Tutorial

Crackle: a paint effect that makes projects appear aged by creating cracks in the top layer of a painted object.

Most often, people paint the base one colour (the colour of the cracks), apply the crackle, and then paint the top coat before finishing it with a sealant of some kind.

The reason I highlight Dave's work isn't because he's discovered a completely new approach to building signs out of foam board; the point is the care he takes and the personal touches he's added.

He's quick to give credit to Spookyblue's technique as the basis of his own. He has since tweaked his approach.

Making a wooden crate is easier than you might think. It's just about following simple steps (precision is not a factor). I love using cardboard for my crates because:

a) Cardboard is the cheapest material you can use since most of us get it for free whenever we buy large items.

b) It's lightweight, so you can move it around and attach it to things very easily.

c) It's easy to cut out planks of wood for detailing of objects.

In this tutorial I'll be talking about a few products - clays and paperclays - I've used in the past. I also provide examples of clay recipes at the very end.

Using toilet paper instead of newspaper when you mache gives you an entirely different textured effect. While it's my least favourite medium to actually work with, it gives the most interesting results. For example, I used toilet paper for my plant projects. I wanted a lot of fine texture for the foliage.

I've shown you my technique for creating props using a layering style mache with simple glue and torn newspaper strips. Now it's time to give you some options to explore and research.

Paper Mache Paste

There's a world beyond white glue when it comes to paper mache. Everyone has their own theory of what works best. I'll let you decide for yourself.

Methyl Cellulose (MC)

For those of you new to creating paper mache (or papier mache) props of your own, the idea might be exciting but daunting. Where to start? What materials should I use?

Let me begin by sharing my own techniques. I will post about other approaches and recipes later on. Be warned all you papier mache aficionados: I don't boil, blend or add flours to my mache.

The following article outlines what I like to call the basics.