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Papier-Mache

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Want to get really hands-on with science? Ever thought of working with papier-mache (also spelt papier-mâché, paper mache and papier mache)? To get started, click over to history. Here you will find that papier-mache originated in France. Oh, you think that papier-mache is just for making crafts. Well, take a look at the Smithsonian site Artificial Anatomy: Papier-Mâché Anatomical Models. Before plastic and before computer simulation, Louis Thomas Jerôme Auzoux (1797-1880) came up with the idea of making body parts out of papier-mache to teach anatomy. Pretty cool you say!

Now, how do you do papier-mache? A few recipes will probably help. That's not a problem. There are lots and lots of web site devoted to papier-mache. For instance, the web site PapierMache Resource has a "how to" tutorial. Papier Mache Glue has a "good" recipe. For recipes that are a bit more involved, take look at Ronnie Burkett's Papier Mache Recipes. Remember please be careful. Some recipes call for wallpaper paste, wintergreen, or other various minor ingredients, which can be dangerous. Great! Let's go.

How about sculpturing your very own dinosaur? Kinetosaurs are dinosaur sculptures that move. This is a great site. It has a kooky dinosaur that does a funny dance (needs Shockwave flash) and a FAQ about dinosaurs.

An interesting web site is Red-Eye Reducer. Here you make a papier-mache eye. Why? To gain insight into why an individual's eye may appear red in a flash photo.

But I know. You want your own erupting volcano!

And you certainly can't resist making your own papier-mache insects.

Check out this NASA site (student sheets) that use a papier-mache project as a starting point in the discussion of composites. Composites are stronger materials made by combining a reinforcing material or strong material with a matrix or glue. In the case of papier-mache, the newspaper is the reinforcing material and the paste is the matrix.

Or what about making your very own space alien (instruction sheets ) from recycled material?

The copyright of the article Papier-Mache in Science Websites is owned by Patrice Bentham . Permission to republish Papier-Mache in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.