7 Tips For Building Amazing Paper Airplanes

There are literally thousands of visual guides on the web showing how to do this or that paper airplane. I'm not publishing another one. Instead of that I'll share my best tips that will help you achieve better results when making just any paper airplane.

Building paper airplanes is not a rocket science, but when you start doing it you always see it's not as easy as it looks at the pictures. So let's discover the best tactics for building great paper airplanes right now!

1. Work on a hard, flat and clean surface.

Don't try to make paper airplanes while lying in bed, neither do it on the floor. You need a desk or a table - flat, smooth and hard surface where you can do the sharp and precise folds without crushing the other parts of the paper.

Make sure the surface is also clean - even small grit may spoil your paper aircraft when you press it down to make some fold. Clean your desk of all the stuff and garbage, secure a good lighting and you are ready to make the best paper airplane!

2. Draft with a pencil

While it's not a common practice, it's not a bad idea to draft the folds that you are going to make with a tin pencil directly on the paper that will be used. This tactic is most useful when there are complex instructions and when symmetry is important. Folds that are outlined are much easier to follow.

If you don't want your airplane to have lines on it, you may outline a model only for practice and use a clean sheet of paper when you are sure you are ready to do the real one.

3. Keep your unsuccessful models

When you start making paper airplanes some of the models will go nowhere - especially if you follow instructions for some unknown model. Sometimes you will not understand the directions well, sometimes the paper will crush or tear, sometimes you'll just lose interest.

My advice is not to throw away these models at least for a while. They are excellent to refresh your memories what didn't work, why and how it can be fixed. Often you can learn more from the failed models than from your best looking paper aircraft.

4. Use colored paper

This is one of the best tactics to make successful paper airplanes. No, the color will not change the way the airplane flies, but it will change the way you are making it. It's much easier to understand what is going where, when one of the sides of the paper is colored.

Many of the instructions also use colored paper or colored drawing to show clearer what is back and what is front. If you follow such instructions it is a great idea to use colored paper. Besides that colored models look great!

5. Use a ruler

A simple ruler can make even the hardest folds easy and fine. It prevents the paper from folding and crushing on the wrong places and helps you feel more stable and secure. Using a ruler can also help you take measures when the instructions say things like "about 1.5 inches from the edge".

I use a plastic and transparent ruler to see the paper under it.

6. Experiment

Making paper airplanes is supposed to be fun. There's nothing wrong if instead of the model you planned to make you end up with something else. Don't be afraid to experiment - sometimes the best paper aircraft comes in an unexpected way. Adding a fold here and there or skipping one can suddenly improve the airplane you are making. Sometimes you may even add a cut with the scissors if you feel it's a good idea.

While experimenting is more appropriate for experienced paper airplane builders, even a beginner shouldn't be afraid to do them. Paper is cheap especially if you use recycled one!

7. Practice

No one started to make great paper airplanes by reading books. You are unlikely to be an exception. Don't lose too much reading and observing, start doing. Your skills, ideas and taste for experiments will improve with every new airplane you make. Once you make a hundred of paper airplanes you'll be skilled enough to create your own models, which is the really exciting part.

If you follow the 7 tips here you'll probably start making great models yet after the 5th one. All it takes is some patience and willing to learn.

And where to start? Of course on our paper airplanes page - first read how to make them and then go straight to the specific guides.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Amazing Craft For Making Paper Sculpture

Inexpensive items like paper can be used to make amazing paper sculptures that are unbelievably fine. There are many such paper crafts that make it possible. One of them is Quilling which, although, is a centuries old craft but somehow got extinct. However, this art of paper quilling has again become popular, thanks to the creativity of the people of our times.

What is Quilling?

Quilling is the art of combining narrow strips of paper into beautiful arrangements. It is the art of rolling, shaping, gluing and decorating strips of paper. It is also known as paper filigree or paper quilling. The important fact is that it can be done with very simple tools.

Tools Needed for Quilling

Some basic tools needed for quilling are paper, glue, tweezers and scissors.

Stripes of Paper: Quilling papers can be found at any arts and crafts store or you can cut your own at the initial stages from scrap paper just to make your hands habitual with quilling! The ready made quilling paper comes in narrow i.e. 1/16 inch, standard i.e. 1/8 inch, wide i.e. ¼ inch and extra wide i.e. ½ inch. The length of these strips range from 17 to 25 inches. You can find a variety of colors including metallic, two toned and graduated tones. However, ideal paper is the one that rolls easily and smoothly, and holds its shape well when released.

Glue: The glue should be white craft glue that dries clear. A small glue bottle with a nozzle makes it easy to apply the glue exactly where you want. While working, keep the bottle upside down in a small jar with a scrap of wet paper towel in the bottom.

Tweezers: Eyebrow tweezers work well to hold paper strips. However, you can even get tweezers with narrow point, as fine as possible, without any ridged surface that could crumple the paper. They can be found at any good crafts store.

Sharp Scissors: required for trimming ends of strips, fringing flowers etc.

A Flat Surface: to work on, preferably plastic or something similar.

 

You can even get a quilling tool which is a long needle with a slot in the end. This needle is set into a handle. The paper is inserted in the slot, pulled to its end, and the tool is rotated in the hand while the other hand gently guides the paper until all is wound around the needle. The paper is slipped off the tool, either before or after adding a dab of glue to the end. Many shapes thus created are then combined to form a design. Afterwards, as you are comfortable with the art, you can use a needle tool. The larger the handle on the tool, the less strain and stress on the hand.

How to do quilling?

In the beginning, you can start making some of the simple designs. A V-shape design involves folding the strip of paper in half and rolling the ends of the outside of the paper around the quill. You have to roll the paper away from the inner crease. Feelers involve rolling only part of the strip of paper. You leave the rest of the strip straight. You can make this design by folding the strip in half or by using an in-folded strip. Coiling the paper loosely or very tightly around the quill will make a peacock eye. A petal can be made in the same way by bending the pinched part to one side. Follow the paper quilling instructions to make fabulous paper sculptures!

For more information about paper sculpture making tools like scissors, paper, glue, tweezers etc.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.