Papier Mache Octagon Shaped Box

Papier Mache is very old and an intricate Kashmiri Art. This craft involves very skilled craftsmen and is very laborious. Papier Mache items are made by soaking large quantity of paper in a water tank for about two weeks. The purpose of this is to soften the paper. The softened paper is pounded with the help of a hamble till a mud like material is formed. This mud like material is then mixed with glue like substance derived from the pine trees. The mixed material is then put into different shapes and covered with a special paper. The products are then baked in sunlight for 15-20 days to harden the shapes. Dried products are then smoothened with special soil found in very rare mountains of Kashmir Valley. Smoothening is done by sand paper. Finally the products are colored hand painted using natural colors.