Aquila Children's Magazine AQUILA Magazine Best Bits | Page 48

If you adore papier-mâché as much as I do (so few people do, ed) , you’ll
love making this massive chunk of volcanic rock. Use it to adorn the set of
your art-house film, as an interesting table centrepiece, or (here’s my
favourite) sneak into your school playground early in the morning, place it
on the playing field and see if you can convince your headteacher that a
seismic event is imminent and you should all be sent home immediately.
Only please don’t do that last thing, I don’t need any more suspensions on
my conscience (Olivia from Ascott-under-Wychwood, I am looking at
you) . Anyway, the less said about that the better. There is a lot to do, so
let’s get on with it.
1 Arrange your boxes in an
interesting configuration. Use
masking tape to stick them together.
YOU WILL NEED:
– Cardboard boxes
– Masking tape
– Lots of newspaper
– Plastic sheeting (optional)
– PVA glue
– Glass bowl or plastic container for
papier-mâché gloop
– Paintbrush
– Acrylic paints: black, fluorescent red,
yellow and white
2
Roll up balls of newspaper and
stick them onto the surface of the
boxes with masking tape, to create an
interesting and organic (natural) shape.
This will form a layer of rock to show
where the lava has cooled and
hardened quickly in the open air. If
you’re feeling very clever you can twist
the paper to show the direction of the
lava flow.
3 Don’t cover the entire shape with
newspaper balls, leave some bits
bare. These will become the parts
where molten lava
is visible.