Arts >> Art >> Sculpture

How to Make Sculptures of Puppies

Paper mache isn't child's play when you take it to the next step to create sculptures. Instead of the flour and paste mixture used in kindergarten, use a mixture of glue and water when creating medium to large sculptures. The larger the sculpture, the stronger the foundation needs to be. Create armatures out of coat hangers and chicken wire for added stability. The best thing about paper mache sculptures is that such materials as old newspapers and hangers are readily available.

Things You'll Need

  • Wire hangers (untwisted and cut in half) -- five halves per puppy - all equal lengths
  • Pliers
  • Wire cutters
  • Masking tape
  • Cardboard
  • Scissors
  • Pencil
  • White glue paste (mix of half glue and half water)
  • Newspaper (torn into strips)
  • Gesso
  • Acrylic paint
  • Paint brushes
Show More

Instructions

  1. Armature

    • 1

      Untwist and straighten the wire hangers using either the pliers or your hands. Cut in half with the pliers or wire cutters. You should have five halves for each puppy.

    • 2

      Using your hands or the pliers, twist two hanger pieces for each puppy rear-end into a circle. Leave part of the wire extended to form the puppies' legs. This should form a lollipop or Q shape.

    • 3

      Repeat the process, making the circles the desired size of the puppies' chests. You should have four circles with legs for each puppy: two for the rear and two for the chest.

    Body

    • 4

      Crumple two balls of newspaper per puppy, one for the rear end and the other for the chest. Insert them into the hanger circles. They should be sized to fit tightly in the hoops. Secure the balls with masking tape.

    • 5

      Place the two hoops around each ball so the sticks are on opposite ends of each other in the form of legs. Tape the balls to the hoops.

    • 6

      Build the midsection of the puppies' bodies by rolling newspaper in a tube shape and stuffing tightly with crumbled newspaper. Place one rear end and one chest hoop at each end and tape to secure.

    • 7

      Make the puppies' necks by forming a cone shape from the newspapers. Adjust as needed so the wide end fits the puppies' bodies. Stuff tightly with crumbled newspaper and tape securely to the body.

    • 8

      Repeat the above process for the head by rolling newspaper into cones shapes. Adjust so it will fit on the puppies' necks with the wide end on the neck and small end creating the head with an extended snout. Stuff with newspaper and tape securely to the body.

    • 9

      Create back haunches by shaping crumpled newspaper into a pork-chop shape. Secure with tape and then tape them in place above the rear legs.

    • 10

      Bend the end of the leg hanger so they are at right angles to the legs. Cover with newspaper and tape.

    • 11

      Make a tail from the leftover wire by determining the length of each puppy's tail, then bend the excess wire to form a hook approximately 1 inch long. Cut off any left over wire. Hook the tail to the rear hoop by sliding it through the newspaper. Adjust the tail to stay up, down or curled as desired.

    • 12

      Cut ears and a tongue for the puppies from cardboard. Draw a V shape on the cardboard for each ear and a U shape for the tongue. Cut out with scissors. Bend the V shape to form the ears. Using tape attached the wide end of the ears and the straight end of the tongue to the head.

    Paper Mache

    • 13

      Paper-mache the sculpture with strips of layered newspaper and brushed-on paste mixture by brushing paste on the puppy and then layering with newspaper strips.

    • 14

      Repeat the process for each puppy until there are at least three layers of newspaper.

    • 15

      Allow the sculptures to dry. They should be completely dry before painting.

    Paint

    • 16

      Apply a layer of gesso paint as a primer. Let dry. Repeat process until newspaper does not show through.

    • 17

      Paint with acrylic paints as desired.

    • 18

      Paint the eyes or glue on buttons or doll eyes purchased at the store.

Sculpture

Related Categories