How to Transform a Basic Paper Mache Blob into an Impressive Sculpture!

Watch the complete VIDEO TUTORIAL here!

Previously, I made a basic paper mache blob under the premise that Squishmallow has turned a basic blob shape into 3,000+ cute and creepy character designs. If Squishmallow can do it, so can I!

I've already shown you how to make a blob and given you lots of suggestions on how you can customize your blob to make a kick-ass paper mache sculpture, but now I want to walk you step-by-step through how I make a pair of rabbit ears and a pair of antlers to transform my paper mache blob into a jackalope. 

If you haven't made a blob yet, you can learn this basic paper mache sculpture technique in this article or watch the tutorial video here.

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Step 1: Cut the Ear Shape out of Cardboard

• Sketch out the ear shape on cardboard using a reference image.
• After cutting out the first ear, flip it over, and trace it to create a mirrored pair.
• To add shape, cut a long dart into each ear and glue the overlapping edges.

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Step 2: Bulk Out and Smooth the Ears

• Bulk out the ears using scrunched aluminum foil. Hot-glue it in place.
• Cover the foil with masking tape to blend it into the cardboard.
• Cover the ears with paper mache and set aside to dry.

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Step 3: Cut the Antler Shapes out of Cardboard

• Sketch and cut out a pair of mirrored antlers from a cereal box panel.

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Step 4:  Bulk Out, Smooth, and Bend the Antlers

• Use aluminum foil to add volume—one thick foil “sausage” for the main curve and smaller ones for the points.
• Secure everything with hot glue and wrap the antlers in masking tape.
• Because the antlers are made of foil, you can bend them into a natural looking curve and they'll hold their shape.
• Cover the antlers with paper mache and set aside to dry.

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Step 5: Create the Eyes and Teeth with Clay

• Flatten a ball of air-dry clay to make a large, domed eyeball.
• Craft some bunny teeth too.
• Allow the teeth, eyeballs, ears, and antlers to dry before proceeding.

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Step 6: Create and Add Arms

• Cut toilet paper rolls at an angle and make small vertical cuts to create glue tabs.
• Cut a curve into the opposite end of the tube.
• Bridge the cut curved edges with masking tape to form thumbless, mitten-shaped hands.
• Attach the arms to the sculpture using hot glue on the glue tabs you created earlier.

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Step 7: Attach the Features to the Blob

• Secure the eyes and teeth to the face with hot glue.
• Trim the bases of the antlers and ears to create flat surfaces for attachment and attach these to your blob with hot glue.
• Reinforce the joints with cardboard strips and masking tape, if needed.

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Step 8: Cover the Joints with Paper Mache

• Apply an additional layer of paper mache to cover and reinforce the glue and tape joints you just made. 

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Step 9: Make a Paper Towel Twist Sandwich

• Rip a small strip of paper towel and cover it in paper mache paste.
• Take another small strip of paper towel, moisten it with glue, and twist it into a long snake.
  
• Lay the twist onto the glue-saturated strip and fold in inside such that the twist is caught in the edge of the fold.
  
• Wrap this paper towel twist sandwich under the sculpture's eye to make a lower eyelid. 

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Step 10: Build the Rest of the Face

• Use the paper towel twist sandwich to make the other lower eyelid, and both upper eyelids.
• Make larger paper towel twist sandwiches and use them to build the upper and lower lips. 

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Step 11: Paint

• Paint your sculpture with your favourite paint technique! 
• I love the dry-brush paint technique for painting sculptures. You can learn more about how I do this technique in this article or this video!​

If you give this tutorial a try, it would make my day if you’d share it with me. I’m @JaneSawyerMakes on TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, Reddit, Threads,  and Twitter (X). Find lots of other budget-friendly art projects on my YouTube Channel. Please share and pin this article!