Paper Mache Bowl – Sunflowers

This project shows you how to make a paper mache bowl decorated with sunflowers.

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What you need

Bowl
Tape
Transfer Paper
Newspaper
Flour
Plastic Wrap
Gesso
Sand paper
Acrylic Paints: red, turquoise, bright yellow, orange, honey brown, burnt umber.
Different size brushes
Optional: Modge Podge

Instructions

There’s something wonderfully cheerful about sunflowers, especially when they’re paired with a splash of red and turquoise. This sunflower paper mache bowl turns ordinary newspaper into a colourful piece of handmade home décor, using a simple flour-and-water paste and acrylic paints. It’s a lovely reminder that you don’t need expensive craft supplies to make something worth displaying.

If you haven’t tried paper mache since school, this is a fun way to give it another go. You’ll use an existing bowl as a mould, build up overlapping layers of newspaper, and let everything dry before moving on to the painting. It’s a project to enjoy over a few crafting sessions, giving each stage time to dry properly.

Keep the bright sunflower colours shown here, or choose shades that suit your own home. The hand-painted petals don’t need to be perfectly matched; those little differences are part of its charm. Display your finished bowl on a shelf, use it to hold a few lightweight treasures, or give it as a handmade gift to someone who loves flowers. Just remember that this decorative bowl should be kept dry and isn’t intended for serving food.

 

1. Wrap and tape the bowl with plastic wrap.

2. To create the paper mache paste mix flour with water until the mixture looks like a creamy paste, not too watery or too thick. I stir the mix for several minutes until there are no bumps.

3. Tear strips of newspaper about 1″ wide. Dip newspaper strips into the paste, wipe excess paste with your fingers and apply it to bowl. Overlap strips. Cover your bowl with at least four to five layers of paper strips. Keep in mind that the more layers you apply to the bowl the more sturdy the bowl will be.

4. Once it is completely dry pull the paper off the bowl. Sand Lightly and use Gesso on the entire bowl to prepare it for painting. Let dry.

5. Follow the manufactures transfer paper instructions to transfer the sunflower image to the bowl. Once the image is transferred, paint the outside of bowl red and the inside turquoise. (these are only suggested colors, you can use any color that matches your home décor). Use a small brush to paint in between petals. Let dry. A few coats may be necessary.

6. Paint sunflower’s petals bright yellow and the center honey brown. Let dry.

7. To create the inner circles of the sunflower, use burnt umber to outline circles and as you are moving away from the circle add water to the paint to dilute it.

8. Use orange to paint only some parts of the petals and give them a little bit of depth.  Outline the petals with burn umber and a fine brush.

It is optional if you would like to seal the bowl with a clear protective finish. I used Modge Podge for this project.