PROCESS - page 1 of 3

Some images of the work being made, for those of you interested in the nitty gritty..

Making paper mache clues - first the wire frame.. This is best done watching cosy tv with friends or family as it takes a long time. Be careful as you can get scratched by the ends of the wire. Wear glasses or safety goggles if you are as flaily as me.

Refine the shape with masking tape - use the cheap stuff, not fancy low tack, for less peeling.

Prepare your basic paper mache. All you are doing is building up layers of newspaper shreds and watered down glue. Again, it takes a long time so do it while doing something else cosy and nice so the models come out feeling friendly.

Cover with at least 3 layers to make it strong enough. More if you want it to last a long time. If I am making puppets, which take a lot of bashing, I do 5 layers.

Leave to dry for a few days.

Paint your models however you like. I use acrylic paint because it is tough, flexible and covers well. But you can use anything you fancy. A couple of undercoats is a good idea if you want to cover the newspaper text. Sometimes its nice to see that though - up to you. Allow to dry and add detail.

Varnish your models with a few coats. You can use any kind of varnish, but I recommend using something with a bit of flexibility so it doesnt shatter. I use varnish for acrylics or craft varnish for indoor work. As these were going outside, I used yacht varnish as it is flexible and waterproof. It does stink and is super-messy, so be warned!

And there you are.

It is a good idea to paint anything else (like these csrs) at the same time so the colours match.