Dragons
Materials:
- Newspapers (about 3)
- Tissue paper, white and coloured
- Masking tape, (2 rolls)
- Stem wire and wire cutters
- Elmer´s School Glue (or similar)
- Glue Brush
- White and coloured paints, plus paintbrushes
- Thick cardboard (for base)
- Sheet of white card
- String (about 36 inches)
- Craft scissors and ruler
- Felt tip pen
- Paper butterfly and feather (optional)
How to make Dragons.
This pair of playful dragons with their fierce spiky backs is made on a base of egg boxes, which were pulled into shape with string. The shape was then strengthened with rolls of newspaper, reinforced with wire, and legs made from wired newspaper tubes were taped into position. The body was then padded out and the legs thickened with more tubes of newspaper.
Once this framework was taped to a cardboard base and standing firmly, the head, made from a newspaper parcel was taped on top of the body, and then the lower jaw was taped in position. A tail made from newspaper was attached, with extra egg box spikes added to the tail and head. When the shape of the dragons has been finally established, the newspaper is completely covered with strips of glued white tissue paper, adding strength and giving a good surface for painting.
Small parcels of painted paper were glued into the 'cups' of the egg boxes along the middle section of the dragon's backs. Teeth were cut from thin card and eye sockets made by cutting four cup shapes from a spare egg box.
Once painting started, the dragons gradually came to life, but all dragons must have wings. These were made by covering a wire and masking tape frame with white, and then coloured tissue paper. Gluing the tissue onto the frame with Elmer's glue (pva) gave the wings added strength and extra curve.
Then the completed wings were hot glued in place, and final details added to the dragons. Claws made from tiny rolls of paper reinforced with wire were taped to the feet, trimmed with wire cutters and painted. A forked tongue was made by gluing kitchen roll on to a U shaped wire frame with thin card tips added.