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Make your own 3D tropical paper decoration

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Time required: 2 hours

Create this tropical decoration in a 3D frame, entirely from paper, and brighten up your walls with this exotic, personalised decoration!

List of materials: 

  • Canson® Iris Vivaldi® 120 gsm A4 : Rose petal, Fuchsia, Buttercup, Clementine, Tomato, Azure blue, Bright green
  • Canson® Vivaldi 185 gsm A3 : Outremer
  • Canson® Calque
  • Craft knife - scissors
  • Paper glue
  • Thin black felt pen
  • Marker pens (POSCA markers or similar)
  • Template: Tropical 3D frame

Step 1 : Templates

Download the sheet of templates for tropical 3D frame made from Canson® paper .

Print this out and transfer the designs on to sheets of Canson® Iris Vivaldi 120 gsm paper using calque Canson®.

Allow for around 20 sheets of paper to create your floral decoration.

Step 2 : Cutting out

Cut out all of the pieces. Most of the cutting can be done with scissors.

Step 3 : Frame design

The minimum size of paper required for the frame is 30x30cm.

An A3 sheet of  Canson® Iris Vivaldi® A3 will therefore do the job nicely!

Start by drawing an 18x18cm square in the middle of the paper.

Then, draw a 1.5cm wide strip along all four sides of the square.

Follow the template to finish your design.

Step 4 : Cutting out the frame

Cut out the frame template complete with the corner tabs (the four small 1.5x1.5cm squares) as shown in the picture.

Step 5 : Folding the frame

Using either a craft knife or scoring tool, gently core the folds, following the lines you have drawn and using a ruler for assistance.

Step 6 : Gluing the frame

Start by assembling opposite sides (sides with the square tabs):

  • a. Apply a thin layer of glue to the outermost strip.
    NB: Only put a few drops of glue in the centre of the strip, as in a moment you will need to slide your decorations underneath the edges of the frame.
  • b. "Roll up" the paper towards the inside frame and hold the glued parts in place for a few seconds.
  • c. Fold the square tabs at right angles.

Follow instructions "a" and "b" to complete the two remaining edges of the frame.

Step 7 : Bird

Assemble the pieces of the bird.

Once the glue has set, gently bend the wing using a pen, paintbrush or other round tool, then draw on the eye in black felt tip to finish off the bird.

Glue your bird into the middle of the picture, gently sliding the tail underneath the lower edge of the frame.

Step 8 : Foliage

Start by gently bending the tips of the blue leaves and stick them around the bird. A tiny blob of glue at the base of each leaf is sufficient. Then, slide the leaf underneath the lip of the frame.

You can add relief by folding the orange and pick leaves down the middle, using a scissor blade to help you achieve a clean fold.

Step 9 : Adding more volume

Keep on building up your collage, leaving the green leaves (which you should also bend into shape) until last.

You can place one or two leaves so that they sit in the foreground, gluing them along the edge of the frame, by making a discrete 2mm fold.

Step 10 : Finishing touches

Using a marker pen, draw a few spots on the back surface of the frame.