Activity:
Papier-Mâché Gargoyle
Gargoyles are Medieval creatures that perched on buildings and worked as spouts to prevent rainwater from running down the walls and weakening them. Now your child can make her own gargoyle out of papier-mâché, and design it however she likes. Will it be a funny gargoyle to cheer up a friend, or a scary one to guard her room? This craft is a great introduction to ancient architecture!
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What You Need:
- Cardboard box
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup water
- Masking tape
- White glue
- Large bowl
- Stirring stick or spoon
- Newspaper
- Tempera paint
- Paintbrush
- Pencil
- Scissors
What You Do:
- Have your child examine the box, and design a few different ideas for the head, based on the shape.
- Next, she'll prepare the papier-mâché paste by measuring and mixing one cup of flour, one cup of water and half a cup of glue together in a bowl. Stir the paste until it's completely mixed together.
- To create the shape of the gargoyle head, ball up pieces of newspaper and tape them onto the box. Experiment with a large chin, forehead, cheeks or a nose.
- Cut many long strips of newspaper that are about an inch and a half thick.
- Have your child dip a strip into the paper mache paste and smooth it out between her fingers. Then she can place it over the newspaper head. Continue layering on strips of wet newspaper strips until the whole gargoyle head is covered.
- Dip a few strips of newspaper into the papier-mâché paste and roll it into a ball. Place it on top of the head for an eye. If your gargoyle is not a cyclops, repeat this step again for another eye.
- Allow the gargoyle head three or four days to completely dry, and then use the paint to add color and details. Horns, teeth or scales will make a very authentic looking gargoyle.
