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- Pop Up Card Templates Free Download For Windows 10
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A Roundup of Pop-Up Tutorials & Ideas
A handmade greetings card is always a thoughtful gesture, but a handmade pop-up one is extra impressive! There are many different techniques to use, including kirigami (a mix of paper cutting and origami) and simple strips which hold parts of a 'scene.'
Below, you will find lots of inspiration as well as the best video how-tos and free templates that I have found online. I've also included a list of the different types of pop-up mechanisms you can use.
I hope you like the page and I hope it inspires you to give this craft a go :)
Pop Up Card Patterns Free Download
The Basics
As a beginner to pop-ups, the V-fold and box fold techniques are likely to be the ones you will be using most:
V-Foldsare very versatile and are where a V shape pops up when the card is open. They can be cut and folded directly into the main piece of card, or they can be created by adding an additional section of card for the pop-up shape. (It might help if you view an animation of a V-fold.) To create a more advanced effect, you can even add V-folds on top of other V-folds for more layering, and you can also create a V-fold lifter which produces an impressive floating effect. An asymmetrical V-fold pivot is another impressive effect which produces a side-to-side movement.
Box Folds (also called interval stands or layers): By contrast, these are created using parallel horizontal or vertical fold in order to produce 3D box shapes rather than making use of V shaped angles. You can leave these boxes as is, or glue other shapes onto them. They can be created by cutting directly into the folded card first, as explained here and here, or the boxes can be made with additional pop-up card sections onto the folded base card. Of course, if you cut the boxes directly into the folded card, you will be able to see through the gap in the card unless you add a backing.
Combining the Two: For more advanced techniques, you can also build extra boxes onto other boxes to create more and more layers, or you could build boxes onto V-folds and V-folds onto boxes!
Video How-To
Basic Technique: The Box
The box (or step) technique is the first thing to learn as a beginner, as you will see this technique used in many cards, both simple and advanced. It is an important mechanism to know.
The diagram below shows a single sheet of paper which has been cut and folded to create three different box shapes:
- The solid black vertical lines are where you cut through the paper with scissors or a craft knife.
- The red lines are valley folds, which are easier to do if you use something pointy (but not sharp enough to go through paper) such as a bone folder to score a horizontal line where you intend to fold. Scoring the paper makes it easier to achieve a sharp, straight fold.
- The blue lines are hill folds and are created last, along with the 'fold line.' Fold the piece of paper/card along the fold line whilst pulling the three strips of paper you have created inwards (towards you). Squashing the paper strips between the folded paper sheet should result in hill folds, so long as the paper strips remain flat and straight, and the (red) valley folds remain correctly folded.
You will find that the shortest distance between the fold line and a valley fold is equal to the distance between the hill fold and the other valley fold (i.e. x=x, y=y, z=z).
The dashed line represents the fold line where the sheet of paper has been folded in half lengthways, like you would do if you were making a landscape layout greetings card.
The bottom of the diagram shows the side profile of each of the three paper strips, when the paper is folded (along the fold line) to a 90 degree angle. So, changing where you make your cuts and folds changes the heights and sizes of the pop-up boxes.
The idea is usually to then to glue a picture or other card shape onto the front of the box, so that when the card is opened, it is this image that 'pops up.'
Pop Up Card Templates Free Download Pdf
Please note: Because the boxes are created within that one sheet of paper/card, there will be gaps behind the boxes which you'll be able to see through. You would therefore need to add another sheet of paper/card as a backing like this. Or, you could make the paper strips from separate pieces of paper and add 'glue flaps' at each end so you can glue them to your card in the correct place without cutting into your base card at all.
Additional Techniques
For different takes on the regular box fold technique, there is also:
- The open-top box which turns the box shape on its side.
- Thefloating table-top plane which is where a piece of card seems to float in the air but is in fact supported by boxes.
- Mouth folds: Mostly used to create the effect of an opening and closing mouth.
- Tabs and Slots: This is a slightly more complicated mechanism which you can add onto a card to produce a sliding movement. The tab can be pulled and pushed to produce the movement, or an automatic sliding tab can be made so that opening and closing the card will activate the tab.
- AnX Mechanism: Created by cutting slits into two identical shapes so that they can slot together, and then placing this 'X' onto a box mechanism on the base card.
- Rotating spinning discs: Attaching a card disc to the main card using a split pin allows the disc to be spun around. Different images are printed around the edge of the disc so that rotating it allows the displayed image to be changed at will.
- Adding a Rotator produces a rotating movement.
For information on even more techniques, check out Popular Kinetics.
The Mouth Fold
The mouth fold does exactly what it says— it creates a fold that looks like a mouth opening closing when you open the card!
