Papercreters: [papercreters] Re: PAPERCRETE SCULPTURES

Friday, September 10, 2010

[papercreters] Re: PAPERCRETE SCULPTURES

Zoe and fellow 'papercreters',

Just happened to check in and catch this link. I was the one who won 'the contest' and I think the video on the homepage of this group still shows my work. I use 2 to 3 grocery plastic bags of shredded paper(copy paper, colored adv/mailers, etc) from an ordinary home office shredder, soak it in a 5 gal bucket with boiling hot water. Seems like the hot water helps break down the paper faster. Let it cool and mix/break up with a large paint stirrer/mixer(see pic in short video attached) Also, add borax, bleach or wintergreen oil to take care of mold, etc

I am not good with recipes, sort of like I cook, a pinch here and handful here. Basically tried to mimic some of the recipes found on this site. I use about 3 scoops(scoop is large yogurt container) of portland cement. Add more paper or cement depending on texture of mix. Have been known to add a handful or two of clay, red iron oxide, etc. Sort of like making soup, you use what's on hand and what you are in the mood for.;-)

Life has kept me distracted and haven't completed many pieces lately, but they are talking to me and should have new photos soon.
http://bit.ly/186jDa <=video, "PaperCrete Magic" ljl art pieces

Keep in touch, would love to see what you end up with in your projects.

Lynda / ~ljl~

--- In papercreters@yahoogroups.com, JUDITH WILLIAMS <williams_judith@...> wrote:
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> I don't know who did the wonderful sculpture for the contest we had last summer but I think it would be worthwhile to to look up the pictures and find out what their formula was. As I remember it it was a very smooth looking thing that was cast in a mold.
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> I have no experience with using papercrete as sculpture material but am fascinated by what can be done with it. I hope you follow up with some pictures of what you come up with.
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> Follow progress on the new project at http://www.papercretebyjudith.com/blog
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> More papercrete info at http://squidoo.com/papercretebyjudith
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> To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
> From: carolflickinger2@...
> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 19:45:32 -0600
> Subject: RE: [papercreters] PAPERCRETE SCULPTURES
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> Zoe, I have been making recycled art, specifically paper mache sculptures, for many years. I have photos on my facebook page, if you would like to see them. It was actually a high school art project that has kept my interest for years. This method uses old glass (recycling), such as chipped or broken plates, bowls, glasses, or drink bottles (wine bottles word really well, but you probably don't want the kids bringing that to school). Using epoxy, connect the pieces together into an interesting shape (any shape is interesting), and then cover with paper mache. When dry, spray paint it, then paint additional detail on it. Using this method I don't think you would need cement or clay. You can tear up newspaper, soak it for a couple hours and then pulp it in a blender or you can buy bricks of pulverized paper at Michael's Craft store and just add water (it already contains glue).
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> To: papercreters@yahoogroups.com
> From: prrr@...
> Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2010 23:53:47 +0000
> Subject: Re:[papercreters] PAPERCRETE SCULPTURES
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> A cement mixer is the wrong type of mixer really, paper doesnt pulp by being tumbled. However...
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> I gather some people have used shredded paper plus cement in a standard cement mixer, but I've no experience with it. I'd also hazard a guess that if you added a couple of bricks it may help the paper partially pulp.
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> Its also possible to substitute some (or maybe even all) of the cement with clay. I vaguely wonder whether you could teach them about recycling by using starchy food leftovers from one day - you'd have to apply it thinly so it dries fast though, as with no lime it would otherwise moulder.
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> Finally a hand held kitchen blender can make small amounts. I've been doing that for test samples.
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> NT
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