Hint
Creating with papier-mâché is MESSY! Work on a newspaper-covered surface and wear an old shirt or an apron.

Here’s how

1. Use a balloon to make a base for an animal body. (Choose a balloon that is an appropriate shape and size for the animal you want to make.)

2. If your animal has legs, make two at a time from tight rolls of newspaper. Secure the rolls with tape so they won’t unroll. Fold the rolls as shown and tape them to the balloon. Handle the balloon with care so that it doesn’t pop. (Later, after the animal figure is dry, it will keep its shape even if the balloon pops or deflates.) See the illustration.

3. Cut or tear newspaper into strips about an inch wide and a foot long.

4. In the bowl, mix the flour and water and stir until the mixture is creamy and lump free. Add more water if the paste is too thick or more flour if it is too thin.

5. Dip strips into the paste one at a time and wipe off the excess.

6. Overlap wet strips around the animal form, alternating direction until you have 3 to 5 layers. See the illustration.

7. To add a head, ears, a nose, and other features, use small wads of crumpled newspaper soaked in the flour paste. Fasten them into position using some more moistened paper strips. See the illustration.

8. Allow the animal figure to DRY COMPLETELY FOR A FEW DAYS. Then paint the animal and its markings, allowing the paint to dry between coats.

9. After the paint is completely dry, glue on wiggle eyes, colored paper scales or horns, a pipe cleaner tongue, yarn whiskers, or anything else you can imagine.

Text by Julie Vosburgh Agnone
Art by Bonnie Mathews