It's very simple to do:
- Fold your card (or paper) in half.
- Measure where the center line is (shown in red on the diagram). You don't need to mark this out unless you want to (in pencil). It doesn't have to be exact.
- Cut horizontally across the card from the folded edge to the center line. Do this wherever you want the pop-up positioned. In the diagram, I have chosen the center. (Cutting to the exact center isn't compulsory; in fact you can make this cut as short as you like (for a small mouth), but you don't want to go much past the center line and make the cut too long as this could result in the pop-up sticking out of your card when folded.)
- Fold the card corners outwards from where you just cut so that they are folded at a 45 degree angle, as shown in the diagram, to form two triangle shapes.
- Do the same on the other side of the card so that the 45 degree folds (shown in green) have been folded both forwards and backwards.
- Put the card flat again and open the card out.
- Push the folds inwards, to the inside of the card and fold the card in half again.
- Press down onto the folds to crease them once once.
- You should now be able open and close the card to open and close the mouth. Finished!
Basic Lessons for Beginners
- Easiest Type of Pop-Up
With diagrams. - Pop-Up Mouth
Easy technique for animal-themed designs. - Triangle Pop-Up
Another simple way to add 3D detail. - Beginner's Lesson
Information covering the basics. - Howcast Video Series
Excellent collection of video lessons covering basic techniques. - Abstract Pop-Up Strip
More interesting than the normal plain strip. - Creating any Simple Shape
Just cut out the shape outline, leaving tabs where it attaches to the card. - Tips & Tricks
A step-by-step walkthrough of kirigami techniques.
Kirigami and Lattice Heart Tutorials
- 12 Kirigami Templates
Impressive pop-up designs made using paper cutting techniques. - Lattice Heart Pop-Up
Red and white card design, perfect for Valentine's Day.
Design Inspiration & More How-Tos
- Rotating Pop-Up Spinner
Produce an amazing spinning effect. - Pop-Up Instructables
User-submitted how-tos for hearts, 3D rooms, picnics, and more. - Reindeer Pop-Up
Anybody would love to receive this for Christmas. - Kissing Valentine
Cute idea using photos for a personalized look.
Free Downloads & Templates
- Pop-Up Font
Free font which will make lettering much easier. - More Challenging 3D Designs
Including a tea set, a paper crane and fighter jets. - Tiger Pop-Up
Make a card which closes the tigers mouth when opened. - Haunted House
Spooky Halloween design with a detailed printout available. - Creative Pop-Up Cards
Amazing resource with templates for every occasion.
Ideas & Inspiration Videos
Pop Up Card Templates Free Download For Windows 10
More Ideas
- Puzzle-Cut Pine Tree
Glittery Christmas tree design which would look fab on a mantelpiece. - Cheat Halloween Card
Just buy a ready-made pumpkin paper lantern! - Birthday Balloon Card
Sweet homemade design with pop-up multicoloured balloons. - Honeycomb Circles
How to make a honeycomb centre for a flower. - Amazing Paper Tunnel
Fun triangle pop-up made by cutting out strips. - Sliding Easel Card
Lovely detailed 3D card with a sliding effect. - Cam Wheel Card
A different pop-up technique using a spinning wheel. - I Love You Card
Nice idea for using patterned paper or card as the backing.
Impressive Projects
- Pop-Up Tab
Pull-apart card design with a pop-up surprise tab. - Paper Cut Buildings
Cool house, cat and more building patterns.
Inspiration & Photo Galleries
- Flickr Gallery
Pages of photos of pop-cards from Flickr. - Cornerstonelae Photos
Creative and crafty pop-up designs. - Patterns for Sale
A fantastic array of designs which are pretty cheap to buy. - Pop-Up NY City Art
Brilliant 3D design made of lots of paper blocks. - Hand Gesture Pop-Ups
DIY idea for creating your own fun hand gestures. - Little Green Box
A blog full of imaginative examples and a few tutorials too.
3d Pop-up Card Templates
wow- this is an amazing page! so many ideas and info.!!
maybe you can help me out- i've made a pop up page for a mini album and the when i open the page- the images doesn't stand straight- they lean forward a bit. is there a way to improve it? thanks!
Wow! This is a great collection of videos. Love the ideas, and I wish I had some more time to create such beautiful things. :)
I like Blue 2 video. My question is how or where do go to publish a pop up book for a reasonable price.
Wow this is awesome! Stunned at the carousel pop-up card!
This is pretty cool and awesome. I loved that tiger lily kirigami. I never heard of kirigami before. Thanks for sharing this lens.
Try to make a pop up gift by following your tutorial.
