Portrait bust made of papier-mâché: Have your own bust made

I can create a portrait bust for you. The paper busts are made from papier-mâché. The coloured surface is a collage of newspaper and magazine clippings. This means that the busts are not painted. Only the wooden plinth on which the bust is placed can be painted on request.

I also make small ceramic busts that can be used as salt shakers, as well as mugs featuring your face.
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Portrait bust based on a photograph

If you are able to take photographs of the person for whom you would like a portrait bust created, please take photos from all angles:

• from the front

• from a three-quarter profile (three-quarter view), i.e. at an angle from the front

• from the sides, i.e. from the left profile and from the right profile

• and from the back

This enables me to create an accurate representation of the person to be portrayed. If you are unable to photograph this person but have photos of them, please select photos taken from different angles. And if possible, the photos should be from around the same time.
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Format of the portrait bust

The portrait bust can be produced with a coloured finish, a clear finish, or with a newspaper-style finish.

The standard height of a portrait bust, where the shoulders are cut off, is approximately 40 cm. 
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The production process for the portrait busts

The portrait busts are created using the papier-mâché technique, specifically the ‘lamination technique’. So it is not paper pulp that I use as papier-mâché; instead, my sculptures are created layer by layer, over a stuffed wire frame or cardboard, by gluing pieces of paper on top of one another.

Occasionally, I also use other materials, such as buttons, seashells, glass beads or jewellery to decorate the figures. I make elements such as glasses from wire and paper. To finish, I apply a clear acrylic varnish to the bust.

The production process, including all stages of work, takes around two months. However, the exact duration also depends on how busy I am.
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Final questions before commissioning a bust and how to contact me

If you would like to commission a portrait bust, the following questions need to be clarified:

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• At what stage of life – i.e. at what age – should the bust of the person you wish to have portrayed be modelled?

• Should any specific features, such as glasses, a hat, a hand, etc., be included in the portrait?

• Should the surface of the bust be coloured or have a newspaper-like finish?

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If you would like to know the cost of having a portrait bust made, simply contact me via email: papier@milavazquezotero.com or via the contact form: