How to decorate papier mache drawers?

[2ofstedsin24weeksistakingthep]

I have bought these today for the DCs to decorate as gifts. I was going to get them to paint them using the poster paint we already have but am now worrying it won't last. Would it be possible to varnish over the top or would it ruin the DCs work? Or should we just risk it with the poster paint? TIA

I would mix up some pva glue and water,

and rip up (jagged edges are better than straight) some white paper into small bits, good fun

dip in the glue mix and cover the box over lapping the paper,

take the drawers out, do the fronts not the sides,

then you have white box to start with,

let it dry,

and either use tissue paper to paper over same method as before or cut pictures and words out of magazines,wallpaper, cards,buttons, beads, glitter, sequins finish with a coating of pva glue, it will last a life time.

or paint,

but poster painting with poster paints on brown is going to be murky.

Thanks for the reply. I usually use PVA mixed in with white paint to make an undercoat when doing box craft which usually works. I have a few spares so will test both techniques tonight before handing them over to the DCs tomorrow.

If you can hang undercover somewhere in the garden , one of those massive strong balloons that blow up to about the size of a small birthing ball, you buy them individually for about a pound.

you can have a bucket of newspaper paper mashie and pva going all summer, just get them to add a thin layer every time it dries out ,

they make the best halloween costumes ever, finish with orange and you have a pumpkin, but my children have made them into many things, they get strong quickly and are easy to cut holes in, and it is almost free.

if you use a lot of PVA glue, buy it from the builders merchants, five litres for the same price as a small pot in the craft shop.