How to Make Paper Look like Metal
A bare wall in our living room sent me on a shopping trip looking for a metal sculpture that was at least four feet wide and three feet tall. Several sculptures stood out as ones I dearly loved but I was not in love with the price tag. Over a period of six months, I came up with a process to make my own metal sculpture from brown packaging paper. I experimented with the process until I came up with a sculpture that has fooled the eye of all who have see our large metal sculpture in our living room.
Turning paper into metal begins with cutting the brown packaging paper to the shape or size you desire. Soak it in water for approximately 10 minutes. Your sink, a tote or a bathtub work for the soaking process. Roll large pieces of paper loosely before you soak it to make it easier to transport to your shaping area.
Allow the water to drain out of the soaking area or our the water from the tote. Pick up the paper and hold it above the soaking area until the dripping stops. Carry the wet paper to your forming area. Place the wet paper on a flat surface to dry or shape it over such things as PVC pipe to create waves;sledding saucers to create curved surfaces; cookie sheets, boxes or tote lids to create squares/rectangles to name a few. Allow the paper to dry completely before continuing.
Paint the surface with metallic paint. Use three to five variations of the same color to create a sheet of metal that has dimension. I suggest brushing an area then dip your brush in the next color without rinsing out the bristles. Blend the colors of metallic paint at the edges. Continue this process until the entire sheet is covered. Allow the paint to dry completely before continuing.
Cover the entire front of the sculpture with tacky glue. Allow the glue to dry completely. Repeat the process one more time.
Flip the sculpture over. Position and place a hanger on the back made from a piece of 1-by 1 1/2-inch piece of board. Glue the board to the paper with wood glue. Allow the glue to dry completely. Paint the surface with the same metallic paint as the front or use a dark color. Allow the paint to dry and cover the surface with three coats of tacky glue. Allow the glue to dry completely before continuing.
Grab a partner and ask them to hold the sculpture so the right side is down. Light a candle and hold the flame under the surface of the sculpture about three inches. Move the candle back and forth over the surface of the sculpture until it is completely covered with black soot.
Turn the sculpture over so the side with the soot is on top. Wipe off the soot with a lint-free cloth. Spray the entire surface with a high gloss acrylic spray sealer.
