Barcelona Pets

After a recent trip to Spain, where I bought three great Papier mache animals, I decided I would like to make these pets with the Year 6 classes.

I had made a pet in an Art class with Ann Bidstrup and decided that with a few changes they could be made by the students. To keep in with the suitcase theme, the pet had to fit inside the suitcase and be one of the possessions they would bring with them to their new home.

Step One: Research animals, brainstorm ideas, look at Barcelona Pets carefully, create a mind map and design drawings.

Step Two: Using one very long piece of wire create the frame of the animal. Ears and tail could be added with smaller pieces of wire.

Step Three: Stuff head and body with loosely scrunched newspaper.

Step Four: Fold strips of newspaper and then wrap around the wire. Secure with masking tape.

Step Five: Add a single layer of papier mache using butcher’s paper and wall paper glue.

Step Six: Add a layer of white paint to the papier mache. We used Vipond paint to get a shiny finish.

Step Seven: Add patterns using Posca pens.

Step Eight: Draw top view, back view, front view, side view and a three-dimensional view of your finished pet.

Whilst this task took quite a few lessons to do, the children really enjoyed the work and loved their finished pets!

Lesley Light
Beaconhills College – Berwick Campus
Suitable forAusVELS level 6