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PaperPoly HowTo v1.1

The document provides instructions and tips for creating 3D models from paper including what tools are needed, how to cut and fold the paper parts, how to glue the parts together, and how to mount the completed model. Templates for 3D papercraft models are included to print and assemble.

Uploaded by

leslie
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
54 views

PaperPoly HowTo v1.1

The document provides instructions and tips for creating 3D models from paper including what tools are needed, how to cut and fold the paper parts, how to glue the parts together, and how to mount the completed model. Templates for 3D papercraft models are included to print and assemble.

Uploaded by

leslie
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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3D PAPERCRAFT

HOW TO
AND
TIPS & TRICKS

Document Version 1.1


HOW TO

What is 3D Papercraft?
3D Papercraft is art of creating 3D objects from paper. Principle is simple, you cut the template parts, fold them along
folding lines and use the extra flaps on template to glue parts together. In essence every connecting edge and flap are
numbered, and you just need to match the number on the edge with the one on the flap and glue them together. That’s
pretty much it.

Tools that you will need


1. Paper – You will see in a Visual Guide how much paper you need for each model and in what color.
2. Cutting tool (cutting knife, scalpel, box cutter, scissors)
3. Ruler (so you can cut straight lines)
4. Glue (I’ve used stick glue so far, but you can try other glue suitable for glueing paper)
5. Cardboard (1mm - 2mm thick – it’s used for wall mounting or stand)
6. Not needed but sure is a plus: self-healing cutting mat

How to, tips and tricks


Best way to fold the model
Models can be folded in two different ways; with printed pages facing outwards or with printed pages facing inwards.
Guide will follow the printed faces inward method. This way there will be no numbers / lines / part names visible on the
finished model.

How to cut the parts


Align the ruler to the solid lines and use the cutting knife or tool of your choice to cut through the paper in a straight line.
Sometimes it can happen that your knife will steer off the ruler which can cut through parts of the model. To avoid this,
always point the ruler so it’s facing out of the model itself. Here is the picture to demonstrate.

2
HOW TO

How to cut the mountain and valley lines


Apart from solid lines there are two other types of lines – Mountain and Valley. Represented in template they will look
like this:

Mountain and valley lines are where the part needs to be folded. Mountain line means it need to resemble a mountain,
so the line itself will be the peak. Valley lines are the opposite and they will represent the bottom of a valley. In a essence
you eather fold the part down or up.
Now, in my templates / guides, mountain and valley lines are represented by looking at printed face of the paper. So
basically, when folding if you see a mountain line, fold it in a way that the printed line is on top. Since the model will be
made with printed faces inside, on the finished model it will actually look the other way around.

Gluing
When gluing you should apply glue to the “flap”. No need to put it on both ends. All edges that need to be glued together
are matched by number. So for example a flap with number 17 will have a corresponding edge with the same number.
Keep in mind that you need to apply the glue to the non-printed face of the flap, since flaps need to be inside the model
and visible from the outside.

Self gluing
Most of the parts should be solved first before connecting them to the previous ones. Same as gluing, it’s just that the
edges that need to be glued are on the same part. This is very easy, as it will fold the model properly just by gluing those
edges.

3
HOW TO

Cardboard cutting
Usually we’ll first do the backplate (the flat out parts that will be facing the wall). Once they are done, you should put the
finished backplate on the cardboard. Then either keep the backplate by hand or use something to keep it in place and
draw lines around it on the cardboard (with a regular pencil). Now you’ll have the same shape on cardboard that you
need to cut. It will be good to cut it little bit inwards since the lines you drawn are little on the outside of the actual
backplate. After that just glue the backplate to the cardboard.

Printing the template


Your template file will have a little color box on each page in the top left corner. This is the suggested color on what
color paper you should print it on. (White is represented with light gray, so when you see light gray it just means white
paper). Notice which pages are what color and printed them on respective colored paper accordingly.

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