Mobile Tutorial

 

 

I just completed this paper mache mobile for my friends hair salon.  Her studio is a beautiful old space with high ceilings and windows, there’s a cute little nook in the store front window and she asked me to fill it.  This was a fun project that you could do for your kids room, art studio, garden…. and it didn’t cost me more than $5,  I had everything I needed around the house.

Supplies list

cereal/cracker boxes- I had to source these out from my friends because I wanted to make about 20 triangles.

scissors, tape, ruler, yarn,newspaper, white paint, flour, salt, paint brush, white tissue paper, fabric bits, fishing line.

First cut up your boxes into triangles,  I used several different sizes,  from 3″ to about 9″

I found it easiest if I cut all the flaps off the box, measured a line down the centre of the length then again down the centre of each half,  you can cut 3 triangles out pretty quick.

Once you have all the triangles you need-lay them down on the table -as in the second image of the tutorial (4th if you include the “glam shots”)  then tape a piece of yarn or string in a loop at the top- make a knot in the loop first- it stays put better. It’s easier to do it this way, then just fold it up into your 3 dimensional triangle and tape it up.

Next comes the paper mache part.  There’s lots of u tube videos on this.  I used 1 part flour and 2 parts water  and a couple tbsp of salt- I didn’t cook it or anything.  I’ve used watered down glue before and I much prefer the flour.  I used a little paint brush to apply,   first wet the surface with flour/water, apply the paper and cover again with the flour & water mixture.    If you want to do more than  one layer, let dry in between.

After the triangles were completely dry I painted all surfaces with white paint.

I then screen printed images onto white tissue paper.  I know most of you don’t screen print so I tested out some fabric and it worked great.  You can also draw or paint  on tissue paper,  or any thing else that would work with collage.

Paint a thin layer of glue- (you can also use the flour/water I’m sure but it looked slightly opaque so I used a glue that dries clear.)  apply tissue, fabric or image you’d like and press on gently to your triangle,  smooth out the wrinkles and add a thin layer of glue over top.

That’s it.  I used the fishing line to hang it from the ceiling so it looks likes they’re floating.   This was fun,  I listened to New Wave music making and installing these little guys,  spring has sprung!  If you make this I would love to see images,  please share them here!