Trying to remeber some 40 years since I last did that, I thought that it was just pieces of newspaper well soaked in water. Can't remember adding anything, but I would think maybe some wallpaper paste (weak) would do the job
Just a mask will be as effective as a 'full head' - imagine a kind of carnival mask with a beak made by folding a triangle of card. Paint and embellish as above.
thanks all. I went down the weak wall paper paste route. TBH Mrs Booldawg took over the show as junior booldawg and I were just 'getting in the way' *rolls eyes*
I've bought some crepe paper to tear up in strips and glue to cardboard 'wings'
I spent several years making papier mache to sell. I always used PVA glue,and ordinary newspaper...though brown wrapping paper is excellent as it has a lot of body to it. Tissue paper will add interesting texture.
You need to make sure each layer is completely dry before adding another.
i would suggest making it the way daisy says...with card...you can just cut 2 side profiles of a bird and staple together... then use the newspaper stripes tosmooth off the edges
you could even just use a ceral box with a hole cut in one of the long thin sides and slotted over the head...cone of card for a beak, cur off the corners, then smooth off edges a bit by gently 'squashing' the rigidity out of them, pressing them etc then smooth off more with papier mache,