My 10-year-old came rushing through the door after school a couple weeks ago excited to tell me about his newest school project. The kids in his class each had to choose an animal and create a 3-D figure of it. He already knew what animal he wanted to create and, after a little research on different materials he could use, he decided on a paper mache diamondback rattlesnake.
Peyton is amazed by snakes, especially diamondback rattlesnakes. He loves to watch YouTube vlogs about them and can list so many random snake facts, so I am not at all surprised he chose to create one.
When he decided to create the paper mache diamondback rattlesnake, I was beyond excited myself because I love paper mache and literally hadn’t done it since I was in middle school art class (using the balloon method, where I created a pig with fins and painted it sparkly purple and pink).
Honestly, I wasn’t very experienced in paper mache other than the few times I had done it before, and a paper mache diamondback rattlesnake was much bigger and more detailed than anything I had ever made.
Materials Needed to Make a Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
- Paper mache
- Black paint
- Brown paint
- White paint
- Newspaper strips
- Plain white paper
- Paint brushes
- Toilet paper and paper towel cardboard tubes
- Tape
- Scissors
- A stack of books, a tall cup, or something of similar height
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Getting Started on the Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
We needed a base to start with, of course, so we used paper towel rolls and toilet paper rolls to make the shape of a diamondback rattlesnake. I showed Peyton how to cut the tubes width-wise (but not all the way through) so that we could curve the tubes into the shape he wanted, being careful not to cut all the way through.
When we got a few cardboard tubes of each size cut, he began creating the shape he wanted for his diamondback rattlesnake. He used tape (generously) to hold the tubes together and to keep the curves he wanted, and then we stuffed the tubes with paper towels as we went along so that they wouldn’t collapse when we started adding the paper mache.
Peyton wanted the head to be higher than the body, so we used a paper towel roll to create the area that ascended up to the head. This was the hardest part because we couldn’t figure out how to get it to stay up without propping it on books. We tried pipe cleaners, paper clips, and extra tape, but nothing worked and the head kept sagging. All of those items did help a little, but it still wasn’t staying where we wanted it. I’ll explain how we dealt with this a little later.
Making the Diamondback Rattlesnake Head, Tail, and Rattle
After getting the shape down the way he wanted, we started brainstorming how to make a diamondback rattlesnake head, tail, and rattle.
We decided to keep using the cardboard tubes, but this time we cut a slit lengthwise, only about 2 or 3 inches down, and only on one side so that we could overlap the cardboard tube, making the opening at one end more narrow. This is how we planned on making the tail and the rattle.
To make the head, he drew the head shape on cardboard and cut it out. Then, we folded up 3 paper towels and then cut those to the same shape as the head and taped them to the bottom of the cardboard head shape. This made the head nice and thick without cutting a bunch of cardboard.
Keep in mind: the paper towel doesn’t have to be cut perfectly, the paper mache will smooth out any uneven edges.
Once all of this was in place, we started on the paper mache.
Paper Mache Recipe – Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
There are a few different ways to make paper mache, but I used the flour, water, and cooking method. The measurements were 1/4 cup flour and 1 1/4 cup water. I also added a tablespoon of salt to keep bugs and mold away.
If you don’t want to make it, you can always buy it on Amazon. I’ve used this kind in the past (my first time making it from scratch was for this paper mache Diamondback Rattlesnake), and I absolutely loved it.
I brought the mixture to a slow boil on the stove and then set the timer for 3 minutes. It was a little chunky and I worried about that, but it went on super smooth and dried completely.
While the paper mache mixture was cooling, Peyton ripped pieces of newspaper into long strips. These strips were to dip in the mixture and stick to the snake base.
How to Apply the Paper Mache
When the paper mache is ready and cool, dip pieces of newspaper in it until they are completely covered. Remove any access paper mache, and apply in a single layer on your project.
The first layer of paper mache took the longest time to dry, about 8 hours or so. We only did one layer and then let it dry completely. Layers 2 and 3 we did at the same time, and those took about 6 hours to dry. We did 4 layers total, give or take a little in areas that didn’t need as much or areas that needed just a little more.
How to Form and Hold the Paper Mache Shape
We used a cup to prop the head on while it was drying since we couldn’t get it to stay in place with anything else. I was hoping for the best here, and it actually worked. After the first layer dried, the head stayed up on its own! However, when it wasn’t supported we could see the cardboard tube bending in the wrong directions underneath the paper mache and newspaper, so I left the cup in place to avoid tearing and breaking. After the 3rd layer dried, the head stayed up on its own with no problem at all!!
I also used a cup to hold the rattle in an upward position while it dried. It kept wanting to lay down, but the cup did the trick there, too. It’s all about getting the paper mache animal to dry in the exact position you want it to permanently be in.
I was worried about it not being strong enough, so I had Peyton add a 4th layer using white paper. This final layer only took about 4 hours to dry. The plain white paper was helpful when it was time to start painting because there wasn’t any print to cover up.
Making Eyes For a Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
After Peyton finished the 4th layer, we made the eyes. Peyton had the idea to use a teal-ish colored playdoh mixed with a bit of black paint. Once it was completely mixed, he rolled the playdoh into eye shapes. We used the chunky part of the paper mache (the chunks were handy, after all!) to hold the eyes on. Then we ripped small squares of newspaper to cover part of the eyes and make them blend into the head.
Painting a Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
When the paper mache was completely dry, Peyton began the painting. I didn’t help him with this part except to get the underneath areas that would be visible.
He mixed colors to create the base color and painted the whole snake that brownish/tanish color. He used that same color, added more white, and did the lower part of the snake with the lighter color. This is because a Diamondback rattlesnake gets lighter in color near the bottom.
Next, he used black and white to make diamonds on the back and to put slits in the eyes.
Final Thoughts on Paper Mache Diamondback Rattlesnake
He did such a good job!! I’m so proud of him for working so hard on this project. At school, he has to display it for the class and give a two-minute speech. The speech is about the diamondback rattlesnake habitat, what they eat, where and when they sleep, and a fun fact.
This could be a fun project at home for your big kids! Peyton plans on displaying his in his bedroom when he brings it back home. It’ll keep them learning and being creative, and will definitely fight boredom!
Which paper mache animal do you think your child would choose to make? Let me know in the comments!
