Now let's mix up the paper mache and apply it to the diorama. And I will show you three different pastes you can make.

Mix up some paper mache paste. And stir it vigorously until it is smooth.

How do you do this? Here are three different ways. Pick whichever way you like.

1: Mix two cups of all purpose flour with two cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt. (The salt is to prohibit mold growth in the future)

2. Mix 1 cup of white glue and 1 cup of water.

3. Mix up some Elmer's Art paste according to the instructions (add a certain amount of cold water to the powder) Elmer's Art Paste is available on Amazon right here

Next cut strips of newspaper or paper towels. Cut them 1 to 2 inches wide and at varying lengths around 6-8 inches.

Dip a strip in the paste.

Use two fingers on your other hand like a pair of scissors to wipe away excess paste.

The apply the strip to the diorama armature.

Overlap the strips about a third. Each strip covering about a third of the previous strip. And change the direction of strips. Some go north south and some go east west. This overlapping and changing of direction will give the paper mache strength.

Take your time and sculpt out the shapes that you want. In the case of this diorama I want some smooth terrain and some rocky terrain.

And that's it! You have created some amazing terrain on a diorama. I will be continuing this tutorial and show you how to complete this diorama by adding colors, terrain textures and more.

This tutorial continues right here:

The moment of courage diorama

This is the second part of the paper mache diorama project. We finish the diorama by adding terrain textures, colors and a light. Our adventurer is in that moment where he has to decide to brave the dark cave or not! The Moment of Courage diorama

Here is an excellent paper mache paste that I have used. It is what I used for the diorama shown above.

Elmer's Art Paste - This is a paper mache mix. It is excellent. I have used it. And, the paste is storable. You can mix it up, use it then store the unused portion for later use.