Toilet Paper Roll Portraits
In light of everything going on, we were feeling inspired by Junior Fritz Jacquet
Fun Fact: Fritz Jacquet uses toilet paper rolls only to create his expressive portraits!!! He then covers them with shellac, a type of resin, to give them their finish!
MATERIALS:
- Toilet paper rolls
- Drawing materials that will show well on cardboard: markers, paint, food coloring
- Water in medium sized bowl
- Tin foil pieces
- Construction paper pieces
- Scissors
- Tape or Glue
- Small bowls for paints/food coloring
- Brushes (if using wet color materials)
If you have no TP rolls:
- Stapler
- Cardstock or construction paper (about 7” x 7” : size can be adjusted!)
Cardstock/Construction Paper Tube:
- No TP roll? NO PROBLEM!
- Take your cardstock or construction paper, roll it up into tube shape, and staple along the seam
Make it Malleable!
- Our cardboard toilet paper rolls (or cardstock rolls if you’ve gone that route!) need to be softened so we can really pinch, poke, and form them to our liking.
NOTE: If you’ve made your tube out of construction paper, it will not need to be soaked, just do a QUICK dunk, as the paper is thinner! - Fill up your bowl or container with water and soak your roll for at least one minute!
- Your roll should feel soft, a BIT squishy, but not so wet that it is falling apart
Pinch and Poke
- Pinch and poke your roll so you can start to see wrinkles, creases, and funky shapes that look like a crooked nose or a stern brow line!
- Have fun with this: let the materials surprise you with the outcome!
- Can you see a mouth forming? Eye sockets?
Soaked Rolls 
Squished Faces
Helpful Hint: Once formed, let your cardboard character dry out for a bit so it will take the glue and tape better. Got a hair dryer? Use that to expedite the drying process!
Finishing Touches
- Cut tinfoil (and/or construction paper!) to add funky hair, glimmering eyeballs, or clothing
- Glue or tape into place!
- Add color to your character using watered down food coloring, paint, or markers
- See Teacher Teal’s photos and videos for step by step imagery!
