How to Make Animals for a Parade Float
- 1). Tear the newspaper and brown craft paper into long, thin strips and set them aside. In a large mixing bowl, pour a couple of bottles of white glue. Add enough water to make a soupy consistency. Blow up several balloons, adding more or less air to create different sizes. Take a newspaper strip and dip it completely in the glue and water mixture. Run the strip through your fingers to remove any excess and place it on a balloon. Cover the entire balloon with papier-mache strips. Repeat this procedure for each balloon and for at least three layers. Add more glue and water as needed. It's not necessary for each layer to dry completely before you apply the next layer.
- 2). Use cardboard tubes, plastic bottle caps and other recycled materials for arms, legs, noses and ears. Attach these items to the head and body with masking tape. Attach heads to bodies using the same method. Place one or two more layers of papier-mache on the added features and joints. Let these dry. Place one final layer of papier-mache using the brown craft paper. Let this dry completely.
- 3). Use acrylic paints to paint your animals. Look at magazine pictures and books for painting techniques. You can add accessories like hats, scarves, glasses and jewelry to your finished animals for a whimsical look.
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