Papier Mache Caterpillar

Grade 1 starts their "Life cycle of the Butterfly" unit next week.

We are making the clay butterflies but I needed something for the caterpillar stage.


I thought we could make a papier mache one.





SUPPLIES REQUIRED:
- paper tube from a paper towel roll or wrapping paper
- small balloon
- masking tape
- bubble wrap, optional
- paper towel cut into strips
- white glue
- recycled container
- water
- acrylic or liquid tempera paint
- packing peanuts
- coloured paper

PROCEDURE:

Blow up the balloon.  You don't want it too big about the size of a baseball.


Tape onto the end of the paper tube.

Stuff some paper towel into the other end to close the hole.

You can wrap the tube with some bubble wrap or newspaper.  This is just to add some bulk and decrease the amount of mache you have to add.

Mix some water and white glue in your recycled container (1 to 1 ratio).

Dip your paper towel strips into the glue mixture and start layering on your balloon and paper tube.  Criss cross the layers for strength.  Add a dry strip every once and a while to soak up the excess.

When you have about 2 layers all over the base set aside to dry in warm spot.  It will take about 2 days.

Rotate after the first day to get the underside to dry.

Paint the background colour for the body of your caterpillar.

Paint on your details.

I needed to add feet.  I had lots of these packing peanuts so I putting them to good use.

Glue feet onto bottom of the caterpillar.

You can add some paint to the feet.  You need to add a drop of dish soap to the paint to get it to stick to the plastic surface of the peanuts.

Cut 2 eyes out of coloured paper.  I also cut out a mouth and a few teeth.

Glue into place.

That's it.  Now I have to come up with the chrysalis stage, stay tuned.




See you next time.

Papier Mache Robin Eggs

 Kindergarten is studying "living things that come from eggs" right now.


We needed a few good art projects to tie into this theme.



First up is this Robin in a papier mache egg.

Now I know robins do not come from blue and pink spotted eggs but we wanted a bit more colour fun for the kinders.

















MATERIALS REQUIRED:

- balloons
- paper towel cut into strips
- recycled container
- white glue
- water
- acrylic or tempera paint
- Easter grass, optional
- scissors
- cereal box cardboard
- template
- brown fabric
- red felt or fleece
- tacky glue
- googly eyes
- yellow craft foam
- feathers
- flower sprig
- glue gun (adult operation only)
- fishing line
- pony bead or washer

PROCEDURE:

Blow up balloon to the size of egg you want.

We kept ours on the small side.

Mix up your glue solution in the recycled container.  I use 1 part glue to about 1 part water.

Dip your paper towel strips into the mixture and start layering them on the balloon.  You want to criss cross the layers.  Leave a bit of the balloon bare, this will make cutting easier later on.

Every once and a while put a dry strip on to soak up the excess.

Put aside in a warm place to dry.

Turn every day until they fully dry out.  It will take about 48 hrs.

When they are dry cut a hole in each egg starting where you can see the balloon.

Paint with acrylic or tempera paint.

Paint on spots or stripes.

With an awl or knitting needle punch a hole at the top of the egg.

Cut a length of fishing line.  Tie on a pony bead or washer.

Thread the other end of the line thru the hole.  The bead or washer holds the line in place.

Using the template cut out the bird shape out of cardboard.  I've included a large and small template depending on the size of your egg.

Using the same template cut the body shape out of brown fabric.

Cut a red breast shape from the red felt or fleece.

Glue the brown fabric to the cardboard.

Glue on the red breast, 2 googly eyes, and a small beak cut out of the yellow craft foam.

Add 2 feathers for the wings.

Stuff a little Easter grass into the egg.

Bend the little tab at the bottom of the robin.


Add some glue to it.

Attach to the inside of the egg.

Finally you can glue a little branch or sprig of flowers to the bottom of the egg, just to dress it up a bit.

That's it.  You could make this project with different animals themes like turtles, dinosaurs, fish, etc.

I like the Robin as it is Spring themed, you could do a chick for Easter.



See you soon.

Clay Butterflies

Here is another clay project that I recently completed with Kindergarten, (I just finished a residency where I did clay with the entire school so there a few clay posts coming up).





I know it's a bit early for butterflies but it seems to be a standard Spring theme for Kinders and Grade 1.

Here are some classroom results.





They don't have their antennae yet.

MATERIALS REQUIRED:

- clay, if you don't have access to a kiln you can use air dry
- fabric placemat
- nail
- butterfly template if needed
- small cup of water
- texture tools, I use rubber stamps, buttons glued to corks, plastic forks, shells, etc.
- wooden skewer
- chinet bowl
- glaze in bright colors if you have a kiln, acrylic paint if using air dry clay
- pipe cleaner
- 2 small pony beads

PROCEDURE:

If you want to use a template, trace out a nice butterfly shape onto manila tag.

Cut out.

I used templates with the Kinders.  My template was about 16cm across or about 7 inches.

Cut a piece of clay off your block.  Roll out your slab to about 1/2 an inch thick or so.  You want to work on top of your fabric placemat.



Lay your template on top.  It will stick into place on the wet clay long enough for the kids to trace around.

Using the nail cut the butterfly out of the slab.

When I first made this butterfly I scratched in the body of the butterfly with the wooden skewer.


I added 2 small eyes. Attach by making small scratches and then adding a little water with your finger.

When I did these with kindergarten I had them roll a snake and then add it to the butterfly shape for the body.  This turned out really well.

Some chose to just poke 2 eyes with the skewer.

Add some texture and designs to the wings.


Make 1 hole at the top of the head.  I know this photo shows 2 but you only need 1.  Make sure it goes all the way thru.

When you are finished with your design place the butterfly into the chinet bowl for drying.

Make sure to put the child's name on the back.

Place in a warm spot to dry.  Drape with plastic for 2 days to equalize, uncover and then leave for 10 days.

When the clay is ready do your bisque fire.

Glaze with bright colours.


If using air dry clay, when your clay is dry paint with acrylic craft paint in bright colours.  You can then add a coat of Mod podge or duraclear sealer to get that shiny finish.

Fire again in the kiln.

Thread a pipe cleaner thru the hole. Twist together.

Add 2 pony beads on the ends.

That's it.

I'll see you next time.