Dare to turn into a papier-mâché figure the fantastic creature that has always fascinated you or the wonderful animal you have dreamed of. We teach you how to make an alebrije, the Mexican handcrafted figures that push imagination to the limit.
What is an alebrije?
In 1936, the artist Pedro Linares had a magical dream in which he found himself in a battle between life and death. From that dreamlike experience full of fantastic creatures and animals, he drew the imagination to create papier-mâché craft figures called alebrijes, which have become part of Mexican tradition.
At just 30 years old, this artist, who had joined the artistic group of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, fell seriously ill. In one of his dreams, he found himself in a forest where suddenly the rocks and clouds turned into strange animals.
The common characteristic of these beings is their hybrid form, meaning their bodies are made up of parts from different animals: a donkey with wings, a rooster with bull horns, and a lion with an eagle's head, all shouting the same word, "Alebrijes."
After turning the fantastic images from his dreams into real papier-mâché sculptures, Pedro Linares became one of Mexico's most celebrated artisans. In 1990, he received the National Prize for Arts and Sciences, and two years later, he died at the age of 86.
How to make an alebrije step by step
Many people are attracted to these colorful figures that spark the imagination, but then they wonder how to make an alebrije. Well, these are the steps to make an alebrije easily and economically. Keep reading.
1. What do you need? Gather the necessary materials
To build an alebrije, many people use newspaper, as it is accessible to everyone, economical, easy to handle, and soft to the touch. In fact, although the original way to make alebrijes is with papier-mâché (paper paste), they can also be made with cardboard, wood, and even recycled materials like plastic bottles.
To achieve the original shape of alebrijes, it is preferable to use papier-mâché. How to do it? Cut the newspaper or thin cardboard into pieces, and after soaking in water, mix it with wallpaper paste, plaster, chalk, or flour until it gains consistency.
2. Create the structure
After cutting the papier-mâché into long and short strips with which you will later wrap your figure, it is time to prepare the structure. Alebrije structures are usually built with wires, which for small figures can be thin and worked with the hands. For larger structures, you will need thick wire and tools to bend it.
Imagine the wire as the bones of your creature. Shape its figure patiently, and once the structure is achieved, cover it with newspaper and adhesive tape.
3. Glue the paper pieces
Cover the wire and newspaper structure with glue, and start gluing the paper strips you cut at the beginning. As you cover the structure with paper strips, you will notice that the body takes shape and smooths out. Let it rest, or if you are very anxious and can't wait, dry it with a hairdryer.
4. Apply paint and color
You have already done the hardest part, shaping your creature. However, the other big task to make your alebrije fantastic is to give it color.
Start by applying a base of white paint to the entire structure. Use the main colors to paint the different parts of the body (for example, green for the body and purple for a hummingbird's tail) or the entire structure (for example, blue for a dolphin).
You can use other paints with a finer brush, and once the base paint is dry, make dots or borders to your liking and add color to your creature. However, a very original and effective way to bring joy to your animal is by cutting dots from colored cardboard and gluing them onto the parts of the animal as you like.
Types of alebrije: ideas for these cardboard figures
There are all kinds of alebrijes, and since you can add body parts from other animals and decorate them with all kinds of bright tones, your final creature has as many options as your imagination is wide. Here are some basic examples.
How to make an owl alebrije
To make an alebrije inspired by an owl, make two large newspaper balls, shaping them with adhesive tape and gluing them together with glue.
While letting the glue dry, cut four pieces of wire, one longer than the others. Bend the end of the longest one and seal the other three wires to make the legs and feet. Reinforce it with adhesive tape, and repeat the operation for the other leg.
Coat the upper end of the legs with glue and attach them to the body. Make the wings with plenty of aluminum foil and glue them to the body as well. Cover the belly part with modeling clay to give it volume.
On the head, seal the face's outline with a roll of aluminum foil, and a smaller one in the center, which will be the beak. Now cover those parts with the same modeling clay. Once you have done all this, cover the body with 4 or 5 layers of tissue paper and white glue.
Once dry, cover the base with white acrylic paint. With brown coffee-colored paint, make irregular brushstrokes on the body to simulate plumage, and add a touch of distinction by adding white dots with a small brush. Draw small scales on the belly and adorn them with bright colors and a lot of patience.
With diluted black acrylic paint, outline the eyes, and with black paint, the pupils and toenails.
How to make a dragon alebrije
Use a piece of wire that will be the trunk, and around it, attach, symmetrically and proportionally, four limbs (the arms and legs) and a circle for the head. Add a piece of wire for the tail, and cover this structure with newspaper and adhesive tape.
With thin cardboard and glue, cover the structure to give it volume, and take the opportunity to shape the head, marking an open beak with its fangs and two sockets with two balls inside for the eyes. Create the claws and add a long tongue coming out of the mouth. Also, take the opportunity to add four large wings to the back, in the shape you desire.
Cover the structure with white acrylic paint and then a layer of green paint. Once the paint is dry, start with the decoration. Remember that the alebrije always has to be colorful, so you can paint the claws a striking color, like purple, leave the back green, and paint the head red and make bright-colored scales on the belly.