What a clever and ingenious idea! I love it! It's also so cool! I would love to make this this year or try it next year.
Such an amazing article following you now! Check out my art article it's amazing! I would appreciate it and I'm following anyone who follows me :) I love my hub people.. I'm new to this by the way but I love reading your hubs
Thanks for all the info and beautiful photos of pop up cards. Ever since I was a child I have loved them.
I just liked to check on crafts and art ideas every time I am tired of the views of forms and spreadsheet on my screen.. great ideas you have posted here.. will be noting some of the recommended designs for my collection.. Thanks!
Loved it! Great hub.
You are right...a card is always such a nice little surprise to receive. I have made a few pop up cards but am not fabulous at it.
You have such an extensive collection here...I am bookmarking and pinning.
Voted up and shared too. Superb
Angels are on the way to you this afternoon. ps
This is such a great idea. When I was very young, I loved these pop-up-cards, and still do (but don't tell anyone). Thank you for showing us how to make them. You are very creative. Now I can make my little cousins (I've got two) some of these.
Thanks for sharing, I voted up your hub
Thank you so much for sharing this terrific information about how to make pop-up greeting cards. I've always wanted to try this, and maybe now I finally will. :)
So many memories were sparked from reading this. The Super Mario scene with the Koopas was very nostalgic. The lens in general brought to mind a pop-up card I made to accompany a class project where a lot of trial and error took place; I didn't measure correctly so some elements protruded out of the card once folded. It took a while but it finally worked out; except the missing letters on the banner. Lovely lens. Now I got so more projects to dive into. Thanks for sharing!
I would love to do this just for fun. I believe this summer I'm going to try to simple ones to start out and I certainly want to try the tiger lily, that is awesome.
Wow, This is a great lens full of so many ideas! Thanks for sharing :)
You're lens is a Great Example For Others.
Blessings
GEM
Oh, and I have to add this to my to do list, it's so pretty
Cool, its definitely worth to try!
I love this lens so much, but then I love cards. Linked to my letter writing and postcards board, and linked as related to my own lens: http://www.squidoo.com/what-to-write-on-a-postcard
I'm thinking of my son- he loves making pop-up cards and there are some great ideas here that are easy enough for him to do!
me encanto el blog, de verdad maravillosas obras de arte
impressive
Interesting and creative lens! Thanks!
Very nice. i love it
Bellas tus tarjetas. Me voy a animar a ver si alguna me queda parecida a las tuyas. Gracias por el aporte
I love these - the tiger lily is fabulous.
I love pop up cards bu I have never tried to make one. Mybe I will try now :-)
We love pop-ups and we base our ideas around them too! We just love the way they allow us to interact with the material, especially with photos and mementos.
This is a very nice lens! What's not to love about this? :) I like the Floral Bouquet pop up card! Really really fantastic! Thumbs up!
This is a nice collection you put together! You might also be interested in my pop-up paper house and other OA templates at www.makepopupcards.com
Looks amazing
Great Lens! Personally, i like the simplicity of the fjord card. I'll have to google Rosa to see what else she has out there for great designs.
Wow. Awe-inspiring. I've never seen such intricate, elaborate pop ups. The sculpture video is amazing; and that tiger lily flower, I thought was real at first glance. Incredible stuff, what a great lens.
Great lens! I am really excited to try some of these ideas.
I love pop up cards. Thank you for showing how it is done. Enjoyable lens!
These are all very nice : D I made a pop up Tardis (Doctor Who) card once.
Thanks for the information. I will try making my own pop up cards.
I want to master the art of making pop up cards!!!
Great lens...my creative mind is already whirling with ideas for this Christmas.
blessed! :)
Awesome lens! I love the Norway Fjord pop-up card.
Very cool lens. I have made some pop up cards, but not as intricate as these.
I like to make pop-up cards :) Very nice lens, I found a bunch of ideas for cards!
My favorite is the xmas tree. Simple and spectacular. Thanks for this lens! :)
Wonderful ideas and designs. You have inspired me to try this! Thanks!
OMG I have tried to think of a way to make a pop up on occasion & I LOVE that Tiger Lily one. (that would be a keeper for me I'd hang it on the wall if someone were to give me that!)
I've included it on my Favorite Lenses lens under the creative DIY section. (not sure if I missed it, but was there a link how to male the Tiger Lily one?
Happy Random Acts of Kindness day!
a great range of sites for creating pop up cards :)
That dinosaur pop out looks like it took awhile to make. I can't imagine trying to get some of these open up inside a greeting card.
wow my dream to make pop up cards, I can learn now, so happy, thank U!
How fun.. yes I must try it. THUMBS UP ANGEL BLESSED