Help me with a fun craft project!
October 10, 2013 8:30 AM   Subscribe

Hi all, I've been tasked with creating a funky mailbox for our office mailroom. It's for employees to submit anonymous feedback for our director. She wants something irreverent and cheeky, so I am hoping to make something medieval-inspired, like this misericord carving.

I'm pretty crafty, but could use some tips about how to construct this masterpiece. The box would need a slit at the top for notes (and a way to get them out, hmm) and then I'm thinking I could use bendy wire to make a base for the face, and then paper-mâché over it - perhaps using brown construction paper, then adding wood-grain lines with colored pencils, and modge-podging...

Anyways, that's where I am right now. But any other ideas, and suggestions for materials and construction steps would be greatly appreciated!
posted by duvatney to Media & Arts (5 answers total)
 
Response by poster: Actually, now that I'm looking at it, it might be better to sculpt the face out of clay, something oven-bakeable like Sculpy, and then stick it to a box...
posted by duvatney at 8:35 AM on October 10, 2013


I'd carve a block of foam and paint it. Sculpey is great, but I think it would be too big/heavy for your purposes.

I'm not a foamologist, but I think it would be polyurethane that you want? Stiff, sandable, paintable with acrylic.

Slit in the top, hinged box with a lock.
posted by phunniemee at 8:42 AM on October 10, 2013


The foam boards they use for insulating would be perfect for this. It's cheap, easy to carve, save to use. If you want to use paints on it coat it with a mix of elmers glue and water first though as some paints can react with it and melt it.
I have seen the pink boards used to great effect in making terrain for Warhammer games.

Be sure to wear a mask when cutting or sanding it and it can be messy. A google search will bring you up a pile of hits for ideas on how to work the material.
posted by wwax at 9:03 AM on October 10, 2013


Best answer: How about Crayola Model Magic? Lightweight and easy to model and paint. There are recipes out there for homemade versions, but I have never tried those.
posted by Nosey Mrs. Rat at 10:12 AM on October 13, 2013


Response by poster: Thanks guys! I used Model Magic and spraypaint. I think it turned out pretty well!
posted by duvatney at 8:51 AM on October 24, 2013


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