Mini Tutorial # 9 - How to Make Horns
This is a tutorial in how to make a simple horn using celluclay.
Although this does not work so well for large or very curved horns, I like this method as the horn is eminently adjustable - there's no fear of having made the armature too large and being unable to adjust the horn past that. As well, the finished horn has just enough weight and heft to make it feel real.
First, grab some thin cardboard or cardstock and draw your horn shape and then cut it out.
Now tape that onto a table using clear packing tape. If you don't want to work directly on a table, you can tape it to a large dinner plate, casserole dish, or anything else that's very flat and made of thick glass or wood (plastic tend to warp and bend).
Open your bag of celluclay. This stuff is basically just finely shredded newsprint mixed with glues. It's very possible to make your own paper pulp, but (for small projects) it's generally much easier and cleaner just to buy a bag of this stuff.
I tend to mix celluclay much like cement. I scoop out an amount (a handful or two) onto the table, make a depression in the middle, and pour some water on it - mixing it with my hands and capturing the water that trickles out. When fully mixed, you want it to be able to hold its own shape but not be so dry that it cracks.
Take your clay and spread it onto the drawing of your horn. What you are doing now, is making *half* of the horn. You will make the other half later.
It doesn't have to be perfect, but try to stay in the lines and make it reasonably smooth.
Once this is dry (and make sure it is very dry or it will just fall apart during this next step. You can bake it in an oven with low heat to be sure) flip it over and fill in the other half of the horn.,
Try to make both sides symmetrical. Feel free to fill in any depressions you find in the 1st side. Then leave it to dry and/or put it back into the oven (*low* heat).
Now that it is dry, you will have to sculpt the horn. Fill in any depressions or non-symetrical areas with more celluclay. Build a base on the horn so that it will stand straight. Cut off any odd protrusions with a utility knife.
After it has dried again and you are happy with the proportions, sand the horn to make it smooth and straight. I have an electric palm sander to help with this, but coarse grit sandpaper and a lot of elbow grease will be sufficient. Be aware that you will create a lot of dust.
It's likely that you're find more depressions in the horn, so mix up more clay and fill those in and also correct any areas you accidentally oversanded or anything else to make the horn full and straight.
Then sand it again.
Do this last step as many times as needed until the horn is smooth and straight.
My prefered way to add a connection to the horn is to drill two (or more, but always at least two) holes and shove bent wire and a small amount of epoxy clay in there. The clay will harden and insure that the wires never get pulled out.
Unless you're going to go swimming with the horn, it will probably be sufficient to just paint it (though you still need a primer coat of black or white to prevent your finished paint work from getting sucked into the papier mache). If you are as particular as me, you can seal it with a wood preservative such as linseed oil. Then paint it with a coat of sealer/primer.
If you want it extremely smooth, you can also sand and reapply this primer over and over. Once you paint it with your finishing top coat, seal the paint with an acrylic clear-coat.
(as I have further plans for this horn, it display it here still in its raw form - but I'm sure you get the idea)
Although this does not work so well for large or very curved horns, I like this method as the horn is eminently adjustable - there's no fear of having made the armature too large and being unable to adjust the horn past that. As well, the finished horn has just enough weight and heft to make it feel real.
First, grab some thin cardboard or cardstock and draw your horn shape and then cut it out.
Now tape that onto a table using clear packing tape. If you don't want to work directly on a table, you can tape it to a large dinner plate, casserole dish, or anything else that's very flat and made of thick glass or wood (plastic tend to warp and bend).
Open your bag of celluclay. This stuff is basically just finely shredded newsprint mixed with glues. It's very possible to make your own paper pulp, but (for small projects) it's generally much easier and cleaner just to buy a bag of this stuff.
I tend to mix celluclay much like cement. I scoop out an amount (a handful or two) onto the table, make a depression in the middle, and pour some water on it - mixing it with my hands and capturing the water that trickles out. When fully mixed, you want it to be able to hold its own shape but not be so dry that it cracks.
Take your clay and spread it onto the drawing of your horn. What you are doing now, is making *half* of the horn. You will make the other half later.
It doesn't have to be perfect, but try to stay in the lines and make it reasonably smooth.
Once this is dry (and make sure it is very dry or it will just fall apart during this next step. You can bake it in an oven with low heat to be sure) flip it over and fill in the other half of the horn.,
Try to make both sides symmetrical. Feel free to fill in any depressions you find in the 1st side. Then leave it to dry and/or put it back into the oven (*low* heat).
Now that it is dry, you will have to sculpt the horn. Fill in any depressions or non-symetrical areas with more celluclay. Build a base on the horn so that it will stand straight. Cut off any odd protrusions with a utility knife.
After it has dried again and you are happy with the proportions, sand the horn to make it smooth and straight. I have an electric palm sander to help with this, but coarse grit sandpaper and a lot of elbow grease will be sufficient. Be aware that you will create a lot of dust.
It's likely that you're find more depressions in the horn, so mix up more clay and fill those in and also correct any areas you accidentally oversanded or anything else to make the horn full and straight.
Then sand it again.
Do this last step as many times as needed until the horn is smooth and straight.
My prefered way to add a connection to the horn is to drill two (or more, but always at least two) holes and shove bent wire and a small amount of epoxy clay in there. The clay will harden and insure that the wires never get pulled out.
Unless you're going to go swimming with the horn, it will probably be sufficient to just paint it (though you still need a primer coat of black or white to prevent your finished paint work from getting sucked into the papier mache). If you are as particular as me, you can seal it with a wood preservative such as linseed oil. Then paint it with a coat of sealer/primer.
If you want it extremely smooth, you can also sand and reapply this primer over and over. Once you paint it with your finishing top coat, seal the paint with an acrylic clear-coat.
(as I have further plans for this horn, it display it here still in its raw form - but I'm sure you get the idea)