Interest in paper art has been around the world for a long time, for example, origami is an ancient art that began in China as early as the 6th century, while this art came to Japan in the 7th century.
Origami is still a very popular art, and people who have gone further in this work create new beautiful patterns. Yes, origami from the 6th century has not lost its relevance until now.In addition to the art of origami, there are many other similar and not very techniques: kusudama, modular origami, kirigami, quilling, for example. A new trend has appeared – the creation of volumetric paper sculptures – 3D papercraft. Let’s talk about this modern form of paper art.
Paper 3D sculptures are figures made from thick sheets of paper, most often A4. But these are not just blank sheets of paper, a diagram is first printed on them. This circuit consists of the details of the model. Each detail is carefully cut and glued, thereby turning flat sheets of paper into a three-dimensional figure.
Why is this needed?
Refresh the interior. Why not transform the space with an unusual sculpture? Judging by the beautiful photos on the Internet, paper 3D models are great in interior collections. In addition, they emphasize the individuality of the living space.
Remember childhood. If you have seen the days without computers, then you know that the boys collected models of cars and airplanes, and the girls cut out paper clothes for their dolls. Gluing together 3D sculptures, you will remember what childhood was like without gadgets.
Involve a small child in a useful hobby. You have to cut, fold and glue. And all these actions help to develop the fine motor skills of the hands of the baby. If everything is in order with this, then the child is ready to learn to write, can think logically, and has a good memory and speech.
For those who are fans of the popular Comicon festival, paper modeling is a great way to create a mask, props, or even an entire armor of your favorite superhero.
What do newbies need to know?
Where can I get creative templates? Creating schemes on your own is not so easy if you are not a 3d designer who knows 3d modeling programs well (3d max, Blender, Modo, etc.). But ready-made templates can be bought or downloaded for free via the Internet. You can also buy ready-made kits for gluing 3D figures in offline stores.
What materials might be useful?
- Paper with a density of 160 g/m2. You can choose a color – it all depends on what model you will assemble;
- Liquid glue (UHU brand is suitable), PVA glue, Moment Crystal glue. The main thing is that it should dry quickly and leave no visible marks;
- Inkless pen or awl;
- Ruler;
- Scissors or cutter.
You are now ready to assemble your first paper sculpture. It doesn’t matter if you bought a template or downloaded it for free – in each case, there is an individual assembly instruction (in free amateur models there may not be). The first thing to do is to go over all the dotted lines with an inkless pen and a ruler. Then you need to cut out all the details along a solid contour. Next, bend the parts as indicated in the instructions (there are only two options: fold over or away from you). Now you can assemble the figure, there are small numbers on each cut-out part, you need to glue the places of the parts to each other with the same numbers, for example 43-43; 154-154, etc. Finished products can be additionally strengthened with epoxy resin on the outside or inside, and with bandages or fiberglass inside. Also, the resulting 3D sculpture can be painted with spray paints or acrylic paints (they are waterproof, as they form a film when dried).
If the activity fascinates you, you can continue your experiments with paper, thanks to Instagram and Pinterest we really have plenty to choose from.
