The Hound of Baskervilles - Papier Mache Clay

Referring Wikipedia

In London, 1889, Dr. James Mortimer asks for the aid of Sherlock Holmes, beginning by reading him a legend that has run in the Baskerville family since the time of the English Civil War, when Sir Hugo Baskerville kidnapped a farmer's daughter. When the girl escaped, Hugo pursued her, swearing a curse upon himself in his mad rage. Hugo's companions later found the girl dead of fear, and Hugo killed by a demonic hound. The dog is said to have haunted Dartmoor ever since, causing the premature death of many Baskervilles.

I chanced upon this monster, when utilizing clay to create a dog, I added a *Secret Ingredient* to the Papier Mache clay making it rougher, and as hounding as the Hound of the Baskervilles. Yes, the secret ingredient is *Egg Carton*. The clay came out rough and having streams of paper in a rough alignment.

So, initially, I made the whole structure using paper tubes but it was not supporting the weight of the papier-mache. So, I used the traditional method of using paper balls with tape to support the papier-mache. I guess had the paper been not rough, I would have got a normal dog rather than this shaggy hound. Also, the shape and texture being ugly and distanced from their original positions give it a monstrous look. The distance between the eyes are wider, The jaw is bigger and the body did not come out as big but the color I chose is dark and the texture is woof! I mean rough.

Anyway to Dartmoor I went, I mean I went out the door and brought this hound into my room to haunt my sister and she stepped on it, having ignored it and then scoffed at the piece.

Well, it did not work out for me to haunt but it may work out for you. So here goes...

1. Papier Mache clay - using newspapers, glue, flour, a tbsp of salt and vegetable oil.
2. Egg cartons. Add these to the mix while preparing papier machέ. I added 1 ripped egg carton to 1 batch of clay and i used 3 batches to cover the whole Hound.
3. Glue.
4. Tape.
5. Newspaper

Initially, I created the structure using paper tubes, rolling them and stapling them together to shape a face, and a body.

Later, I corrected it using paper balls - use one for the head, and one for the body. Use more newspaper sheets to create a larger body and tape it into the desired shape. Add small pieces like eyes (Ping Pong Balls), ears (bent paper tubes) and nose (again paper pieces) to complete the shape.

Prepare the clay using the mixture with egg cartons and apply the mixture.

Let it dry for 12 hours.

I painted with brown so that the overall dog with the body should be visible, especially the eyes. I guess it did not haunt anybody else but myself while it sits in a corner wondering what went down with Sherlock Holmes :P