{"id":361,"date":"2015-06-29T19:33:06","date_gmt":"2015-06-29T19:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/?p=361"},"modified":"2020-10-18T13:35:38","modified_gmt":"2020-10-18T13:35:38","slug":"paper-mache-alligator-work-in-progress","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/paper-mache-alligator-work-in-progress\/","title":{"rendered":"Paper mach\u00e9 alligator &mdash; work in progress"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-6.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-6.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I&#8217;m currently working on a 4-foot paper mach\u00e9 alligator to go in my bathtub for this year&#8217;s voodoo swamp-themed Halloween party. I&#8217;m excited about the progress I&#8217;m making on it, so here are some work in progress pics!<br \/>\n<!--more--><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I started with two pieces of foam board, taped together and cut into a 4-foot alligator shape.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-2.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Then I used two strips of foam board and two strips of poster board to fashion these long ridges down what will be the alligator&#8217;s back.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-3.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-3.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Then I wrapped the whole thing in masking tape.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-6.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-6.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Time for paper mach\u00e9! See my post about my paper mach\u00e9 method <a href=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/my-paper-mache-method\/\">here<\/a>. The short version is: I use <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/2LYmQsW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Roman PRO-543 universal wallpaper adhesive<\/a> (paid link) and alternating layers of newspaper and brown wrapping paper.<\/p>\n<div class=\"am-item\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/B00FK8VNJE\/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;linkCode=li3&amp;tag=manningkrull-20&amp;linkId=c750f16dcb0f016ec23f35d64e1c3348&amp;language=en_US\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;ASIN=B00FK8VNJE&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;WS=1&amp;tag=manningkrull-20&amp;language=en_US\"><\/a><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=manningkrull-20&amp;language=en_US&amp;l=li3&amp;o=1&amp;a=B00FK8VNJE\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" style=\"border:none !important; margin:0px !important;\"><\/div>\n<p>I made those spiky ridges along the back out of poster board. I made the texture on the back and sides with pieces of string, cut to size and paper mach\u00e9&#8217;d over. I did just two layers of paper mach\u00e9 for this whole thing. It won&#8217;t need to be very sturdy or last very long.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-7.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-7.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I created the shape of the face with <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/356OMS4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">craft foam<\/a> (paid link). This stuff is great; it&#8217;s soft and rubbery and lightweight, kind of like a much thinner version of a yoga mat. And it&#8217;s very easily to cut nice smooth shapes with. It&#8217;s also nice and cheap; just 80 cents a sheet at my probably-overpriced art store in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n<p>I padded out the craft foam with paper towels to make the edges of the mouth stand out a bit, so I can put teeth in there!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-8.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/paper-mache-alligator-8.jpg\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>I paper paper mach\u00e9&#8217;d over the craft foam, and then sculpted the teeth with <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3nZHjwx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Activa Plus clay<\/a> (paid link). I also decided to sculpt out the eye sockets and nostrils with some more clay.<\/p>\n <div class=\"ad-300x250 ad-float-right\">\r\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- MMS 300x250 -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:inline-block;width:300px;height:250px\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-5009313124668288\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"3616150394\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/div>\n<p>Next steps: More paper mach\u00e9 to cover the whole face, and then I have to make legs for this guy! I already made some legs but I&#8217;m not happy with them so I&#8217;m doing them over. And then of course when that&#8217;s all done I have to paint the thing.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately I&#8217;m going to try to waterproof the alligator, at least so it will survive about eight hours partially submerged in water. I&#8217;m researching some methods and materials for that, but I&#8217;d love to hear if you have any ideas; please feel free to leave a comment below! Thanks!<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/paper-mache-alligator-part-2\/\">Update: I&#8217;ve added part two! See how he&#8217;s coming along!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;m currently working on a 4-foot paper mach\u00e9 alligator to go in my bathtub for this year&#8217;s voodoo swamp-themed Halloween party. I&#8217;m excited about the progress I&#8217;m making on it, so here are some work in progress pics!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":370,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[84,98,57,101,23,12,3,85,100,99,86],"class_list":["post-361","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-alligator","tag-animals","tag-bathtub","tag-bayou","tag-decoration","tag-halloween-party","tag-paper-mache","tag-prop","tag-swamp","tag-voodoo","tag-work-in-progress"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5866,"href":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361\/revisions\/5866"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/370"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=361"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manningkrull.com\/manningmakesstuff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=361"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}