- 1). Mix one part of white glue with four parts of water in a plastic bowl. Mix until the glue is dissolved.
- 2). Add talcum powder to the glue and water. Use twice as much talc by volume as there is liquid. For instance, if you use 1 cup of water, add 2 cups of talcum powder. Mix well, until you obtain a paste with the consistency of pancake batter. This is the gesso.
- 3). Sieve a cup of cornstarch to make dextrin. Dextrin acts as a binder in the modeling paste. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and introduce a pan with cornstarch. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes; remove the pan and stir with a spatula. Bake the cornstarch for 15 to 20 minutes, remove the pan from the oven and stir. Bake until the powder is golden brown. Screen the powder. This powder contains a high amount of dextrin you can use in your project.
- 4). Use 1 tbsp. to a cup of water and mix until the dextrin dissolves in the liquid.
- 5). Add the liquid dextrin to the gesso. Use 4 tbsp. of dextrin for each cup of talcum powder you use in making the gesso. Mix well.
- 6). Add Plaster of Paris to the mixture of dextrin and gesso. Add only one spoon of plaster at a time and mix with a wooden stick. Add plaster until it has absorbed all the liquid in the bowl.
- 7). Apply the paste to your canvas or collages using a palette knife or a cake decorator. If you want to make figurines, knead the paste and use plaster to prevent the paste from sticking to your table and fingers.
- 8). Keep the modeling paste in an airtight container or a sealed jar or prepare only small amounts of paste at one. The paste dries if in contact with air.
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