PAPERCRAFT TIPS & TECHNIQUES

Paper toys are fun to build. Here are some helpful hints to get you started.

TOOLS OF A PAPER TOY MAKER

NECESSARY & OPTIONAL TOOLS OF THE TRADE

NECESSARY TOOLS

• Burnisher or Embossing Stylus for scoring the template. 

• Scissors or Xacto Blade for cutting.

• A Ruler for scoring and cutting straight lines.

• Glue stick or other adhesive for assembling the models.

OPTIONAL TOOLS

• Pen/Pencil for holding down glue tabs inside a toy while glue drys.

• Jumbo Paper Clip for holding down tabs inside a toy while glue drys.

• Tweezers for handling small parts and tabs.

THE SCORE BEFORE THE FOLD

HOW TO SCORE PAPER

Scoring is the the act of creating a crease or depression in the paper which helps with the fold. This is the best way to create a nice clean fold in card stock or any somewhat thicker paper.

For example when you want to make a paper toy it is best to score the template where it is going to fold and then fold it. If you simply fold it without scoring it first, your crease may look messy, uneven, or the paper may even crack.

You can score paper using a burnisher or embossing stylus (or a dull edged blade or fine tipped object such as an empty ball point pen) and a ruler. Whichever tool you use, it needs to be deep enough that the paper folds along the lines easily. 

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