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| illustrated paper angel |
Small and simple pieces of full-round paper sculpture may be no more than tubes or cones, standing by themselves, with a few details to give them identity. More elaborate pieces, built around a framework and tacked or stapled to it, are like low-relief figures carried around on both sides of a base, save that their paper shell is not flattened; it flares out as roundly as the design of the piece requires. Fitting tubes together where they join at difficult angles is something of a tinsmith's job, but it can be managed more easily through trial and error than in a material less tractable.
If the piece is to be big, it is advisable to make a miniature scale model of it until a perfect grasp of the technique is acquired. It is easier to handle and wrap small pieces of paper than big ones. The miniature model may be taken apart, its pieces spread flat, and used for patterns to enlarge to the proper size.
A knowledge of sculpture is very helpful, even to designers who can draw what they want. To maintain proportion, anatomical correctness, and easy transition from one part to the next, is not so easy as in the making of low-relief paper sculpture. The worker must move around his composition, viewing it from all sides as it progresses, to assure a satisfactory result.
Those without too great a sculptural knowledge can take refuge in humorous or naive simplification. A child's or a primitive cartoonist's drawing is often very spirited. So can be the paper sculptor's work. But a sufficient background makes for even more telling effects in humor or simplification when they are wanted.
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| Folded ''half'' pattern for small paper angel. |
TRY THIS: On a circle of paper 4 or 5 inches in diameter, roughly sketch a little angel, its head and neck above the center of the circle. Bend the wings up and curl the rest into a cone, fastening it together with a pasted tab. Add a wand of a paper star on a toothpick. That is a piece of full round paper sculpture. (for older students)
Younger students may download the pattern I've included just right and cut away all black areas. Fold a white sheet of paper in half and trace around the "half paper pattern." Cut out the angel, fold sides of skirts together under the wings and tape these together. Fold the wings forward at the dotted lines. Color the angel if you wish. Give her a gold crown and sparkly wings.
Links to Paper Angel Patterns and Ideas: The customary tradition of cutting paper angels has been around since I was a tot in Sunday school. I will keep an up-to-date listing of links to a variety of paper angels for those of my students who may wish to add a few new versions of these Christmas visitors to their mantle or tree.
- A paper plate paper angel craft
- Paper Rosette Angels
- A basic paper angel from Instructables
- A paper quilled angel
- An angel made from books pages
- New Year Angel Paper Doll - by Helen Page
- Very sophisticated paper angels from Carol - multi-media
