Papercraft Fundamentals
This workshop will teach the basics of working with paper in a precise, methodical fashion. Zai Divecha will walk you through foundational papercraft skills including how to use a craft blade to cut and score, and how to assemble and glue three-dimensional paper forms. We’ll practice our papercraft skills while making a set of five regular, convex polyhedrons (also known as Platonic solids) in varying levels of complexity: tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, and icosahedron. We’ll discuss where to find papercraft patterns online, and what other types of paper projects you can make using these skills.
Live workshop held April 25, 2021
Materials NOT Included in the Material Packet
Comfortable work surface like a desk or table
Bright lighting
Paper napkin, tissue, or rag for wiping up small amounts of glue
Band-aid or first aid kit just in case of papercuts or craft knife cuts
Materials Included in the Material Packet
Craft knife with #11 blade - used for cutting and scoring. Any hobby knife or Xacto blade with a thin handle should work, so long as the blade is relatively new and sharp. (A box cutter is not recommended for precise work like this.)
Self-healing cutting mat, 9x12" - it’s helpful to have a surface to cut on so that you don’t damage your work surface. Can use a clean, smooth cutting board or an old magazine instead.
Metal ruler, 12" - used as a straight edge for cutting and scoring. Any ruler or straight edge will work, though a metal one will be slightly more precise than a plastic or wood one.
Bookbinding glue in squeeze bottle - used to assemble paper forms. Bookbinding glue is acid-free and archival quality, which is better for long-term preservation, but any PVA glue like Elmer’s Glue, white glue, or wood glue will work just fine.
Printed polyhedron templates - these paper templates will be used to make the set of polyhedrons. Can download PDF templates at home and print on any stiff paper like cardstock, construction paper, or matte photo paper (you’ll need 2-4 8.5x11” sheets of paper).
Pre-scored and pre-cut polyhedron templates - will provide in the material packet some additional paper polyhedron templates that have already been machine-cut and scored.
Note: We’ve provided Amazon links above to prioritize accessibility, but your local craft, hobby, or art supply store should sell all of these tools and materials. We encourage shopping local whenever it’s possible, affordable, and safe to do so.
About Zai Divecha
Zai Divecha is a fine artist in San Francisco who makes geometric paper sculptures and installations. By folding, pleating, cutting, or rolling sheets of white paper, she creates intricate patterns of light and shadow. Her work aims to provide a quiet, calm respite from an overstimulating world. She has done large installations for Twitter, Instagram, and Square’s headquarters. Zai is a Bay Area native and a Yale graduate, and she spends as much time as she can on her road bike.