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Hello, awesome PM people!
Last summer I posted here asking about some tips for a large group paper mache project, after being thrust into an art specialist job I wasn't expecting. Everyone was so helpful and so... Here I am again, asking your advice and hoping to tap your collective wisdom of all things paper mache.
Apparently, having worked with this medium ONCE before, I am now considered an expert in such matters by a couple of my friends (they're not too bright, but they're good people nonetheless). You know how it goes... In the country of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.
In this case, however, I count myself incredibly stupid for agreeing to help. I could have simply said no, or offered some ideas and told my friend "good luck!".
But no... I had to take on yet another fools errand. This time, it's a pinata shaped like hello kitty's head, for a 6 year old's birthday party. The shape is simple enough. I got a football-shaped mylar balloon and taped down the points at either end... now to wrap it and get it dried in time for the party.
So, after writing a novella-length back story, here is my question:
What dries fastest - wall paper paste, white glue or flour paste?? (assuming that I use a fan, a space heater and very thin layers)
Any and all suggestions for shortening the drying process would be greatly appreciated, as I have approximately 22 hours till the party.... pray for me!!
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Very amusing....I think we've all done things like this. The quickest adhesive to dry would be pva. Don't put too many layers on though, as the pva will make the papiermache too tough to break.
Better get cracking! 
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ok, thanks... but... um, lets say, hypothetically, I already went ahead and covered the balloon using wall paper paste and a medium weight watercolor paper (2 layers) followed by a third layer of dry tissue paper (the sort used for gift wrap) just stuck onto the already damp surface of the watercolor paper...
Is there a snowball's chance in Hades that this thing will be dry within the next 12-16 hours, so I can paint it?????
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Mmmm...
I would put it in the corner of a room, on a wire base (like a baking rack) and put the biggest electric fan onto it! The rack will allow the air to circulate under it and putting it a corner will allow the air to blow back against it from the other side.
If you are worried that you may not get it dry in time to paint it, a way round this is to use coloured paper for the final layer. Hope this helps. I've done many an emergency drying session. 
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Thank you!! ...I'm on it. Big fan, check... in the corner, check...and I'll raise you a space heater, sitting behind the fan so it's blowing warm, dry air.
I did have the foresight to use white paper... but Hello Kitty still needs a face and the ears, which are the corners off a cereal box, will need to be sprayed white. Also, there's the matter of deflating the balloon and cutting a flap to fill the darn thing with candy, wiring the top and then praying it's sturdy enough to be hung from a tree with roughly 5-10 lbs of candy inside.
Did I mention I've only done PM one other time?
Oh yeah, I'm living on the edge!!!
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Well, here I am, too late, as usual...
I would have bet good money that cellulose wallpaper paste would dry faster than PVA! I've had one side of a project practically dry just while working on the other side of it.
So, how did it turn out? Were those few layers enough to hold the candy?
I could tell right off that you were never in the military, where the rule is: NEVER VOLUNTEER!
Sue
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I'm with Sue ... both being too late and rethinking that whole volunteering thing. I'm more of a "I'm happy to help you do it" ... than a "Sure I'll do it for you" kind of girl.
I also agree cellulose adhesive is the fastest drying, but when I'm stuck and need something dried quickly, I add a dehumidifier next to the fans (actually I have 2-3 small fans placed around the piece, vs. 1 large one, but the idea is the same). I've had 4 foot clayed pieces dry overnight that way.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/C … directlink
Beth
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Oh, Beth! I love it!
Sue
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LOL at the volunteer thing. All of my pieces for the youth theater group have been done pro bono. I recently got a call from the director of the group who is also a teacher and and he wanted to know if I could do 9 planets for his school. I thought this would be no problem as I generally have a half dozen sphere shapes that I used for parts hanging around my workshop anyway. That is until he told me the largest needed to be 6 feet in diameter, be strong enough to be tossed around on stage, and "oh uh can they be done in 14 days for under $50?" I had to decline that tempting offer ;D
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What is truly amazing about requests like that (and I've had a couple of them) is that the person requesting this 'favor', even if they knew how, wouldn't do it for the price offered. Situations reversed, he would think you were crazy.
Sue
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: )
Found a pic of the dehumidifier setup. The books on the table are my 'adjustable height system' for the fans.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3 … directlink
My studio is in the basement, so the dehumidifier is running during summer and early fall anyway.
- Beth
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Is it real . . or drawn with Poser 5??? lol
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: ) It's real. I sucked at Poser.
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After 2 failed attempts involving deflated balloons, I finally finished (successfully) the piece at around 2am Saturday morning... the party was scheduled for 12pm that day and it still needed a quick spray coat of white, facial details, a bow and pipe cleaner whiskers. Somehow I managed to arrive, with the pinata and my 3 yr old in tow, only 30 minutes late. Would have been better if I'd had time to sand it before painting, but despite my awesomeness, I cannot perform miracles. 
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hp … 5127_n.jpg
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Well done. We can all breathe a sigh of relief!! I wonder if the party members realised what an international effort went into this!!! lol
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Good job, esp with the serious lack of time!
Did it hold the candy well enough? Did the kids have a good time?
Sue
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Looks great. And after all ... it was meant to be a temporary sculpture. Great job.
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Too cute! Fantastic job and especially considering the time frame you had to work with. One would never guess it was a rush job. I know so many little girls who would simply swoon over this!
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Dang, that is super cute! I know my daughter would have loved this for on of her bdays when she was smaller! Great job!
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