I last made papier mâché circa 1978, funnily enough I need reminding how to do it

[shoppingbagsundereyes]

Please help. Want to make papier mâché roman helmets with the dc in the summer hols but czn't remember how to do it. Eg do we need to build up layers over several days or can we bung it all on in one go?

you need lots of newspaper,

large bucket room temperature water , add PVA glue, you don't need much, buy it in bulk from DIY store or builders merchant.(massive can for the same price as a tube in craft shop)

stir in,

tear off thin short strips, through in one by one, to avoid clumping, just add as demand requires,

It is far better to do a few layers, don't do too many at one time as it works best if it totally dries out between sessions,

add a coat of PVA every now and then, finish in couples layers of white paper or the colour nearest to finish required, newspaper is a sod to paint over,

I asume you will be working off balloons, buy decent large ones, and don't blow up all the way, that way you get the size with less risk of popping before it's formed hard shell.

or a slightly less messy way is to use the brown tape that you moisten to make sticky, dries faster but use a sponge to moisten it as the taste is a bit yuck.

We did this one summer for a masked production.

Not sure what it is really called but it got christened licky sticky tape

When I've done it I've made up glue from flour and water - enough of each to make a thick cream consistency.

Slightly less messy is to paint the thing you're making with the glue and stick the dry paper on.

Thanks all