COT2
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| | Papercrafting | |
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soothsayer Journeyman
Posts : 1516 Join date : 2011-06-30 Age : 51 Location : Right here.
| Subject: Papercrafting Thu Sep 04, 2014 4:13 pm | |
| Pepakura, more commonly known as card modeling or papercraft, is a simple, cheap, and relatively easy model building process in which paper, usually card stock or paper board, is used to create a model instead of the more common plastic, and is assembled by cutting the paper to shape, folding, and white gluing the pieces together.
You can create your own models, or you can download hundreds of free designs. With what you make, your imagination is the limit, while with downloadable models you'll need to print your designs. Okay, sure, you might build your models on a program such as Pepakura Designer and then print them off. Whatever. Pfft. Regardless of what you do, if you print, it is recommended that you use an inkjet... I'm pretty sure it's an inkjet. I'll have to look that up later.
One of the cool things about this art is that you can print up the designs and cut them out on foam or another lightweight but sturdy material for cosplay. Have a Halloween idea? Here you go!
The internet is full of galleries and images and plans for papercrafting; pick a genre, and you'll surely find something.
...
Okay, now that the preliminaries are out of the way, I've downloaded a few different models: one frog for Mrs Sooth, and two mech models from Front Mission 4, the Zenith and the Blizzaia. I've got card stock at home (I think), so I should be able to print these off tomorrow, and start assembly over the weekend. I'll attach links and images / prints of the models tomorrow, and post my final products when completed.
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| | | Shadowcrunch Journeyman
Posts : 902 Join date : 2011-06-23 Age : 47 Location : Wisconsin, USA
| Subject: Re: Papercrafting Thu Sep 04, 2014 9:40 pm | |
| Before you finish, and possibly encounter disappointment, I have read that no matter how you build your model there will be white seams between pieces. On several forums, the answer to that issue is waiting for the model to be dry, then hitting those white seams with colored markers. One gent or lass recommended a standard pack of many crayola felt tips, another mentioned the... um... roseart or whatever cheap brand has the pack of like 36 markers in a rainbow.
You being you, I'm sure you'll figure it out, but I know after my first model I was quite pissed at the white seams. I was extra pissed cuz I tried so hard to cut exactly where I was supposed to, folded as perfect as I could, pressed my seams, and dammit. Apparently, nature of the beast and unavoidable. I leave it to you to solve it your way, just don't let it get to you. | |
| | | soothsayer Journeyman
Posts : 1516 Join date : 2011-06-30 Age : 51 Location : Right here.
| Subject: Re: Papercrafting Fri Sep 05, 2014 7:27 am | |
| I was half expecting the white seams. I remember some scrapbooking how-to show (channel surfing) that I was watching (host was cute), and yeah, she just went along the paper's edge with a black felt tip marker so it wouldn't be so noticeable.
That would would with the mechs, but I'd agree, a nice selection of markers would be the best way to go, as your chances of finding a color that matches would be greater. | |
| | | Shadowcrunch Journeyman
Posts : 902 Join date : 2011-06-23 Age : 47 Location : Wisconsin, USA
| Subject: Re: Papercrafting Mon Sep 22, 2014 10:39 pm | |
| Just wondering if you've started gluing stuff yet... | |
| | | soothsayer Journeyman
Posts : 1516 Join date : 2011-06-30 Age : 51 Location : Right here.
| Subject: Re: Papercrafting Tue Sep 23, 2014 9:22 am | |
| I finished my initial model, a "simple" frog. Egads, that wasn't really simple.
14 pieces total, two were for the base. Easy enough, right? Wrong! I know mountain folds and valley folds, but some of these were... odd. There was one portion that made no sense what so ever, and then when assembled, it looked as if the frog had snapped its neck, the way it was tilted up like that. So I modified a bit.
I think it would have gone together easier if the picture instructions were clearer. Some of the items were depicted folded, with arrows showing how to fold the piece, while other showed the piece flat, with arrows showing where the parts fold. Awkward to say the least, and this is coming from a guy who's assembled plastic kits without instructions before!
I did come out of it with some experience and a better understanding of the craft. It isn't as easy as what one would think. That, and organics suck, can't wait to work on the mecha models!
A marker kit does come in handy. I picked up a 50 color set from Walmart for a few bucks, so I'm good there. One thing I didn't buy because I thought it would be silly was a scoring tool to make folding easier. Pfft, make folding easier? Who the hell can't fold? Idiots.
...
Apparently I can't fold. Let's see how well you can fold when you're trying to fold something that's only a quarter of an inch long, and just fold the corner back on itself so it can be rolled and glued! | |
| | | Shadowcrunch Journeyman
Posts : 902 Join date : 2011-06-23 Age : 47 Location : Wisconsin, USA
| Subject: Re: Papercrafting Tue Sep 23, 2014 9:55 am | |
| Yeah folding sucks!!! I tried doing a couple star trek dudes and a tiny space ship, all of which went the way of being mangled on purpose. Then I tried a cube, printed off to look like a diamond block from Minecraft, and that became a sticky guanodohedron. The next one though, I didn't know about scoring, but after I made a fold I pressed the fold with a metal X-acto handle both ways. My biggest mistake, I believe, was using card stock for everything. Sure, you want your model to be strong, but a LOT of models I've seen, the creators tell you to just use regular paper to make folding possible, and because there's enough folds and glue to add stability. Still haven't had the gumption to try something in the 8-12 page size range... I fear for my remaining toner if I tried that! Here's hoping your experience improves your quality and comfort with the hobby! | |
| | | soothsayer Journeyman
Posts : 1516 Join date : 2011-06-30 Age : 51 Location : Right here.
| Subject: Re: Papercrafting Tue Sep 23, 2014 11:38 am | |
| Just regular paper? Yeah, that doesn't seem as if it'd be strong enough... suppose we could always experiment and see what works best. Then again, it'd be helpful if the model instructions would just say "this assembly works best if you use -".
Or maybe they do, who knows. The models I've got are all in Japanese. | |
| | | Shadowcrunch Journeyman
Posts : 902 Join date : 2011-06-23 Age : 47 Location : Wisconsin, USA
| Subject: Re: Papercrafting Tue Sep 23, 2014 11:51 am | |
| Well there ya go! Japanese models are designed with Japanese paper in mind, which of course is that thin stuff made for origami, the other white papercraft. By trying to bastardize the Eastern technique with your silly Western gaijin paper, you will only run into problems. Pick a side of the ocean and stick with it, and soon you will see your models come out looking like real life sculptures! | |
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