Papîer Machédventure (Part II)

Ha! My little man mask gets a goatee. I think he is going to be Chinese..Two weeks in, the masks Sapphire and I have made are ready to be built up. After research, we decide to make the pulp from tissue paper, as it is supposed to give a similar effect as porcelain clay. The recipe we have calls for a number of obscure ingredients we can’t find, but we shrug philosophically and make do.

As well as making use of the tissue paper from retail purchases, I buy an additional ten packets of white tissue paper. Interestingly, the recycled tissue store-bought items had been wrapped in is much easier to rip into pieces.

We put the paper and water on to cook for a couple of hours, and pass the time pleasantly drinking coffee, eating cakes and chatting.

the recycled tissue … is much easier to rip into pieces

Our paper pulp resembles nothing so much as a large mound of pea-shooter ammoFinally we grow bored of this occupation and decide to get to work, despite the fact the tissue has not broken down enough. The pulp resembles those chewed bits of paper teenage boys like to flick through drinking straws at one another. The result is definitely not like clay, but we persevere and mould the masks' faces. Doubtfully we eye our handiwork and decide to leave them to dry, hoping that once dry, their appearance would improve.

The pulp resembles those chewed bits of paper teenage boys like to flick through drinking straws at one another

Unfortunately, it does not. In fact, my masks develop an interesting case of mould, and I spray them heavily with Exit-Mould, which seems to put a stop to the unpleasantness. The masks still look like mutants though, and I decide they need a decent coating of strips of tissue paper before they can be primed prior to painting. But that will have to wait for my return from my gallivanting. 

Trimmed of its square corners, the mask has a better shape. I pick off the bee-stung lips I'd given this lass after having another look at the Russian mask that originally inspired this project. Its lips are painted on.