Paper clay demo

Today we got a demonstration off one of my Tutors on how to make and use oaoer clay properly. Here is how it went about! :)

These are what My Tutor made from paper clay in the past. Her inspiration was the high buisness buildings in New York..

This is the one in the back, she let us pass it atround the class so we can have a closer look at it.

(The type of clay used in these constructions are white Porcelain paper clay)

In the picture above, my Tutor is explaining to us what is in the mixture to make paper clay. The thing that she is mixing is a toilet paper mache that she left soaking in water over night. To make this toilet paper mache, you rip up some toilet paper into a bucket of boiling water, mix well and leave it over night. The next day, mix again and the Paper mache is good to go.

The bucket in the far right contains a very smoooth porcelain slip, again, this was left mixing into the water for over night. You are to mix this very well before putting it to use the next day.

Now, to actually make the paper clay.

First, you get a jug that you can use to scoop a bit of paper mache out from the bucket..

..into a basen with a sheet of muslin on top of it.

By using the muslin, drain most but not all of the water out of the paper mache.

After that, just pop the paper mache into the porcelain slip and there's some Paper clay for ya!

Black paper clay

To make black paper clay, you simply add some black colouring into the porcelain slip before mixing it with the paper mache.

To make a base for the paper clay to be put onto can be made very easily by either plaster casting or casting with ceramic.

Above is made from Plaster casting

Another simple way to make a cast is to put some indentations into a slab of clay and use it after being fired(or you can also make a plaster cast out of the clay)

You can't quite see what my Tutor is doing in this picture.. What she is doing is putting a thin enough layer of paper clay on top of the mold that she had prepared.

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Now to leave that for a while to dry.

While the demonstrated paper clay is drying, my Tutor whipped out another sheet of paper clay that she had already prepared for this presenation a while back.

Carefullty peal the paper clay off the cast by using a plastic egg saped tool.

Turn it around and it looks like this! :)

Now that a slab is ready, my tutor is ready to demonstrate making another one. In the picture above, although you can barely see at all, My Tutor is spreading a very thin layer of the white paper clay on top of the cast. After that, although I don't have it documented on my Camera, she wiped some of the paper clay off with a sponge. All the paper clay that you really need in this go is enough to cover the lidges of the cast.

On top of that layer of white paper clay, smooth on a thin layer of black paper clay over it(The black colouring is pricey enough so better off being economical with it!)

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My Tutor didn't let the paper clay dry in between putting the different coloured ones on

 for it will stick to each other better this way. Just be careful not to scrape any of the bottom layer's colour off while putting the next layer on. The reason why my Tutor put the second layer of white on was to make sure that the paper clay is thick enough and won't rip.

What you could do with 2 paper clay with white on one side and design(patterns) on the other is to stick the whoite side together so you will get a sheet of paper clay with patterns on both sides of it.

Now to make a bit of a structure.

Basically, all you have to so is the same with using any other kind of clay. Make sure the clay is dry enough to hold itself up, and scratch and slip and now for ya.

...Well, you actually need a bit of support with a plank of wood or something to hold the papery clay up at first, but the basic mechanics of it is the same!

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..Making a tower..

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Bend the endge of the paper clay up to make a bit of space where you can scratch and slip for the sticking of paper clay that you'll be doing!

While supporting it with a plank of wood, stand the paper clay up right. Once it stands up, it actually stays that was quite easily. bring over the other piece of paper clay that you're going to attach to the black bit of paper clay to check the size of it.

(Excuse the blurry picture, it was ll I could get)

Fix up the edges of this bit of paper clay as well..

Get some scratches and slip going

(Excuse the blurry picture again, tis all I've got)

Using a plank of wood to support the inside of the structure..

While you smooth and tap on one paper clay to the other.

If you're as neat as my Tutor, then it should work out OK.

I considered using paper clay in my narrative project to make the ribbon for a while, however, I channged my mind for I needed the clay to use for the Ribbon to have a bit of thickness to be able for it to stand up while making the ribbonny shape with it.