Many parents, not knowing how to make a beak out of paper, simply fold the sheet with a cone and attach an elastic band to it. This option has a right to exist, but it is more suitable for kids who do not yet appreciate the realistic costume. The advantages of this method: ease of manufacture, the use of materials that are always in the house (gum can be replaced with a thread or ribbon) and small time costs. Disadvantages: fragility and unrealistic.
Papier mache beak
You can make a paper beak with your own hands in a beautiful and original way using the papier-mâché technique. This is a long way, but the result is worth the effort.
It is naturalistic and durable. For work, it is necessary to prepare the following materials:
- Plasticine.
- Paper (you can use old newspapers).
- Flour and salt for paste.
- PVA glue.
- Putty.
- Fine sandpaper.
- Priming. Instead, you can cover it with white paint in several layers until the tone becomes uniform.
- Paints (you can use gouache, but preferably acrylic).
How to make a beak out of paper
The manufacturing process consists of several stages and takes a lot of time, so it is better to start it at least two days before the moment when the finished product will be needed.
First stage
It is necessary to mold a foundation from plasticine. The type of the finished product depends on how it is made. You should not add small details, because under several layers of paper they will not be noticeable, but should not be greatly simplified. It is advisable to apply a cream on the base so that it is easier to separate the paper product from it.
Continue work
Making papier-mâché is not so simple as making a raven’s beak from paper folded into a cone, but even a schoolboy can do it. Pre-cooked sheets must be torn into small pieces and pasted over the base. From flour, salt and water, make a paste and grease each layer with it. In total there should be about 10 to make the product dense and durable. After applying the last layer, you need to leave the work for a day to dry.
The final stage
After drying, carefully cut the paper beak and remove it from the base. Glue the cut. For greater strength, it is recommended to cover the workpiece with PVA glue, apply putty and sand. Coat with primer.
Since you need to make a beak out of paper not only realistically, but also beautifully, you can experiment with color: paint in black with a metallic tint. After drying, it is necessary to make cuts in the finished beak and insert an elastic band, with which it will be held on the head.
other methods
In a situation where you need to make a beak quickly from improvised materials, the first method may be useful - folding a paper cone. But you can cut a triangle, fold it in half and attach an elastic band or lace. You will get an angular semblance of a beak, like on children's masks. You can either make a beak out of paper or buy a ready-made mask in a store, but a thing that has invested time and effort is much more valued than its purchased counterpart. In addition, the result of manual work is always individual, in contrast to the product of mass production.