DIY _ recycled paper mache lamp

I made this gorgeous lamp a few months ago. Check out the instructions on how to make one for yourself


The cable I had bought in Sweden wasn't adapt for Italy, so a friend of mine was nice enough to modify it for me and help me assemble it. And I just love it. It gives a lot of character to the room and I just adore having something unique at home that I made. The lightbulb that I've used is a very large clear lightbulb but I'm going to change it for a matte one, or with lower Watt as now its too bright and hot.
This lamp is made out of newspaper using a paper mache technique. The outside has then been painted white and the inside has been painted turquoise. I made some holes on purpose in order to create  a more interesting light.  

The lamp at night time with my dad's painting in the background.

DIY _ Recycled paper mache lamp

I really love creating things to have in my home. Design my own clothes, furniture and other objects. If I'm able to make them by myself, all the better. I actually had no idea if this would actually work, but I decided to give it a go anyway.
This paper mache lamp is a great way to use old newspaper you have that would just be thrown out anyway. Paper mache is an easy technique that even children can learn how to do. In fact, making this lamp isn't very different from making a paper mache pinata!
The main difference is that the pieces of paper are cut up in small pieces rather than put on with strips. I wanted the lamp to have a rough "cement" like feeling. I wanted there to be a lot of texture and I also wanted the bottom opening of the lamp to be very uneven, almost like an egg shell.
Follow these steps in order to make a lamp of your own.
You will need:
- a ball or balloon (I used a yoga ball that has a diameter of 55cm)
- newspaper (it's hard to say exactly how much, but i filled a 15L bowl with torn up pieces
- 750g of white paper glue
- water
- Paint if you want it to be a certain colour.

Time required is approximately 4 hours plus waiting time (4 -5 days. Be patient, it needs to be really dry before painting it or you'll have to wait even longer). 

Newspaper in all colours, etc.

After the paper had soaked overnight I ripped the paper even more, making the pieces almost invisible, just a big mush.

I squeezed out most of the water before mixing the glue in. You need approximately 1/3 water and 2/3 white glue. 

The mush with the glue mixed into it.

I prepared my home with some plastic bags underneath so that the glue and water wouldn't drip straight down onto the floor. I also placed the ball on a bucket so that it would be more stable. If you're using a balloon you can hang it up. Remember that it gets rather heavy as you put more of the wet paper onto it, so make sure you tie it up well and that the balloon is strong enough.
I made one layer with paper strips in order to give it a slight base to put the paper mush onto. I will be painting the inside.

This is what it looked like when I started putting the newspaper mush onto the ball. It isn't as thick as it looks here, about 0,5-1cm.

Here it is before drying on the balcony. I added some keywords afterwards: Arte, Libri, teatro, architettura, cultura, ballare, etc.

A close up of the lamp. Note that I wanted it to look quite rough. You can easily smooth it all out as much as you want creating a very smooth surface. It's completely up to you.

I painted the inside turquoise (it seems darker than it is because the paint was still wet here). I LOVE the result!

Check it out! So cool! I'll put up photos soon when it is up. I have to get an electrician (neighbor) here to help me adjusting the light. We have a roof lamp now so the bulb is literally attached to the ceiling and I need it too hang down a bit in order to get the lamp at the right height. Yay. Can't wait!

My Moooi light!

This is the final result of my Moooi lamp. I am very happy with it and it was nice to be able to give a handmade present for Christmas.

 To make your own Moooi "random" light you will need:
- A ball (I used a 55cm in diameter yoga ball) - yoga ball, beach ball, kids plastic ball, depending on how big you want it.
- 400 m of string. You can use both plastic string and paper string or even cotton yarn. Usually a ball of string is about 50 or 100m.
- Wall paper paste (I used 35g of powder that you mix with water for each ball). You can also buy ready made paste.
- Light bulb (look for a biiig one) either clear or not.
- Electric cable. At Bolagret you can find really funky colourful "rope cables" that look real nice!

Time required:
The first step will take you 2-3 hours and then consider 24 hours for the glue to completely dry.


Cost:
Ball:  2 - 12 euro (depending on what type you use)
String: 1 euro / ball of string = 4 euros.
Wallpaper paste: 3 euros
Big light bulb: 4 euros 
Electricity cable: 7 euros
Total cost: max 30 euros for first lamp shade and 18 euros for the next ones.
(The original Moooi Random light costs at least 450 euros and copies can be found from 80 euros)


The yoga ball I bought cost 12 euro but obviously I can use it again, so I hardly see this as a cost. And obviously if one plans to make many, you already have a ball that you can use.

Start by winding the string around the ball a few times (8-10 times) and then tie it together. Cut the string and start again. It doesn't matter if it always finishes at the same point. The easiest way to go is with the first ball of string to keep the same center point and go around and around.

With the next balls of string start in different points, always tying it to a previous string in order for it not to slip. Don't worry too much is a string becomes loose. You can cover it with a few layers of string and also the glue will make it firm in the end.

This is the ball after about 2-3 balls of string has been wound on.

You will need about 400m of string to cover a ball with a 55cm diameter. Make sure you leave an area without any string so that you can take the ball out. It only needs to be about 10-15cm large.

These are the two lamp shades that we made. A white and a blue.

We put a bit some plastic on the floor in order to avoid getting wallpaper paste on the floor. Then we just slabbed it on not being all too careful. Just make sure you turn the ball a few times while it's setting in order to avoid that the part sitting on the floor remains gooey and soft.

And this is the result!

Lovely shadows!

My lovely Moooi random copy!

and on the 1st day there was light...

Lights ... camera ... action!



Beat _ Tom Dixon
Chimney _ Hubert
Heavy _ Hubert
Float _ Hubert
Wood _ Fredrik Mattson
Memories _ Chen Karlsson
This is a cute lamp that has an opening on the side where you can insert your favorite childhood toy (as long as it's not too sensitive to heat).
Styrene _ Pete Cocksedge
Light _ Permafrost
Random _ Mooi
I once had a dream about making this lamp. I wonder if I had already seen it somewhere?
Dandelion _ Mooi
Snowball _ Poul Henningson
An old retro classic from 1958.
Schiese
This lamp has a great sense of humor! The name of this broken light bulb in fact is Scheise = shit.
Jin _ Interstudio
Another lamp with a sense of humor. I don't remember the title of this one though!
Gregg _ Interstudio