How to Make a Paper Castle That Stands Up

Making a paper castle that stands up provides a positive, creative challenge for any child or beginning art student. Use a papier mache technique to give your project both stability and a surface with texture. Applying paper towels as the final layer to the exterior produces an ideal surface for the application of acrylic paint. Display completed castles as coffee table center pieces or as art exhibitions for school events.

Instructions

1

Draw a 12-by-18-inch facade of a castle onto a piece of shoebox cardboard with a pencil. Cut out the shape of the castle facade along the pencil lines with a pair of scissors.

2

Place the first facade over a second piece of shoebox cardboard. Trace and remove the first facade. Cut out the shape of the second castle facade along the pencil lines with a pair of scissors. Repeat this step two additional times to give you a total of four identical castle facades.

3

Boil 5 cups water and 1 cup flour in a pot for three minutes to create a papier mache mix. Allow five minutes for the mix to cool. Pour the mix into a medium-sized bowl.

4

Soak a 1-by-5-inch newspaper strip in the mix. Press the strip into one of the castle facades. Continue until all facades and a 2-by-2-foot shipping box cardboard platform are covered in newspaper.

5

Soak a 1-by-5-inch paper towel strip in the mix. Press the strip into one of the castle facades. Continue until all facades and the shipping box cardboard platform are covered in paper towels. Allow four hours for the craft pieces to dry.

6

Bond the papier mache castle facade walls into a three dimensional square with white glue. Center and bond the castle to the platform with white glue. The platform acts as the surrounding ground and courtyard for the castle.

7

Coat the castle and platform with acrylic paint. Allow two additional hours for the craft to dry before handling or displaying.