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How to Make Paper Clay & Gossamer Silk Doll Heads

Paper clay is an amazing material that, when used in sculpture, results in a lightweight object similar to papier-mache. The paper clay can be made at home with a few supplies purchased at the hardware store. With a little practice, the material can be molded with the hands into a doll head, dried and finished with sandpaper and paint. After completing the head, adding gossamer silk strips for hair will result in an elegant and ethereal doll.

Things You'll Need

Old saucepan
6 sheets of newspaper
Blender
Plastic bowl
Wooden spoon
3 tbsp. white glue
1 tsp. linseed oil
4 tsp. wallpaper paste
Fine sandpaper
Primer paint
Acrylic paint
Paintbrush
2 tsp. plaster of Paris
1/8 yard gossamer silk fabric
Scissors
Iron

Instructions

- 1
  Tear the newspaper into 1-inch squares and place them in the saucepan with water to cover. Simmer on low heat for half an hour.
- 2
  Transfer the paper and water to the blender and liquidize. Pour into a plastic bowl and add the glue, linseed oil, wallpaper paste and plaster of Paris, stirring vigorously with the wooden spoon.
- 3
  Form a ball the size the of the desired doll's head from the paper clay. Press two fingers together to form a nose and press in slightly at the eye areas. Add more clay at the bottom of the ball to form a neck. Let the head dry thoroughly over night.
- 4
  Apply a layer of 2-inch wide strips of newspaper dipped in wallpaper paste over the entire head. Smooth the layer as much as possible with your hands. Let this layer dry thoroughly and sand smooth with the fine sandpaper.
- 5
  Apply the primer with the paintbrush to completely cover any newsprint. When dry, paint the head a flesh tone and paint on facial features.
- 6
  Cut the gossamer silk fabric into strips measuring 1/2 inch by 2 inches. Fold the strips accordion-style and press with the iron to crimp. Glue the strips to the back of the head for hair.

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