What can I use for circle planet forms for paper mache?

Question

I need to make a solar system project and have posted 2 questions about it already, so, I want to make a paper mache solar system model for an 8th grade project. I can't use a kit and won't use styrofoam balls. I can't use sports balls or something like that because the paper mache planets kind of have to be hollow, so something has to pop, like a baloon, but a balloon is too long and not circular. They also have to be hollow because I am hanging them from string from the top of a box.
Plz Help! : |

Answer 1

**EDITED to clarify and instruction on the wire model***
balloons do come in many different shapes now and you can get ballons that are prefectl round. Check out a party supply store in your area or look at Oriental Trading Company- I don't know if you have time for your project to order them from there but they do have a website and a large variety of different size and shaped balloons.
anothe thing you might consider is beach balls- Oriental Trading Company, some dollar stores, and places like that have beach balls in various sizes- I have seen really small ones- these will be more expensive than balloons but they are perfectly round.

Another option you might consider is making a wire frame- get some lightweight beading wire that will hold its shape well and make a frame- you would want to bend 4 pieces into perfect circles of the same size (actually they will have to stagger slightly in size to fit inside of each other fit them inside of each other - tie at the top and bottom with twine or thread to anchor them open and together and open them until you have a wire 3 dimensional ball- then paper mache around this - you would not be able to take the fram out but it is lightweight and would be hollow and easy to hang from a string. You could actually take the end of one of the wires and make a small loop that would stick out of the top of the finished product and thread your string through that.

Answer 2

Paper Mache Solar System

Answer 3

But balloons are round and circular once you have the shape on the balloon let some air out and the elongation of the sphere can be overcome by a little pressure and applying more mache.

To get the rings of saturn or whatever you can buy bricklayers string in various shades. Get a pkt of starch and run the string through the starch or let it soak for a while then put it in the sun to dry in a circke shape suitable to be larger than the sphere of the planet. You can use thin wooden skewers to stick in th planet and stretch the colored string over them to appear like rings.

Answer 4

The only problem I see with the balloons is, you are blowing them up too much. Stop when they are round enough, For smaller planets, blow the balloons up a little and squeeze the air down the balloon until you have the size you want, and tie it off to that size.Do the mache around the knot. When dried, hold the knotted end, pierce the balloon and remove it out of the hole.

Answer 5

balloons are the answer for certain. they come in tons of sizes and after all you are working with paper mache. mold it as you go and remember that the planets are not perfect spheres so you can use imperfections to your advantage. When I was in 8th grade we made a model of " Old Faithful" the geyser. It was complete with a heat source which made it erupt. By adjusting the heat we made it so it was timed right. Had to add water all the time as we lost a lot to steam. Made clouds in the classroom.

Answer 6

See if you can find water balloons...they are smaller and they are round....good luck.