Sculpt a Holiday Turkey Using Paper Pulp

Left,The finished version of a paper mache faux Thanksgiving turkey. Right, turkey skin up close.

        It is easiest to crush and shape a paper mache turkey when observing one from real life. Children or parents can also access some relatively accurate photos of raw birds online if they are worried about mixing young students and raw turkeys together in one space. Children may be too inclined to touch the turkey prior to cooking and this could be a dangerous exercise! 

       However it is done, it is best to view the turkey from all angles in order to reproduce a more accurate shape. There is a big difference in sculpting from what you remember and sculpting from real life. The goal of this turkey craft version is to sculpt a more realistic looking Thanksgiving Day turkey for the doll's dinner. I will include a less fussy variation next year perhaps.

Step-by-Step Photographs of the Paper Mache Turkey Craft

Left the top of the turkey breast is shaped like a giant egg. Right, the back side of the breast is conclave.

       The basic supply list for this turkey craft is: newsprint, masking tape, hot glue gun, paper mache pulp, baker's foil, Styrofoam (very little and it's optional), and acrylic paints: tan, white, brown, yellow.

       Begin by crushing the top of the turkey's breast plate. Use baker's foil to crush an insert for the center of it's cavity. Then crush the bottom of the turkey's chest using newsprint to surround the lower half of the cavity. Tape all three sections together to form the largest shape of the Thanksgiving bird.

Left, use foil to shape the chest cavity. Center, the foil insert as seen from the front.
Right, remove the foil to check on the shape and then put it back while you work so that
the chest cavity doesn't collapse while you work.

Left, use a toothpick or wooden pick to give your wing inner strength and structure. Right, shaping the turkey's wing.

       I use small wooden dowls to strengthen the wings and legs of the paper mache turkey as I wrap the newsprint around itself and then firmly tape the parts together. After you repeat this process often enough, it will become like second nature to you. 

       Sculpting with paper is an automatic process, just like dribbling a basket ball while you play or like balancing a bike upright while you ride. Your brain, eyes and hands will learn to work in-sync with eachother after you craft with these materials for several months, a year at most.

Left, bulking out the flesh of the turkey with more newsprint and masking tape.
Right, hot gluing the legs on and then covering the cracks with masking tape.

       Bulk out the parts of your turkey with additional newsprint and masking tape after you have shaped and taped the chest cavity. Use hot glue to attach the wings and legs of the turkey. Then mask over the glued areas with more tape to strengthen the bird before smoothing on the paper mache pulp.

       Mix together the paper pulp as the directions describe the process on the label. Apply a thin layer of the pulp approximately 1/4 to 1/3 an inch thick. Let it harden over several days.

Left, view of turkey from the side. Center, view of turkey from the front. Right, view of turkey from above.

Left, the top of the turkey. Right, the bottom of the turkey.

More views of the bottom of my paper mache turkey.

Left, the turkey is covered with paper pulp and allowed to dry hard. I inserted a faux stuffing using shredded foam.
Right, the paper pulp has hardened and seen from a different angle. The bumpy mache looks like real,
cooked turkey skin already, even prior to painting.

       After the paper pulp has dried hard, you may paint the turkey with acrylic paints. Use a variety of tans and browns with a dry paint brush, layering the paint as you go but never covering all of the surface solid with one color. When you are satisfied with the painted results, apply Mod Podge to the surfaces to prolong the use of your doll's Thanksgiving turkey prop.

Paper Mache faux baked turkey as seen from different angles.

I added a bit of green to the stuffing inside the turkey to imply celery and white paper sleeves to the legs.