Steve Pratchett is an artist who has worked in the medium of papier-mâché with teachers, students and children
"The irresistible appeal of papier-mâché lies in a combination of three things - the ease with which it can be made and worked; its immense versatility; and the ready availability of materials." (Bawden 1990)
I was senior Lecturer in Art & Design at the University College, St Mark & St John, Plymouth. from 1986-2009 teaching on BEd & Postgraduate Primary programmes. From 2006-2007 I received a grant to work with Coleridge Productions on creating multi-media, interactive learning materials for Primary teacher training students and teachers on the medium of papier-mâché. These materials, including video stream of my teaching and students' workshops can be accessed online at the site: 'Working with papier-mâché by Steve Pratchett'. The materials include videoed lectures, students' papier-mâché workshops in which they sculpt dragons and masks and galleries of their work which includes:
- experiments with form and texture using papier-mâché pulp
- papier-mâché masks
- papier-mâché dragons
- papier-mâché figures
- papier-mâché jewellery
- papier-mâché containers
Examples of students' papier-mâché work
Select thumbnail to enlarge image and use the 'Next' and 'Prev' arrows at the side of the full size image to scroll through the gallery.
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All rights copyright the artist 2012. No use of images allowed without expressed consent
To see more images and time-lapse film of students creating their sculptures visit:
I have published articles on teaching art & design in primary schools. Some of these are in START The Magazine for Primary and Pre-school Teachers of Art & Design published by The national Society for Education in Art & Design (NSEAD)
START Magazine for Primary and Pre-school Teachers of Art Craft & Design was an exciting and stimulating magazine for teachers of pre-school and primary art, craft & design published between 2003-2010 when it was replaced by AD Magazine. Current AD subscribers and members of the National Society for Education in Art & Design (NSEAD) can access back numbers of the START magazine by following the link to START Archive.
Pratchett, S.J. (2007) 'Face it I'm Angry - a drawing faces project' in START No 22 Corsham: NSEAD.
Pratchett, S.J. (2007) ‘Powder & Paint’ in START No. 23 p. 8-12 Corsham: NSEAD.
Pratchett, S.J. (2007) ‘Working with Kandinsky Part 1: Farbistude and Beyond’ in START No. 25 Corsham: NSEAD.
Pratchett, S.J. (2008) 'Farbistude and Beyond ....Part 2' in START No 26 Corsham: NSEAD.
Pratchett, S.J. (2009) 'Resist, Scrape & Carbon' in START No 33 Corsham: NSEAD.
Examples of 10-year-old children's portraits in the mediums of pencil, chalk and papier-mâché from article Pratchett, S.J. (2007) 'Face it I'm Angry - a drawing faces project' in START No 22 Corsham: NSEAD.
When Claud Stevens, my grandfather was alive he was also a school teacher who taught art and handicrafts. Here he is in the 1930s teaching boys art in a Finsbury Park School, London. He is in the centre of the photograph at the back wearing a white overall.
