Plaster Of Paris Crafts

Plaster of Paris has long been used by artists for making beautiful sculptures and many other decorative crafts. In Rome and Greece, it has been used to create the replicas of the most famous pieces of art. The Egyptians also invented a rather unusual method of using Plaster of Paris. They used it to cast the heads of the dead, to create an exact replica and thus perfected the art of plaster casting. In the present times, apart from painting surfaces, Plaster of Paris is used for creating many artistic craft pieces. If you wish to know some Plaster of Paris craft ideas to try, read this article.

Plaster Of Paris Craft Ideas

Plaster of Paris Candies

Requirements

Ice Cube Tray / Molds (in different shapes)
Plaster of Paris (powdered form)
Poster Color Paint
Measuring Cup
Disposable Bowl
Spoon
Petroleum Jelly
Drinking Straws
Safety Scissor
Water

Instructions

Take some drinking straws and cut them into long pieces (1½ - 2 inches), with the help of a safety scissor.
Apply a small amount of petroleum jelly to each straw piece.
Now, make your ice cube tray or mold ready (ice cube tray or molds of different fun shapes are preferable). Also, apply a small amount of petroleum jelly in the ice cube tray or molds.
Measure an ounce of Plaster of Paris powder, with a measuring cup and transfer it to a disposable bowl. Mix it with one cup of water and make sure that no lumps remain.
Add some poster color paint to the mixture. Stir the mixture very gently till the color is completely immersed. If the mixture begins to get dry, add some more water.
The mixture is now ready to be poured into the ice cube tray or molds. Pour it carefully, to make sure that it doesn’t fall on the sides of the tray or mould.
Now, insert the straws into ice cube tray or molds, so that they reach the bottom. Allow them to set comfortably.
Holding the straw, remove each shape from the ice tray or molds.

Plaster of Paris Castings

Requirements

Measuring Cup
Rubber Bowl
Spoon, to mix
Paper Towels
Plaster Powder
Water
Candy Molds / Casting Molds

Instructions

Mix Plaster of Paris with water, carefully following the manufacturer’s instructions. Prepare a thick mixture that is runny enough to flow off the spoon without help.
Use the mixture immediately by spooning it into candy molds/casting molds. Tap the molds even as you fill them, so that air bubbles come to the backside of the pieces.
The castings will dry between 30 minutes to one hour, depending on the room temperature. Touch the back of the castings to see if they are firm or not. Remove them from the mold carefully, when firm. Pop out the pieces and they will slowly come out.
Once the pieces are out, remove the excess plaster from the edges. You can do it with the help of a craft knife and later, you can also use your fingers to smooth around the edges.
Let the pieces dry overnight and paint them using acrylic paint. Water color paints can also be used. One dry, give them a glossy look by applying an acrylic sealer on them. You can use the pieces for decoration.

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