r/papercraft

I am currently in the very early stages of making some centrepieces for a friend. She wants each table to be themed to books and animals with the animal bursting out of the pages. I have tried a few methods of trying to make the paper look like it is coming out but it just ends up looking like a crumpled mess.

She has provided an AI mockup of how she wants it to look and is pretty set on that vision. I feel like it should be achievable but I can't quite figure it out.

Could anyone help with some ideas or some alternate visions that could achieve a similar effect?

Hey everyone!
I wanted to share a small free fold-flat papercraft model I made - a market wagon for tabletop RPGs. It’s part of a bigger project I’ve been working on, the Paper City of Tarok, but this one is completely free to download and try. Just print, cut, and build - no special tools needed beyond the basics. If you end up building it, I’d love to see it! Link is among comments. Thank you!

I saw this on Pinterest and found out theres a papercraft for this lol ifk if its true but if it is i need it 😭 😭 i cant find annything abt this miku

It still need some finishing.

And coloring.

So far this is 5 days of progress.

New Lotus Field bundle by Hero Arts. Here's my video link: https://youtu.be/QJXfRz8KFXo

Every time I try to make the 3D flowers that you have to twirl, I f it up and get so annoyed. So gluing layer by layer seems to be my jam.

Hi all! Looking for help trying to hunt down a specific brand of college ruled filler paper, likely under 56 gsm or 15 lb.

I’ve been working on a drawing/collage hybrid artwork using a stack of lined paper laying around in my studio. I soaked it in water to see what would happen and loved the outcome. I’ve been layering the paper with different coatings like glue and matte medium etc. I realized I’m heavily relying on the specific properties of this filler paper and I am now out of it! I think it wound up in my studio because it was in a thrifted binder. I’ve tried a couple brands and they were totally different. I’m wondering if anyone happens to recognize the paper… it’s very very thin, definitely not reinforced, with cyan/teal blue lines as opposed to darker navy blue. When it gets wet, the blue lines bleed while the red lines stay put. The paper absorbs water instantly and becomes nearly translucent, and the blue ink pools out very quickly. I’ve eliminated Kaiser, Pen+gear, and Wexford.

Thank you for any help you can offer!

EDIT: I’m in Rhode Island

I love to make cards and collage and recently used up the last of my horded tape dispensers only to find that I can't buy my favorite ones anymore. So, my question for y'all is this... Does anyone know where I can find the tape runner in the picture and if not, what do you recommend?

1. Nesting Circle Dies — Your #1 Must-Have

Why you need them: Circles are the most universally used shape in card making and scrapbooking. You’ll use them for sentiment mats, focal point framing, layered backgrounds, shaker card windows, and gift tags.

Nesting dies give you multiple sizes in one set — typically 5 to 8 graduated circles. This means one purchase covers everything from a 1-inch accent dot to a 4-inch card panel.

What to look for:

●A set with at least 5 graduated sizes

●Plain edges (no scallops or stitching) for maximum versatility

●Carbon steel construction for clean, consistent cuts

Projects you can make with just circle dies:

●Layered birthday cards with graduated circle mats

●Monogram initial cards using a large circle as the backdrop

●Shaker cards with a circle window frame

●Simple gift tags

Tip: Place your circle die slightly off-center on patterned paper to create a framing effect that draws the eye. This simple trick makes even basic cards look intentional and polished.

2. Nesting Rectangle Dies

Why you need them: Most standard greeting cards are rectangular (A2 or A7 size), and rectangular dies create the panels, mats, and layers that give cards their structure. Without rectangles, building a card layout is like building a house without a frame.

What to look for:

●A set that includes sizes matching standard card bases (4.25″ x 5.5″ and 3.75″ x 5″ for A2 cards)

●Stitched edge options for a subtle decorative touch

●At least 4–5 sizes per set

Pro move: Buy both a plain-edge and a stitched-edge nesting rectangle set. Use the plain ones for background layers and the stitched ones for the top decorative layer. The stitching detail adds dimension without overwhelming your design.

3. Basic Border Dies

Why you need them: A border die transforms a plain card edge into something finished and intentional in a single pass through your machine. It’s the fastest way to elevate a simple design.

What to look for:

●Full card-width borders (at least 5.5″ long for standard cards)

●Designs that aren’t too intricate — fine details are harder to cut cleanly as a beginner

●Versatile patterns that work for any occasion, not just holidays

4. Layered Floral Dies

Why you need them: Flowers are the most popular motif in paper crafting, period. They work on birthday cards, thank you cards, sympathy cards, wedding projects, Mother’s Day designs, and everyday “just because” creations.

What to look for in your first floral set:

●3–5 piece layering design (not a single-outline flower — those are harder to use creatively)

●Medium scale (flowers roughly 2–3 inches when assembled)

●Includes coordinating leaves or greenery pieces

●A design that doesn’t look overly complex to assemble

Assembly tip: Use a fine-tip liquid glue rather than tape runner for layered flowers. The precision tip lets you place small dots exactly where you need them without adhesive seeping out the edges.

5. Sentiment Word Dies

Why you need them: Hand-lettering sentiments is time-consuming and the results are inconsistent. A sentiment die cuts a perfectly crisp word or phrase every single time, and you can cut it from any color or patterned paper you own.

What to look for:

●A set that includes 3–5 of the most-used phrases: “Happy Birthday,” “Thank You,” “With Love,” “Thinking of You,” and “Congratulations”

●Script or handwritten fonts that feel warm and personal

●Die size proportional to standard card panels (not too large, not too tiny)

Budget alternative: If individual sentiment die sets feel expensive, look for a sentiment strip die — a single die that cuts a rectangular banner containing the words. You get multiple sentiments in one purchase.

6. A Simple Background Panel Die

Why you need them: Background panel dies cut an entire card front into a patterned design — dots, lines, geometric shapes, or delicate cutwork. They turn a flat piece of cardstock into the star of your card with zero additional effort.

What to look for in your first background die:

●A design that’s not too dense — very intricate patterns can tear thin cardstock

●A2 or standard card size (4.25″ x 5.5″)

●A versatile pattern that works year-round (geometric, dots, or abstract lines — not holiday-specific)

Color trick: Cut your background panel from white cardstock, then place a bright colored panel behind it. The color shows through the cutout spaces, creating a vibrant design that changes completely when you swap the background color.

7. Tag Dies

Why you need them: Tag dies serve triple duty: they work as card focal points, gift tags, and scrapbooking accents. A good tag die set includes the tag shape plus a reinforcement piece for the hole, giving you a finished, professional look.

8. One Small Seasonal Die Set

Why you need it: This is your “treat yourself” purchase. After covering all the basics above, pick one small seasonal or themed die set that genuinely excites you.

template isn’t mine. I can’t find the website but i do have the email of the person/persons who made it

credit to:
tsmcnet2009@yahoo.co.jp

this f16 is a little blotched because I misread some of the directions but anyways

right now I have a two problems. the first one is that the pieces are getting so small that folding is near impossible, even with a ruler to make the edges.

another is that the glue seems to be messing with the paper somehow by making it wet and then distorting it. I can’t get cardstock printed so that isn’t an option. if anyone knows how I can solve these two problems that’d be great! general advice is good as well

this is how the dragon parts turned out i also made a tail i wasn't happy with.

the client whom commissioned this added scales and painted it

Original by me, sorry if there were errors

Scale: 1/18

Made some mistakes but it isnt really visible, really happy on how it came out! The template is from mypapercraft.net :3