Papier-Mâché Product

Papier Mache Product

Papier-mâché in French stands for a special type of paper. It has the appearance of a chewed up paper. It is a substance that is made out of paper pulp and can be molded and painted for making commercial products. Made from pieces of paper and stuck with glues, adhesives or starch, papier-mâché becomes hard and solid when dried.

Origin of Papier-mâché Though a French word Papier-mâché originated in China some two hundred years back. It was a commonly practiced technique in the art of doll-making in the 19th century. Before the invention of plastic, Papier-mâché was the material used for making piñatas and several other ornamental objects. Children especially enjoyed the art of making Papier-mâché. The stronger and advanced version of Papier-mâché was patented by Henry Clay of Birmingham England in 1702.

Papier-mâché- its Utility and Creativity

Hundreds of years ago Papier-mâché was made from paper pulp or paper pieces after subsequent hardening with layers of lacquer. The basic technique is layering which means to paste layers of paper pieces over a basic shape. When it hardens it can form extremely strong structures. Papier-mâché products can be colored or painted to make it even more appealing and fashionable. Both utilitarian and creative, decorative objects are fashioned from Papier-mâché like:

Storage jars, Baskets and Salt Cellars
Wall Plaques
Desk Sets and Paper Knives
Trays and Boxes
Album Covers
Beads Cases
Sculpture

Advantage of Papier-mâché

Papier-mâché has an advantage over plastic, resins, fiber glass and latex rubber which are chemically and environmentally harmful. This versatile medium can be made even more durable by varnishing it with acrylics and paints. Being lightweight it offers easy and smooth portability.Papier-mâché is a popular art that gives creative satisfaction to the fullest level. You can turn your fancy and imagination into reality as you craft decorative objects out of this special and unique paper pulp. Creation and designing of Papier-mâché products is absolute fun.