Monster Portraits

I wanted to do a Monster portrait similar to the Owl one I did last year.

Using paper mache I enhanced the eyes and nose and then using a variety of paper and painting techniques, created the material for the rest of the monster.

Here's the how to just in time for Halloween.







Materials Required:

cardboard egg carton
paper towel ripped into strips
white glue
recycled container for glue/water mixture
wax paper
paint acrylic or tempera
paper for painting
plastic wrap, bubble wrap (optional)
scissors
tacky glue
suitable paper for mounting...I used black construction paper





Take your egg carton and cut out a eye and nose configuration....something like this...you can get about 3 sets with every carton.






Rip up your paper towel into strips. Mix up your glue with water in a 1 to 1 ratio into a recycled container.

Cover work space with wax paper to prevent sticking.







Start adding extra volume to the nose...sculpting it to your liking. The paper mache sticks very nicely to your cardboard base.







Continue adding strips and building up your monster's features....mine still look bird like but that's because I love birds...you can sculpt yours to reflect your taste.








You can add some features to the eyes...here I built up the eyeball....add a paper mache layer around the outside of the eye as well to tie it all in together and to make for easy painting.

Let it dry fully...you will need to turn it as it dries...this will take about 2 days perhaps shorter if placed in a really warm spot.






When your eye and nose piece has dried paint it....here I used acrylic but I have painted paper mache quite easily with tempera.







Now we need to paint the materials to make the monster bodies. Here I'm adding color to wc paper but you can use poster board or even fingerpaint paper, heavy sketch paper....










To get some texture for the monster skin I am applying plastic wrap which I then lightly scrunch to get some great detail....leave the plastic wrap on until the paint has dried.







For this monster skin I painted the paper with some purple and blue tempera. I then place a piece of bubble wrap on top pressing down to make sure the texture gets into the paint.

Leave the bubble wrap on until the paint has dried. Other things you can try...painting paper towels with tempera, painting packaging material like corrugated paper that is in cookie/snack products.






When the paper has dried I added a few painted dots. I then cut out a Monster body....because this is a portrait I have cut my monster off just below the shoulder...you can do a full body view if you prefer.







Here I am using some painted paper towels to make eyebrows and fur.








After adding the eyebrows I glued the eye and nose piece into place.





I'm using tacky glue.














Here I am adding some fur elements.

If you want you can add some arms....with my second monster I cut the arms with the body in one piece.

Add some hands...here I am using some leftover paper from the Owl portrait...painted packaging material from a bag of cookies.


With a class you can get students to share their leftover papers giving them lots of variety to work with.

Glue portrait into place on a good contrasting background.

I decided my monsters were attending a Halloween Costume contest so I added some prize ribbons as an extra touch.

Here is the second monster and some of the leftover papers I gather. Whenever I'm painting I try to paint a sheet or two extra and I keep all my mistakes. This gives me lots of choices to create from.

Well that's it....why don't you make a few Monsters. I'm sure they can find a home on your wall somewhere as part of your Halloween decorations.

I've never met a kid who didn't want to make a monster and they can make it as friendly or scary as they wish.

I have the distinct impression I'm being watched while writing this post.

Take care and "we" will see you next time.

Paper Fold Witch

Well I'm back after an extra long Thanksgiving break.....next up Halloween so we better get a few scary art projects up on the blog. This is a paper fold witch my son did last year in Grade 3. It's got a certain charm to it so I thought I'd post it this year....Thanks Mrs. M for your idea. Materials Required: templates, witch 1 and witch 2 black paper, one 8.5 x 11 and some scrap white cardstock or manila tag orange paper yellow paper scraps purple and/or green paper scraps glue stick stapler scissors tape or tacky glue paint, pencil crayons, or felts Using the scrap black paper trace around the arm templates with a white pencil crayon or gel pen and then cut out. Do the same with the hat. Cut a strip of orange and glue to the hat for a band...glue on with the glue stick and then trim to fit. Cut a small rectangle out of the yellow, fold it in half and then cut a square out of the middle...unfold and then glue on to the hat as a buckle. On the white cardstock or manila tag you want to trace out the face, 2 hands, and 2 shoes. After tracing add some color...I made the witch green but its hard to tell in the photos. Outline with fine black marker for extra emphasis. Cut out some hair out of the purple or green scraps. Cut out a jack o lantern as well. Cut out your painted pieces too. Glue the hair in place with a glue stick and then add the hat. Taking the 8.5 x 11 piece of black paper accordion fold the entire sheet. This is a great skill for younger kids to learn. Holding the paper together staple it about 2 inches from one end. Flare out the top a bit....you may have to fold it down a bit to get it to stay. You have now created the Witch's high couture outfit. Using glue or tape secure the head on the flared top...you want some out it showing so it looks like a fancy collar. Glue the hands into place...you want one arm to go up and one to go down. Secure in place on the dress.

Glue or tape the shoes into place.

That's it.

Here is the one my son made last year. Give it a try and I'll see you next time.

A Tale of Two Turkeys: Turkey #2 Salt Dough

Here is Turkey #2. A lot quicker than clay and just as charming.

These are salt dough turkeys that Grade 4 completed.

Materials Required:

salt dough, see recipe at end of materials list

paper clip

rolling pin

dull knife

water

whole cloves (optional)

oven

acrylic paint

Mod Podge

skewer

Salt Dough Recipe

4 cups flour

1 cup salt

1 1/2 - 2 cups water

Combine ingredients to make a soft dough, knead in some extra flour if required. This dough will keep for quite a while in the refrigerator.

This is enough dough for 6 turkeys.

Roll out the dough to about 1/2 and inch thickness and cut out a round about 3 and 1/2 to 4 inches in diameter.


I'm using a tomato can...I have one of those can openers that leave no sharp edges...perfect for crafting.

Take your paper clip and insert it into the top of the round for a hanger.

Take some more dough and roll out a rectangular shape.

Cut some strips about the width of your finger.

Using a skewer make some indentations that look like feather marks.

Cut to size and using water glue into place.

It should look like this but feel free to alter as you wish.

Roll out some more dough and cut a small round about 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter.

I'm using a tomato paste can.

Glue into place with a little water.

Now you need to make the head/neck. Roll a little sausage shape.

Glue into place with a little water.

Make a triangular beak.....

Glue into place.

For eyes you can use two whole cloves or make some out of little balls of dough.

You should end up with something like this.

Here is one of the trays from Grade 4.

Bake at 300 degrees for about 3 hours or until hard.

Let cool.

With acrylic paint add some color to your turkey. The easiest way to paint it is to start with the bottom round and paint your way up just like the way you put your turkey together.

When the paint has dried you can give it a coat of glossy Mod Podge and add a ribbon for hanging.

That's it.

Here is the display of squirrels Grade 1 made. I described how to make these in an earlier post here.

Great job Grade 1!!

See you next time.