In this part of the tutorial we begin the work on the globe by selecting a mold and then creating the plaster shell.

Part 1 (the beginning) of this tutorial is here

This part of the project proved to be quite tricky for me. I needed to make a globe that is about 24 inches in diameter. It had to be strong but light. So how do I do this? I figured that plaster cloth would be perfect for the shell. But what would I use as the mold to put the plaster cloth on? I needed a big ball that is about 24 inches in size.

So, I bought something called a Wubble. It is a currently popular blow up ball. And it has a very adjustable size so I could just inflate it to the size I want.

The Amazing WUBBLE Bubble Ball - Looks like a bubble, plays like a ball! Blue

But.... It was too soft. It doesn't hold it's spherical shape under and pressure. It compresses and distorts. Next!

That when I hit on those exercise balls. The kind you see in the gym. They are inflated and they are pretty firm. I inflated it and it was perfect. Just the size I needed and nice and firm. It will hold all the various arts and crafts materials without distorting much.

Gold's Gym 65 cm Anti-burst Body Ball

I inflated it up to the size I needed.

Perfect! It might seem a little small but remember that between the ball and that outer ring we have to fit two gimbals.

Now let's make the shell of the globe. I do it with a product called Plaster Cloth. This is a cloth that has plaster embedded in it. You dip the cloth in water and it activates. Then place it on the globe. As it dries it hardens.

I did three layers. I will show you more of this. And I ended up using over 5 pounds of the plaster cloth. This is why I strengthened the stand by adding plywood - the weight of the plaster cloth!

Activa Rigid Wrap Plaster Cloth, 5-Pound

An important point to remember when working with plaster cloth as in with paper mache is that you over lap all the pieces. This will create a strong shell. The rule of thumb is to overlap pieces by thirds. The new piece you put on overlaps a current piece by a third.

I covered the whole globe then let it dry overnight. Then I did a second layer.

Once that second layer dried I did a third and final layer of plaster cloth. But this time I used smaller pieces of the cloth and paid much more attention to making a smooth surface.

I let that final coat dry and the globe looks fantastic.

We are ready to start turning it into a world. (continue)

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