A bowl or large container Flour, wallpaper powder/paste, or white glue[1] X Research source Water Your base structure Paintbrush Newspaper (for your project – not for clean-up duty)
There is no wrong size your strips could be. In fact, if you want to add volume to your structure by molding the strips, you will need different sizes. So tear away freely.
Glue mixture: Pour 2 parts white glue and one part water into a mixing bowl. These quantities can be changed to suit the size of your project. Or, if you have a stronger bonding glue, 1 part white glue and 1 part water will do the trick. [3] X Research source Flour mixture: Combine 1 part flour with 1 part water. Easy as pie! (But also liable to mold. Use caution!) [4] X Research source For super large and intense projects, you may want to substitute white glue for the water. Wallpaper powder: Pour 2 parts wallpaper powder and one part water into a mixing bowl. This method is good if you’re thinking seriously long-term – it can last years. [5] X Research source
If it’s too thin or thick, adjust accordingly. Add more adhesive base if it’s too thin, water if it’s too thick.
If you’re using a balloon, consider painting it with cooking oil beforehand – that way, when it’s dry, you can slide it out easily.
If you’d like to create a shape (a face, say), bunch the strip into the form you want, place it on your surface, and then layer another strip on top to smooth it out. This can create volume, texture, and detail quite easily.
Put your first layer on horizontally, the second vertically, and so forth. It will help show you where you have been before and strengthen the piece. [10] X Research source
Some schools of thought say to start with a white primer. If you’re using a light color on the piece, you may want to use this method (otherwise some print may stick out). Make sure not to cover to top part in order to take the balloon out.
