. Work begins by creating a pattern for the torso. Since this toy is suitable for a puppet show, the body will be like Petrushka's. It is actually a shirt with one-piece sleeves. The sleeves should be long. The pattern is drawn by hand, and to achieve symmetry, the paper is folded in half, the half is drawn with a fold guide. You should not make a cutout under the throat, otherwise the head, already made of papier-mâché, will not be fixed on the body.
2. The pattern must be cut out, pinned to the fabric, folded inward with the front sides. Circle with a marker, make a 1.5 cm seam allowance.
3. Both parts need to be sewn with side and shoulder seams, and the bottom of the body and sleeves must be tucked down.
4. Finally, it's time for papier-mâché. The paper needs to be torn into small pieces, filled with PVA. It should stand like this, swell. While she is standing, the balloon should be inflated, it should be rounded. The ball is tied, after which its surface can be greased with petroleum jelly (so that later it is more convenient to get the base).
5. Layers of paper are laid out on the ball. You can alternate the adhesive layer with the dry one. A rounded piece is gradually formed, the bottom of which should be slightly wider than the tissue throat of the body, otherwise the head will not attach correctly.
6. The ball needs to be dried, without haste, well.
7. It's time to shape your arms. Small figures in the form of mittens are formed from the adhesive mass, the diameter of the lower part is larger than the sleeve in order to fix it correctly. If the mass is too plastic, you need to add more paper to it. Of course, there is another option - frame, when the wire base is first made. The formed hands are also sent to dry.
8. The head blanks should be carefully removed from the balloon. The lower part is coated with glue, applied to the rag neck, so that it is inside. The same is done with the hands.
9. A nose is formed from the remnants of paper and glue on the doll's face, it must also dry. The head and hands are painted with white gouache. The mouth and eyes are outlined with a pencil, and then drawn with paint.
10. Now the threads need to be cut into equal parts and glue them to the crown. And from the rest of the fabric, the doll can be sewn into a cap.

This MK is the simplest, because only the hands and head have to be done.

This toy will be movable, which, of course, requires more advanced manufacturing technology.

For work you will need:

• knife, scissors and awl;
• thin drill;
• manicure set;
• file;
• toothpicks, skewers and cocktail tubes;
• sandpaper;
• toilet paper;
• Styrofoam;
• glue, brush;
• acrylic paint;
• self-hardening plastic;
• two beads;
• napkin;
• clip;
• capacity, water;
• floss threads;
• wig.

The list is quite long, but there is still a lot of work ahead.

1. You need to print or redraw the drawing of the ball-jointed doll. And this is done in triplicate.
2. Cut out paper patterns of the torso, head, and in profile, and full face. First, a full face is applied to the foam, outlined with a pencil, the workpiece is carefully cut out. They should be turned over, this time with a profile, circled again, trimmed. The details should be smooth.
3. It is stuck on a skewer in the head and in the body. The workpiece is coated with a sticky mass according to the standard scheme. And after that, the parts are left to dry for 2-3 days, no less. A skewer is inserted into the cocktail tube, on top is attached what will later become hinges. Auxiliary parts are made from paper clips.
4. Toes and feet are formed from wire, and they are also wound on top with threads. 4 hinges roll out of plasticine, which should be wrapped with cling film. In places for the hinge parts, recesses are made.
5. The feet are also complemented by hinges. All elements - in the feet, elbows, knees, hands - will be sawn, and a bent wire is inserted into the cuts.
6. Before assembling the craft, each item is covered with liquid plastic. After that, the parts are dried and sanded. The control of cutting holes is carried out.
7. The assembly itself in several stages - first, an elastic band is knitted to the bracket that is inside the doll's head. Then it goes through the body, arms and is fixed to the legs. Next, you need to check if all joints are mobile, perhaps file something.
8. The next step is decorating.The doll will have to be dyed, painted, hairstyle and outfit made for her. And if all actions preceding decorating are universal, at the last stage the author's individuality is manifested as much as possible.

Let creativity be a pleasure!

A visual overview of creating papier-mâché dolls is presented in the following video.